Selling Hypnotically- the Art of Suggestion

by Richard Barker

  Understand where they are coming from. Learn about them, their interests and hobbies. Why do they desire this product or service that you’re selling? What are they hoping that it can do for them?

  When you can identify a potential prospect as a quality opportunity, this gives you the chance to “influence.” When you know that this option has the potential to close you are much more motivated than you would be while sending out generic messages hoping that one will be a hit.

  In order for you to truly influence someone they need to like you or respect your opinion enough that when you share information or tell them something they take it to heart.

  Influence isn’t a forced or manipulated entity; it is something that is earned and appreciated. Once you start taking a genuine interest in those you’re selling to they will begin to start taking a genuine interest in what you’re telling them.

  When you ask someone to buy a product without any information or real communication they will obviously question your request. The conscious mind will come into play and will start providing logical reasons not to make a purchase. Critical minds always question such commands and reject them. This is how each one of us is wired and it is a perfectly natural and typical first response.

  However, it’s interesting that when you ask someone to imagine a situation or decision, they react differently. Particularly, when you ask the person to imagine the outcome of a buying decision rather than to actually make the purchase, they will submit to your request without resistance since it is based in a pretend world. There will be little resistance from the critical factor of the mind.

  The change of response happens because we consider “visualization” as pretend and fictitious. We don’t consider it real so we find it enjoyable and risk-free.

  When you ask your prospect to imagine something, you can successfully sneak your actual suggestion into their mind through imagination. Our brains are designed in such a way that we can hardly tell the difference between a real experience and an imagined experience. When we merely imagine tasting a lemon for example, our mouth starts salivating. This is because images are powerful for our brain. Each image, whether it’s imagined or real, has the power to influence the mind and trigger an actual, physical response.

  It is true that more often than not the fear of loss is more influential than the desire of gain. So when your prospect imagines purchasing and owning a product or using a service rather than just knowing the benefits of it, it stimulates a very powerful response. This imaginary ownership of a product sends a message to their subconscious mind that they actually have possession. The desire for purchase gets stronger and the fear of losing the product is intensified.

  As a tactic, get your client to visualize the purchase:

  Describe the benefits of your product or service. You must describe how amazing, beautiful, brilliant or hilarious your product is and what it gives back. Help the person imagine they are getting these benefits in the future and allow them to feel the benefits deeply. Once you let your potential clients know what benefits your product will provide, they will be excited to purchase from you.

  Describe how much pleasure your product or service will provide them. Get them to imagine how the presence of the particular product or service will enhance the beauty and magnificence of their location, life, or whatever it might be.

  If you are selling tangible items, such as jewelry or shoes, for example, describe how the product will feel against their skin and what the material of the product is. Help your prospects visualize the future purchase by pointing out how the product will enhance the magnificence of their appearance and how people might compliment them about their looks or style.

  Let them picture themselves holding and wearing the items. Make them feel how this purchase will improve their lives and sense of well-being. Ask them to imagine how their friends and family will look at them when they wear or use the product. Point out the pleasure, fun and ecstatic feelings they will encounter by using your service or product. These thoughts will trigger in their minds the closing of the deal or the desire to make a purchase immediately.

  You can also help them visualize a future purchase by instigating the fear of loss. After having them picture ownership of your item, tell them how their lives would be without it, how much fun and excitement they will lack. You can also ask them to imagine how they would feel if the product or service became unavailable or the price increased if they didn’t take action NOW.

  Chapter 9

  Tactics For Selling Hypnotically

  Tactics may seem like the wrong word to use, so let me explain. I am not here to teach you all the different selling methods, from using a direct meeting to selling on the phone or email. Without wishing to insult you, you and your organization have probably already figured this out. I will tell you, though, that I see every single opportunity and moment as a chance to sell and promote my products and I don’t discriminate. I hear some hypnotists say they don’t sell their self-help CDs or items at the back of the room after their shows. Some stage hypnotists don’t do one-on-one consultations for hypnotherapy. Some people don’t sell digital downloads and some don’t have any products at all. LISTEN UP: I am proud to tell you that I do it all. I am proud to say that I sell my products and services online, offline through social media, on a bus, in an elevator, and even while I’m asleep. I sell my products and services everywhere and all the time because I am committed to the process and I am getting better at it everyday. Never stop selling your products or services; always be “on” and in sales mode. If you make this a regular habit of yours the subconscious mind will accept it as fact and you will become very, very good vicariously and unconsciously. Rehearse in your mind and then deliver in a live environment. Here are a few tactics that I have noticed work for me in a hypnotic sense rather than just as a method for reaching a client.

