18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Hypnotic techiques in writting?

by marcusalphaeus
15 replies
Hi all,

Created this thread not to debate whether it is ethical to use psychological/hypnotic techniques in writing articles or copywriting. But having followed the other threads for a while, there seems to be a need to consolidate these techniques as there are many different threads about similar topic of writing techniques. You feel the same need too don't you? And it will give an added edge to have cross over techniques from other specialities that might help us to enhanced our writings and articles. Won't it be appropriate to venture some cross-over techniques from the field of psychology and hypnotism?

Whether, you are writing yourself or looking for copywriters, it will sure help you to know some of these techniques to use them or as a checklist to see if they are incoporated by your copy writer to give you that added advantage in publishing?

Milton Erickson is considered the modern father of hypnotism. Here is just one of his hypnotic techniques.

The "Yes" set. It was discovered that the chances of people agreeing to your suggestions or being more open to what you are going to say happens more so, if you ask them three consecutive questions to elicit a yes response in them earlier on. Take a look at the sales persons on the street or the article written by others, some of them could have intentionally or unintentionally incorporated such a technique in. Well, maybe there are similar techniques in our field, but it sure helps to know that it is parallel to what hypnotist used. What are your views?
#hypnotic #techiques #writting
  • Profile picture of the author theory expert
    Banned
    I am not sure what answers/responses you are looking for..

    the search function can help anyone learn about NLP in copy and in other fields outside IM to collectively mesh into IM medium.

    specifically the mind warriors section and the copywriting forum has great info to help one along.

    Mind Warriors - Success, Power, Self-Improvement

    The Copywriting Forum
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4556030].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author myob
      Specifically for article marketers who are writing to a targeted market for a specific action, using psychological/hypnotic techniques including NLP is certainly quite the advantage. Some people may have a problem with the "ethics" of using such methods in article marketing, but whatever the moral stance, these methods do work with astounding results. Using trigger words to evoke emotional response toward a desired action is a common but powerful marketing tool used by experienced article marketers. Most of the benefit in this tremendous advantage is lost, however, when for example articles are written for SEO or "spun" for ranking in the SERPs.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4556160].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author LarryC
    Such methods certainly work, but I'm still skeptical about many of the particulars. In many ways, systems such as NLP are themselves marketing gimmicks to sell to marketers (though it's used for other purposes, such as self-improvement as well). The best copywriters employ "hypnotic" or "NLP" tactics without even doing so consciously.

    I also wonder if these techniques aren't part of a quickly fading era, as people's attention spans get ever shorter. Nowadays, a certain technique can become saturated within a few months, lessening its effectiveness. Meanwhile, text messages, tweets and short videos are becoming the favored methods of communication.
    Signature
    Content Writing, Ghostwriting, eBooks, editing, research.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4556197].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Rose Anderson
    I enjoyed Joe Vitale's book on this subject, "Hypnotic Writing".

    Rose
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4556514].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author opiel
      Originally Posted by Rose Anderson View Post

      I enjoyed Joe Vitale's book on this subject, "Hypnotic Writing".

      Rose
      Please don't take it in any wrong way but in my opinion this book is just terrible... just like everything else with his name on it.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4557784].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Burton Lancaster
    Some hypnotic techniques can potentially turn off a highly aware audience and give the feeling of being hoodwinked. However the triple yes method is good to get everyone in the room on the same team.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4557204].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Hypnotic writing, as marketed, is a hoax. The truth is that every word has the ability to alter a perception. