You’ve seen those hypnotists who bring people on stage, put them in a hypnotic trance, and get them to strut around clucking like chickens. Or the hypnotherapist with the pocket watch, repeating “you are getting sleeeeepy.” Those are both popular styles of hypnosis. And both are a little bit woo-woo, if you ask me.
Now forget everything you’ve ever learned about hypnosis. There’s a new way to put people under a spell, and it’s called Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). It can be used in sales — for better or worse. And today I’m going to share about what NLP is and whether or not it belongs in your cold calling repertoire.
So let’s get right into it.
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What Is Neuro-Linguistic Programming?
According to HubSpot, “Neuro-Linguistic Programming or NLP is a framework that accounts for how people subconsciously produce real-life outcomes through thoughts, language, and feelings. NLP sales involve using specific phrases, strategies, and behaviors to play on that system and subtly shape how prospects feel about an offering.”
NLP is an emerging area of study in psychology, and it’s currently being used across disciplines. But when it comes to cold calling and sales, NLP is used primarily to tap into the subconscious to get prospects to book a meeting or purchase a product or service. So it’s pretty simple at face value.
FYI: Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) is not to be confused with Natural Language Processing (also NLP) which is a branch of AI that is similarly helpful for salespeople. But we will save that for another article.
Is NLP Ethical?
There are loads of different NLP tactics, and some are more above-board than others. The ones we’re discussing today, in my opinion, are totally ethical. But there are still some things to consider before trying NLP in your day-to-day.
The Bad
On the one hand, NLP can be coercive and manipulative. In a way, you’re kind of hijacking someone’s mind by flying under the radar of their psyche. You are “programming” them to bend to your will. But shouldn’t a sale happen between two completely willing and conscious parties? This is the main critique against NLP.
The Good
Many salespeople who use NLP argue that it’s indispensable for trust-building. That’s right — they use it to gain the trust of their prospects; nothing more and nothing less. And trust is the bedrock of sales success. And I think you’ll see the subtle methods of NLP that I highlight below are all trust-builders.
As you read through these different methods, I want you to ask yourself, “Is this something I can use to improve my meetings-booked rate or close rate?” I think you’ll find the answer is a resounding YES.
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4 Ways to Use NLP in Cold Calling
Mirroring Communication
One NLP tactic is mirroring your communication style to reflect your prospect. Remember, NLP is all about programming. You are programming your prospect to see you as like-minded and like-mannered. And this is automatically disarming. People trust themselves, and so naturally they trust others who display similar characteristics.
If your prospect is high-energy, then mirror or match that energy. If he is more even-keeled and calculated, dial it down a couple notches to meet him where he’s at. Also try this with your spouse, friends, and colleagues. You’ll find that it works wonders when it comes to influence and negotiations.
Talk with Your Hands
Another way to subconsciously gain the trust and respect of your prospect is to go full Italian and start talking with your hands. Believe it or not, people are more inclined to follow those who perform grandiose gestures while speaking. It’s why politicians have this so dialed in. If you conduct sales meetings in person, or if you’re at a networking event, be sure to give this one a try.
And do the same when cold calling! Now you might be thinking, “But wait, I’m on the phone, how can others see my hand gestures?” Believe it or not, people can hear your hand gestures through the phone. Or.. they can at least sense your gestures in a visceral way. It’s why I’m a huge proponent of smiling and dialing (they can hear your smile, too). If you have a headset, stand up and walk around the office. Now that both of your hands are free, start using them.
Communicate Positivity
You can (and should!) program others to think of success when they think of you. To do this while cold calling, simply exude positivity in your conversations. Use action verbs like flourish, scale, and thrive. Talk about sustainable value and alignment. Speak with boldness and even tread into hyperbole with words like groundbreaking, pioneering, and fearless.
As you expand your vocabulary, be sure to keep it up-beat and fresh. Do this and you’re guaranteed to stand out from the competition, and in a very good way. After all, most people default to negative-talk at worst, or neutral-talk at best. By staying positive, you train your prospect to associate success and happiness with working with you. And this takes a massive edge off their buying decision.
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Anchoring Peak States
A peak state is that moment you close a deal. Or the moment you say “I do” at the altar, or welcome your first baby into the world. You were on cloud nine and nothing could stop you. So “anchoring peak states” is all about bottling up that “high” and using it on command. In this case, you’re not programming your prospect, you’re programming yourself for optimal performance.
So, for instance, next time you close a big deal, spray a special cologne or perfume onto yourself that you don’t normally wear. I know this sounds crazy, but it works. The fragrance (the anchor) will help you to get into the zone to close more deals (the peak state).
Next time you’re walking into a sales meeting where you must perform at a high-level, spray the cologne on yourself, or at least get a whiff of it off a garment in your bag. This will trigger your subconscious to perform the way you did when you closed that big deal in the past. This NLP tactic might seem unorthodox, but I highly recommend giving it a shot.
Final Words
If NLP seems like hocus-pocus to you, then just carry on with how you’ve always approached prospects. But if you’re willing to try something new, then these NLP tactics can really help you to program you and your prospect for the most mutually-beneficial outcome… that is, success for all.
Is it hypnosis? No, not in the traditional sense. There is no manipulation involved. You are merely subconsciously suggesting to others to look at you in a certain light, or to behave in a certain way. You aren’t playing Jedi mind tricks or performing Spock-like mind control. It’s much less invasive and far more subtle than that. And if you’re looking to level-up your cold calling game, it’s certainly worth trying.
So get out there and implement these NLP methods. Your sales numbers will thank you.
Until next time…
Johnny-Lee Reinoso