  Reciprocation

  Humans naturally feel obliged to return favors. If anyone has offered you help, then in the future you will comply with your basic instinct to return the favor and restore the balance. You can always use this technique to persuade people to return you a favor, but first you must make them feel that you have provided them with a favor.

  This technique is great for persuading people in groups. For example, you can send them a download as a free gift along with your selling offer. Also, if you are a hypnotist and want to persuade a group of people to act on your suggestions then cue their basic instinct of returning favors by making them feel that you are scratching their backs and providing them a benefit. They will naturally feel obliged to do something in return. I use the law of reciprocation regularly and the chain is simple. I place a Facebook ad with the promise of a free gift. I over-deliver and give the person a free gift and one extra in exchange for their email address. I place them in my funnel and email chain and now because I gave them something for free it is easier to close them to a sale of my product later.

  Reciprocation technique simply builds a subconscious connection between the giver and the receiver. Obviously, persuasion works best when there is a link between you and your audience. “You are Welcome.”

  Liking

  It’s in our bones to be influenced by someone we like. Okay, I admit it’s obvious, but it’s important to know why we are influenced by someone we like. The answer to this question will truly help you tap into the mental realm of your audience and influence their mindset.

  Our subconscious is the true driver of our actions. It’s nearly impossible to gain access to someone’s subconscious mind without bypassing the critical faculty because it’s strictly guarded. A person feels secure interacting with someone trustworthy, and through the demonstration of trust and rapport, confidence is quickly built. This is why professionals like to hang lots of certificates on their walls or display awards and trophies. They need to identify themselves and buy their clients’ trust quickly. In sales, when we make offers of “Iron Clad Guarantees” and “30 day money backs,” we are wor
king on an assumption that we need to gain the trust of others and increase our likability factor. This in turn opens the door to a more receptive client. Be open, fair and honest. Develop rapport by making them feel that you are similar to them in your views and preferences. People like those who can walk in their shoes.

  Scarcity

  Humans automatically compete against each other for the best things, and the best things are always scarce. Everyone is competitive to some extent and everyone likes to have what the other can’t. I work regularly on Cruise Ships as an entertainer and it amazes me how people stampede over each other for the buffet on the Lido deck. People push and shove to get the food in case it runs out—it never does, but they fear it just might. If there is a limited stock or limited time offer, people naturally tend to purchase something a lot faster than when there’s an unlimited supply. Such tactics demonstrate the need to buy and the consequences of not buying, i.e., that the product will run out of stock or the offer will run out of time. So sellers can always persuade buyers to buy their desired product quickly by cueing their basic instinct to compete for a limited supply of things or time. This feature is very evident on E-bay and Amazon, where the supplier can tell you how much of an item remains in stock. A small secret is that as a seller I can go into my inventory dashboard and set this number to whatever I choose.

  Consistency

  I have learned that if I am consistent and persistent I eventually become the “go to” person. I am always available and I am always selling and nobody can deny that. At a stage show if I release a volunteer from the committee because they do not become hypnotized within the early stages of the show, I always tell them that it is just about timing and that I am sure if they volunteered again at a future show they would become hypnotized. I am always consistent in what I do. If I sell a product online for $27 and I tell my audience that the price will increase after 3 days or once the early bird special ends, it always increases. If I say a price will increase, it ALWAYS increases without exception. Recently I sold certified hypnotist rings; the lucky few that jumped onboard in the first three days got the ring for $49 but within a week the ring went to $179 until I sold all 500 rings.

  Consistency increases the chances of buyers buying. Educate your potential customers; it may take a year for someone to take the call to action but eventually they will. Treat any resistance as part of the fun of the game and the thrill of the chase. See sales as a fun, engaging game you are part of—but never step off the gas.

  Herding

  We are all natural followers. We have been indulging in crowd behavior for ages. This behavior has its roots in our natural need for acceptance. Whatever the majority does seems acceptable and thus we join them to fulfill our need for acceptance.

  So in order to influence a group, you must look for the early adopters and innovators that shape the decisions of their peers. A strong inflectional communication with such people stimulates crowd behavior and results in sky-rocketing sales. Persuade groups of people by influencing the early adopters or group leaders. I love the group dynamics of this: if you get a few bright stars in a given profession to endorse your product almost everyone else will follow suit. Understand that in sales you must be a leader and you must get followers to follow you. It is totally obvious to us online when we seek views, likes and shares from people we have never met in person. If the majority says something is good, it must be good.

  Sale Ethos

  We already know that a sale is an exchange of goods or services between two different parties. The one certainty, from a psychological perspective, is that the seller wants to sell. A good seller will adapt to their buyer. They will take into account multiple factors such as the buyer’s personality, demeanor, urgency and attitude. The buyer must be led to believe that:

  The goods or services are in heavy demand or of limited quantity;

  The goods or services are of a quality that the buyer finds acceptable; and

  That the purchase of these goods or services will in some way benefit the buyer. This is critical because the underlying reason that the buyer is looking to purchase is because of the feeling of making a purchase… the emotion.

