5 Secrets of Persuasion Use NLP to Influence Your Readers - Freewrite Store

5 Secrets of Persuasion Use NLP to Influence Your Readers - Freewrite Store Persuasive writing is a skill that every writer needs to master. That’s true whether you’re writing blogs with affiliate links, emails to your subscribers, or landing page copy to promote a product. There are lots of ways to approach writing persuasively, but one of the most effective is Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Developed by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the 1970s, Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a communication tool that can have a big impact on your readers - if you know how to use it right. Of course, you’ll find people who dismiss the tools and techniques of NLP as being ‘mumbo-jumbo’ - but, then, they’re the kind of people who would have said it was impossible to put a man on the moon. NLP works. It works for businessmen when they’re closing a massive deal, and it works for writers who need to convince your readers to do something. It doesn’t matter whether it’s clicking a link, completing a form, or making a purchase, when you use NLP, your ability to persuade increases. The Power of Persuasion Neuro-linguistic programming is so-called because, effectively, it uses words (linguistic) to reprogram (programming) the brain (neuro). It’s been compared (quite negatively) to manipulation. It can, of course, be used manipulatively, but there’s so much more to it than that. It’s used in coaching and even in therapy to change the way people think about things. So, how does NLP work to persuade people to change the way they think? Courses to train as an NLP practitioner are taught over seven days, so condensing the principles of NLP into an article isn’t easy. Nonetheless, I’ll share with you key insights from NLP that are particularly pertinent for writers. Foundations of Neuro-Linguistic Programming for Writers While some copywriters shun NLP as being far too ‘out there’, there are lots of skilled copywriters who understand how to use it to maximize results. By now you’re probably eager to find out how you can do that too, so let’s dig in. 1. The Language of the Senses NLP is all about the way that language is used to influence others, but it’s more than just about the words. It’s about what the words we use evoke in the people we’re addressing. In NLP, language is sensory - because all the information that we process can only enter our brains through the five senses. Most people have a sensory modality preference - whether you’re aware of it or not. There are three sensory modalities in NLP - visual, auditory and kinaesthetic (feelings). NLP teaches that influencing your readers starts when you use language that appeals to their sensory modality preference. For example: Visual: â€Å"Can you see what I mean?† Auditory: â€Å"Can you hear what I’m trying to say?† Kinaesthetic: â€Å"Does it feel right to you?† When you’re writing, you can’t know (in most cases) what your readers’ preference is, so you should incorporate all three senses into your writing to maximize the potential impact of your writing. 2. Story Time As a writer, you probably love to tell a good story, right? Well, you’ll be pleased to know that storytelling is a great NLP technique that you can easily exploit. When you couple your natural storytelling abilities with the (hidden) power of language in NLP, you’ll be able to exert huge influence over your readers. It happens to you all the time - even if you don’t recognize it happening. The movies and TV shows you watch exert influence over you all the time, with hidden, subtle messages that you don’t notice because you’re engrossed in the unfolding story. Using story to influence your readers is a matter of using metaphors and analogies that enter the subconscious. Metaphors work on a deep subconscious level to affect how your readers feel or think. 3. Homophonic Influence Homophones, words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings, are a subtle way to subconsciously affect your readers’ decision-making processes. Let’s look at an example that you could use in landing page copy for a sales page: â€Å"By now, you should be able to see the power of using NLP in your writing copy. But, if you want to fully understand how to maximize the impact of your writing, increase your sales and grow your business beyond your wildest dreams, we have something more for you. Our eBook, ‘Unlocking the Secrets of Sales Copy’ normally retails at $99 but, for 48 hours only, you can get your hands on it for just $7.† Placing the words ‘by now’ at the beginning of that paragraph is using a homophone to prime the buyer’s brain. ‘By now’ and ‘buy now’ sound the same when you read them aloud in your head - and that subconscious influence on your reader can have a big impact on the number of people who click on the ‘buy now’ CTA button below the paragraph. 