Lesson 8: a picture paints a thousand words; add in a powerful visualisation technique and you’ll have them.
Mind:
Most of us think in pictures some if not all the time. We see things in our minds as a series of images. We picture ourselves on a beach in the hot sun drinking a beer and relaxing. We do not think about that scene in words but pictures. Because of this images are very powerful. No one is more aware of this than the advertising industry.
So, when you talk, try to talk in words so that you can reach the subjects mind on a subconscious level and paint a picture in there.
No I have not lost the plot! How, you may be asking, can I talk in words or paint a picture in words? The fact is that one of our representational systems and communications models is based on the premise that people think in visual, auditory or kinaesthetic ways. If we can listen out for this and then adapt our language to match the prospects representational systems, we are on to a winner.
A falsehood in these teachings is that people think in either a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic way. The fact is there are many sublevels of this but also, we do not just think in “either” or one way but rather we think in one way about one subject and another about another and in fact can mix it all up in one subject with no apparent pattern.
How do you create visualisations and images in people’s minds? Well it’s quite simple. You use illustrations. Not literal illustration, although if you are artistic this may work too, but you describe something that is relevant to them. You take something they will be aware of or they can easily picture and you use that to describe how the product or way of thinking would benefit them. You even ask them to picture it.
To make sure you have maximum impact instruct their subconscious to pay attention to do this by using the word “picture”. As we think in pictures a lot of the time this will mean their mind will instantly be in a state of readiness to create a visual in their mind.
You could say something like “picture yourself on a hot sunny day, driving down the road in this car, with your favourite music playing. Then picture yourself showing it off to all your friends and family” now you can add an important and clever anchoring trick here that will reach them on a subconscious level by asking something “how would that make you feel?” Getting them to describe that feeling and tagging that feeling to your product or point of view with tag a real emotional, physiological trigger to the product or way of thinking.
Mind & body:
Allow them to answer and say “now keep that feeling and that picture of yourself in mind and sit in the car” tap the car (or relevant other product, or even yourself if you are selling your services or argument) “and picture yourself in this car here with the envious look in everybody’s eyes.” Or “picture yourself correcting the fools in your political movement when you correct their misconceptions.”
Here you have done a few things and all on a subconscious level. You have created an image in the person’s mind one where they feel good so you have also added an emotional connection on a subconscious level to that image. Then you have brought that image and feeling into the real world and associated it with a product or argument. They then associate that product or argument with that feeling of happiness and you have created the golden chalice of the communications world; an emotional connection with the product, service or argument.
This will mean that in order for them to have that feeling in a car (or with whatever product, service or argument you offer) then they will need to buy that car, that idea and because you planted that image they will have to do it with you. Even if they walk away that day they will be back to get that feeling from you at some point.
But we don’t want them to walk away. So, add to these techniques lessons 1-7 and you will have them there and then. Show them empathy tell them they can’t have it, do all of this and you will have them wanting this product, service or argument they have a connection with all the more.
Lesson 8: a picture paints a thousand words; add in a powerful visualisation technique and you’ll have them.
This takes practice and is highly manipulative but you are just making sure that they do not go somewhere else and fall for someone else’s techniques.
-----
If you like what we are doing here you can share this and other content on social media, the buttons are at the top of the page or you can donate/support via subscription
This social blogging and article site, community and forum are brought to you by iLife Media @ www.behaviouralmarketinginsights.com promoting social and behavioural change through better communication as well as digital, direct and data-driven marketing.
Our aim is to provide free and easy access digital, direct and data-driven marketing insights, behavioural and social insights from industry to those looking to make a positive change in the world. Whether is be charities or not for profits, activists or social enterprises our aim is to help you to learn to tools, techniques, technologies and insights that will give you maximum impact.