  When a seller wants to sell the goods or services to a buyer, they need to take into account the buyer’s emotions:

  Why does the buyer want this?

  In what way will these goods or service help the buyer?

  What type of satisfaction is the buyer getting from this sale?

  In the selling process, the buyer’s personal reasons must at all times be taken into account. To maximize the potential for a sale and to maximize the amount that the goods or services are eventually sold for, a seller must always try to understand the buyer’s thought process and reasoning behind the purchase.

  It is important to note that all persuaders go into a sale with a preconceived range that they believe their product or service is worth. Prices are meant to be negotiated.

  For a personal purchase a buyer will spend much more on a sentimental gift of little material value because of its personal connection. In a business transaction, however, the sale revolves completely around efficiency, reliability, and productivity. The old saying about not letting personal factors get in the way of business still holds true. A good buyer must be able to quickly identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the seller’s position. This means being able to identify the goods or services being sold in a thorough manner and quickly quantify their worth according to the buyer’s pre-set business or personal expectations.

  A good buyer must also quickly analyze the seller. The goal here is to quantify.

  Quantify, Quantify, Quantify.

  Why is the seller selling these goods or services?

  What benefit does the seller get from selling these goods or services?

  What can I do to get the seller to lower their price (time, delivery, external factors, etc.)?

  Hypnotic Sales Copy

  In order to captivate someone and really grab their attention, you need to write something that not only sticks out from other forms of copy but is also innovative, creative, intelligent, and unique. Headlines grab attention and what you write must do the same. If you are doing something else but the TV is on in the background and you hear “Breaking News” you tend to sit up and pay attention. The headlines of your products and services should have the same effect. Crafting a good headline and copy text for your good and service is crucial to success. There are many sales copy classes you can take, and copyrighters earn a fortune if they are good since this is a difficult skill to master,

  The following four factors must all be meshed together and formed into one special piece of sales copy. Most people struggle with writing regular copy, let alone sales copy. Throw in the fact that it needs to be perfect in order to become hypnotic, and you have a recipe for a difficult task that not a lot of people can accomplish.

  Sales copy is like any other form of copy: it is specific, written text that persuades the reader to take a specific course of action. The key to writing an irresistible form of sales copy is to understand the mindset of the intended reader. Is the sales copy going to be placed in a business magazine for CEOs or on a billboard in Times Square, NY?

  Understand the background and demographic of your targeted audience. Let’s take a look at the four key factors that play the largest role in writing hypnotic sales copy.

  1. Uniqueness

  A key factor to consider in crafting hypnotic sales copy is the vital necessity of writing an attention-grabbing headline that will instantly focus the minds of the targeted audience on your intended message in a unique way. First impressions are critical in this world, both viscerally and visually. First impressions can include visual, auditory, or written stimuli. When we are constantly inundated with millions of different forms of stimulation and millions of various minor things trying to grab our attention it becomes much more difficult for something to stick out and leave a lasting impression. That is why it i
s extremely important that you focus on creating a unique first impression with your sales copy. There are many different forms of sales copy out there, all with the goal of persuading their readers to pursue a specific course of action. Create a unique form of copy that competitors aren’t using and you’ve already won half the battle. For example, among hypnosis products the “how to” titles seem to fare the best, e.g. “How to Recognize and Remove Depression.”

  2. Innovation

  Be innovative when writing sales copy that targets a specific audience. For example, if writing in a magazine for CEOs, write sales copy that targets something that all CEOs should be purchasing, but currently aren’t. Don’t follow the trend of recommending what is already well-known and well-considered for this target demographic. Many people believe that they can take the same old message that’s always targeted at the same demographic and change it around a little in order to make it innovative… These people are wrong. Create your own campaign, recommending your own course of action that hasn’t been thought of before.

  3. Creativity

  I can’t stress enough how important it is to be creative. Being creative means thinking outside of the box. It doesn’t necessarily mean just being creative with the words that you use or the picture you are trying to paint with your sales copy, and it doesn’t just mean being creative with the message you’re trying to get across or the idea you’re trying to form in the minds of your reader. Being creative with your sales copy in order to truly hypnotize someone means going above and beyond in order to separate your sales copy from everyone else’s. Maybe this means instead of your standard copy in a magazine or newspaper you decide to personally email a campaign to an intended target demographic and add a more personal touch. Always seek to separate yourself from the rest of the pack and you’ll find that your success will have no limits.