4. Effective Emotional Influence As a writer, you need to be able to affect your readers’ emotions in order to get results. Affecting emotions effectively, however, is a skill that can take time to learn. NLP teaches that you use facts in order to basically tell people how to feel (or, at least, how you want them to feel) when you use facts. Charities making appeals for donations have expert copywriters who are exceptionally skilled at using facts and other emotional tools in their writing. For example, a popular NLP-inspired technique is to tell prospective donors how their donation can change the lives of the people receiving the funds. â€Å"Your donation of $20 will feed a family of four for a whole month.† Another way charities use emotional influence in their writing is to demonstrate how a small sacrifice on the donor’s part can make a significant difference. â€Å"If you sacrifice your favorite coffee-shop latte or cappuccino just one day each week, your donation of $20 per month will pay for Jessica to attend boarding school to continue her education, including her boarding fees, supplies and food for the month.† 5. Pattern Interrupts Interrupting the flow of your writing - or disrupting the flow - by introducing a new, unexpected idea, is a great persuasive technique that NLP trainers really applaud. It’s all about breaking thought patterns - which enables you to directly access the subconscious mind. It’s a technique that stage hypnotists use - though I’m not suggesting for a minute that you need to hypnotize your readers! Politicians and smart public speakers use it, too, so it’s worthwhile learning how to most effectively use this technique in your writing. One example of how you can use pattern interrupts is to introduce confusing or unexpected language into the middle of your ‘pitch’. The way you do this will depend on your audience, but you could try using sudden oblique references, or making reference to unrelated details – or, even, using swear words within your copy. The sudden change of direction gives you a brief opportunity to take advantage of your audience’s confusion. If you’re writing a sales or landing page, you could use callouts and testimonials to achieve pattern interrupts. By distracting your audience’s attention to something new, you have a new window of opportunity to appeal to the subconscious, refocus their attention, or disarm them. Delve Deeper into NLP If you want to maximize the persuasive potential of your writing and influence your readers more, it’s worth exploring NLP in more detail. NLP training is available around the world and investing in an NLP course can have a huge impact on your persuasive writing. You could even explore NLP coaching to build your confidence as a writer. Far from being ‘mumbo-jumbo’, neuro-linguistic programming is an effective means of exploiting the science of persuasion. The more you understand how NLP works, you’ll be able to recognize the techniques that other writers are using to influence your decisions, too.

Dos and Donts of Giving a Presentation

Dos and Donts of Giving a Presentation Most college students, at one point or another in their academic career, will be required to give a presentation or speech in a class for a grade. Some may be required to pass a Speech course for their major, but most will surely be required to give a presentation in a number of classes. While it is not a science by any means, giving a presentation or a speech can be a lot of fun. It is a skill an individual will have and develop over the course of their lives, one that will earn them jobs, a good salary – because they will be able to master the art of verbal communication. POWERPOINT PRESENTATION   Ã‚  Prepare and Visualize a Successful Speech or Presentation It has been noted that some of the world’s greatest athletes have the same mental habit for when they compete: in their minds, they literally visualize a victory – from start to finish. They prepare themselves mentally for what they are about to do. The same principle can be applied to giving a speech, whether in the real world or in the classroom. The speaker, long before they are to give the speech, can visualize having a successful outcome and delivering a fantastic speech. But having great success at something also comes from the work, which is done before this positive visualization approach is to occur. A speech or presentation should first of all be well researched; it should illustrate an argument or theme, and first be written out in the form of an essay.   Ã‚  Be Presentable Looking the part is half the battle. When people are bathed and well dressed, when people look their best, they most times will exude confidence – which is often the most crucial tool of success when talking in front of a large room.   Ã‚  Remember to Breathe and Take a Few Seconds to Gather a Thought Breathing during a speech not only breaks the monotony of a speech, it also relaxes the speaker and helps them concentrate. What’s more important: It’s the speaker’s floor – if they want to take a few seconds to gather their thoughts, no one will interrupt them. A few seconds will seem an eternity. But only to the speaker. Take advantage of breathing.   Ã‚  Be Confident – But Not Arrogant – and Smile Often Speaking in front of people is part of life. A student required to give one in college may as well just accept this inevitable fact. With that said, they may as well also embrace the art and skill of giving a good speech and learn how to excel at it. Once again, having a confident, optimistic attitude is half the battle. The other half is a combination of preparation and showing up. And smile. It relaxes the room and the speaker.   Ã‚  Make Brief Eye Contact With Audience It’s a speech to one’s peers. Not a case of a judge. This assignment is an exercise in communication. Learn the seemingly simple yet very complex art of communicating now. One’s career will thank them in 10, 20 years from now. Learn now that people are what matters. Individualize people. It makes them feel special, which means they will then listen to the speaker’s speech and become engaged.   Ã‚  Be Loud Enough So That the Entire Room Can Hear the Speech Don’t shout to the audience – but don’t be a mouse, either. Learn to get people’s attention without making them feel physically uncomfortable.   Ã‚  Say â€Å"Like,† â€Å"Uh† and â€Å"Um† minimally. Pause Instead This is the difference in sounding intelligent and sounding like an ignoramus. Honestly. Start being cognizant of saying this now in college. By the end of one’s college career, they may even have rid themselves of these words altogether.   Ã‚  Improvise The point of the speech or presentation is being entertaining and engaging to an audience. Don’t be afraid to go off script. Just remember that most assignments have a time limit and students are often judged on making a case for something. But, nonetheless, focus on giving a presentation.   Ã‚  Tell An Anecdote or Ask a Question Starting a speech with a question for the audience or with a personal anecdote is often all a speaker needs to grab their audience’s attention. Though keeping it is a completely different story and challenge altogether.   Ã‚  Avoid Being Dull and Lifeless Whatever topic the student giving the speech or presentation is expounding on, it should generally be one they are interested or even quite passionate about. When they breathe their own excitement into a subject, it will generally feed into the audience’s curiosity and excitement as well.   Apologize for a Mistake – Don’t Apologize for Anything, It’s the Speaker’s Floor Really, when giving a speech, remember there is no other speaker talking at that time. It is their time to do as they wish; it is their time to be evaluated. They should make the most of it and treat it as their time to fulfill their objective – and no one else’s.   Ã‚  Read ONLY From Notes. Instead of Talking to the Audience Don’t read just from notes or notecards. Those are just to prompt thought. Get used to going off a single thought and expounding on it naturally. That is the skill of public speaking.    Stand Still Move around, be a person. Be interesting. Don’t put the audience to sleep. Have some energy. Bounce around the room to get their attention. That’s all that matters: holding the audience’s attention.   Ã‚  Mumble. Instead, Speak Clearly and Slowly If Needed If the audience has to strain to understand their speaker, they would rather just lose interest and think of something else. When they have no choice but to hear their speaker, because the speaker is eloquent and projects their voice when talking, they will listen and become engaged and most times will find their speaking’s message quite interesting or insightful or inspiring in some way or another.    Be Too Serious This is a speech or presentation assignment in college. It’s for a grade. It’s not a plea to the UN. Have a little perspective and try to enjoy the assignment. Make it fun even. But don’t make it more serious than it is. It’s an assignment. Get it done and go on.    Touch Hair and Face It is not only distracting, but it tells the audience the speaker is self-conscious and nervous and quite possibly a bore.    Lose Focus of the Main Objective: to Pass the Class and Graduate What matters is getting that degree. Whatever it takes to get that degree. Even if speaking in front of others isn’t one’s cup of tea, focusing on the long-term goal of graduation is enough to get through it.    Forget to Communicate With Body Language to a Make Point Stronger A voice isn’t the speaker’s only tool when talking to a room full of people. Their body language – their posture, their arms, their gait, their eye and face gestures – can also reinforce a thought or an emotion, in turn really emphasizing something to the audience.