The Power of Language, cutting through to the close

Here is a brief tour of the secret power of language and how it is used in sales and influencing in general, from Trigger Words to tonal patterns.

Trigger Words

These are derived from Jordan Belfort’s Straight Line Selling course

• Virtually – This is a hedge word for legality for example “Virtually all my clients make (better than most) make” This word should get you out of a legal bind. Never speak in absolutes.
• Only – “It’s only £…” This minimises the price.
• Because – This is a justifier. In Robert Cialdini’s book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, he describes how people can justify any request by using ‘because’.
• Reciprocity – Give something first to receive.
• Cash outlay/investment – this is a reframe. The product doesn’t cost anything it’s a cash outlay or investment of only £x.
• I would be glad to – Another reframer, as in – “I would be glad to check with the engineers about …” so for anything you have to do for a client say “I would be glad to…”

Offsetting Language Patterns

Use these language patterns throughout your presentation, as they are magical.

• We will hold your hand every step of the way.
• I will show you all the ins and outs. Come see us and we will show you all the ins and outs.
• Huge upside and little downside. – Use this multiple times.
• Incredibly easy to get started.
• In depth training program – e.g. on installation there is an in-depth training program.
• Long-term relationship.. What we can do for you in the long term, we can really be an asset to your company.
• It’s a sure-fire, paint by numbers or turnkey system. Ie we have a system.

Power Patterns

• If you do even half as well as the rest of the companies/people who take this program…
• All I ask is this; that you give me one shot…
• The only problem you’ll have is that I didn’t call you six months ago and get you started then… sound fair enough?
• Believe me, you will not be sorry… sound fair enough?
• Believe me, you’re going to be very, berry impressed… sound fair enough?
• Believe me if I’m even half-right, I want a ton of referrals… sound fair enough?
• You’re wife/MD/Boss will be kissing you when you walk through he door.
• You’ll be sending your kids to the finest schools.
• After I say we’re not making money on this deal(only if true) all I ask is that you give me a ton referrals, because that’s how my business really grows… sound fair enough?

Language Patterns for Looping

• Does the idea make sense to you? (Curious tonality).
• You’ll see the true beauty of the programme is…
• If I’d been your advisor for the last 3 years, showing you consistent performance, making you money on a consistent basis, saving you money on a consistent basis.
• I pride myself on…and as for my company …(this is a transition from selling yourself to selling your company.).
• What we can do for you beside this one transaction is…)find three things extra you can do for them ie upselling framed as benefits).
• What’s the worse that can possibly happen… think of what that might be…
• We can start small and we can work bigger and better in the future.(don’t cut price on the first loop, unless it is a strategy – this is sleazy anyway.)
• Please don’t misconstrue my enthusiasm for pressure
• In real estate its location location location, in my business it’s timing, timing, timing.(creates urgency).
• Getting started is very simple, just a question of some basic information…
• It’s a cash outlay/investment of

Tonal patterns for closing

Collapse the tonality from enthusiasm into reasonableness and calmness. Customise these to your business.

• If you do even half(upbeat on word half) as well (certainty) as the rest of the people who’ve been on this program…
• …you’re going to be very—- very—very—impressed(draw this out for sincerity)
• …sound fair enough (upbeat and reasonable man).

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Your external results come from your internal mind-set – who you are. As much as you can, try to behave as if you are someone who has achieved what you want or who owns the things you want.

Fake It Until You Make It

Firstly I don’t condone telling lies to people. Pretending you’re a brain surgeon, if you clearly aren’t is deluded and dangerous. But could you act like a successful businessperson before you actually get the success – yes. Make a study of the person you want to become. What are their habits? Do your habits match up to theirs? If not, change your habits to those of a person who you want to become. Start to behave like the person you want to become.

Look the Part

Look the part in everything you do. I remember before I got my first job in sales; I really wanted to work as a Salesman and I had many job interviews, but didn’t get a role. Then I read that you should dress like the role you want to become and not just in the interview. So I bought (invested) in a proper business suit, shirt, tie and shoes. I even started wearing cuff-links. By the way, open your mind to second hand clothes; you can often buy high quality clothes second hand clothes on eBay or in Charity shops. They usually last longer and look better than some of the cheap poorly made clothes on the high street.

Lie to Yourself

How much of the brainwashing, that you hear and see in the modern media is true. Can you believe what they tell us? Most of it is at best an opinion. So instead of listening to it, create your own agenda. Tell yourself what you want to hear. Lie to yourself. What do you want to hear? Why not tell yourself that you are the person you want to become. Remind yourself that you do deserve all the riches that are coming your way.

The Words You Use

Be careful of the words you use, you are always listening to yourself. Self-deprecating humour is very nice, but remember that your subconscious is always listening and takes everything you say literally.



Start by just noticing how you describe yourself to others. If what you are saying is anything less than glowing terms, then stop it. I cringe when I hear good people say “I am just a …” I want to shake them and tell them they are not just anything. You are a valuable human being, made of stardust, with the potential to change the world.

Also, how would you answer if we met and I asked you how you were? Typical answers might be “Not bad” or “Ok” if you are lucky. Sometimes you get “Must n’t grumble” followed by a 5 minute monologue on how the economy, weather, traffic or xyz is a nightmare.

This is one of the first things that I changed in myself on my personal development journey. In my late twenties, my stock answer to the question was “Not too bad”. I consciously changed this to “Very well thanks and how are you?” At first it was uncomfortable, but it became a habit. You might even graduate to “I’m awesome thanks”,” I’m living the dream” or even “I’m perfect”.
Did my life change over-night? No. However in my training as a Hypnotherapist, I learned all about the power of suggestion. I can guarantee that just the simple act of changing how you describe yourself will sow seeds in your subconscious, which will start to germinate faster than you think.

The People You Associate With

There is a saying that you are the average of the five people you associate with the most.
You’ve heard the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together”. Well what is more true is “a bird will adopt the same feathers as those birds he flocks together with”. Probably not as poetic but truer. In my book on the Subconscious Mind I go into more detail on how the power of influence can change you for good or bad. Heed this advice.
In this chapter, we’ve seen that acting as if your goals and dreams are already true, is a vital second step in using the Law of Attraction. In the next chapter I will show you how infusing your goals with emotion, is the key third step.

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