How To Use Psychology And A Principle From Covert Hypnosis To Get Yes Every Time

How would you like a quick and easy way to phrase a question, leveraging an empirically proven rule of influence, as well as a technique from the most widely recognized hypnotist that ever lived, in such a way that it would drastically increase the likelihood of getting a yes?

Well, you've come to the right place. This technique is a powerful combination of the double bind linguistic pattern with the law of comparison and contrast. The double bind was created or designed by Milton Erickson, recognized as one of the most innovate hypnotists that ever lived. The compare and contrast principle was illustrated by Dr. Robert Cialdini, in his book "Influence, Science and Practice."

A double bind is when you ask your listener to choose between choice number one, and choice number two, when in reality they both lead to the same outcome. Will you be paying by cash or credit? Would you like paper or plastic? Would you like to go into a trance in the blue chair, or over in the purple chair?

Whichever one they choose, they will be doing exactly what you want. Buying your product, taking a bag to carry home your groceries, and going into trance.

Seems easy, right? When you add in comparison and contrast, it gets even better. Several studies have shown that the way we value something is dependent upon what we are comparing it to. If you stick your hand in a bucket of water, you may guess the temperature to be 25 degrees. But if your other hand is in a bucket of ice, you'll guess the temperature to be much higher.

The way you combine this is by making one choice, in the double bind, a lot easier to agree to than the other. If you ask your listener to choose between two things that are seemingly equal, you'll get good results. But when you make one hideously out of the question, you're other choice will be a no-brainer.

For example, if you are trying to set an appointment for a sales call, you can ask them to choose between a three hour meeting on Thursday night, or a 20 minute sales call on Wednesday afternoon. Compared to a three hour sales presentation on a Thursday night, a 20 minute chat on Wednesday doesn't sound so bad, and you'll get much a much better response. In fact, you'll likely get a much higher response that had you simply asked for a meeting on Wednesday.