Covert Persuasion Techniques

I've been reading a lot lately about some of the deeper, more obscure aspects of hypnosis. This has been mostly to increase the effectiveness of the Keys To Power techniques and the hypnotic recordings I've been creating for our members here. However, the course of this study has put me square in the middle of the covert hypnosis topic, and I must say, it's extremely fascinating.

I've learned that my definition for hypnosis has been profoundly altered. Hypnosis is not always about putting someone into a trance state, but simply a process of communicating with the inner mind. This communication can be performed while the listener is in a completely normal, waking state of consciousness.

In fact, one of the most celebrated leaders in the hypnotic field (Milton Erickson - a name I recognized from earlier studies) used to practice psychological counseling using a radically different form of hypnosis in which the subject never knew they were being hypnotized. Erickson, and his radically different form of hypnosis, became one of the sources for what is now known as NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

NLP is used by many different types of people. Psychologists, personal coaches (such as Anthony Robbins), business people, sales people, parents, and artist all use NLP to help them attain higher levels of personal excellence and to influence others to do the same. The simplest description of what NLP is would be "a system of modeling excellence and setting triggers for recreating that excellence on command". As you can imagine, this requires a very complex and involved collection of techniques and processes.

Covert hypnosis (or the more socially acceptable term, conversational hypnosis) is about using identifiable language patterns to create a desired response in the listener's inner mind. Once you know these techniques, it is relatively easy to talk to someone about practically anything and have it be a hypnotic process. For example, you can talk to a casual acquaintance about your job at the factory and end up with that person practically begging you to take them out on a date! On the conscious level, you said nothing that would suggest that they should go out with you, but by the way you phrased things and how you said what you said, their inner mind not only received the implied suggestions, but responded by compelling them to act on those suggestions!

Imagine how much smoother your life will be with these techniques. No more confrontations. No more arguments. The people in your life doing what you want them to do, and not because you are commanding their obedience, but because they feel an inner desire to do these things.

The techniques that I've found are not difficult to use. They do take a little practice to perfect, but then again, anything worthwhile takes some practice to get right. Part of the process is simply getting into the right mindset. In classic sales training literature, the concept of the assumptive close comes the closest to the secret of conversational hypnosis. When you assume that the person you're talking to wants to follow your plan, you are much more likely to use the right phrasing in your speech.

For example, instead of saying "Do you think you might want to do this?", you're more likely to say "I'm really glad that you're going to be doing this." Instead of saying "Would you like to purchase this?", you're more likely to say "Would you like to pay cash, or would using your credit card be easier?" In both cases, the idea that the other person is going to follow through with your plans is assumed and included in the underlying meaning of what you said. In conversational hypnosis, the underlying meaning carries most of the suggestive power.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg. There are many more concepts that work together to create the irresistible power of conversational hypnosis. I still have some studying to do before I can present a clear picture of the subject, and when I do it will be posted directly to the members' section of the site. In fact, I can foresee writing a whole book on this subject, especially since there is so much good information that needs to be included to make sure that everyone gets the full benefit.

For non-members, or members who would rather not wait, here are a couple of resources that can teach you much about conversational hypnosis.

Offline:

Introducing NLP: Psychological Skills for understanding and influencing people - by Joseph O'Connor & John Seymour. This is a fairly clear explanation of NLP which gives you a solid foundation for the topic. Doesn't address how to use the information to persuade others, but does talk about some of the basic concepts.

Unlimited Selling Power - by Donald J. Moine & Kenneth L. Lloyd. This book covers how to use conversational hypnosis (at least in broad, general terms) in a sales situation. Doesn't get into using language patterns to embed suggestive commands, but is a very good resource for getting the client thinking about your product in very positive terms.

Online:

Apply Hypnosis. http://www.keystopower.com/Link/ApplyHypnosis_03.phpThis website offers one of the best books I've seen on language patterns, embedded commands, and using body language to reinforce your hypnotic message. Without a doubt, the best resource available at this time. The author offers 2 options - a regular membership and a gold membership. Both membership will give you access to the central book and some extra bonus books (mostly not worth the effort to read). The gold membership does give you 2 extra books that will help you put the basic information into practice. I highly recommend that you go for the gold membership if you are considering purchasing this resource.

Sexual Key. http://www.keystopower.com/Link/SexualKey_03.phpMost men will at one time or another lament "What do women really want?!" This website gives the answer in a form that most men will readily respond to. For men, sex is the carrot on the stick that will lead them to learning how to relate to women on the emotional level, where women live. Yes, there are some conversational hypnosis techniques here, and some very good ideas I haven't seen elsewhere, but the focus is on giving women what they want and will respond to.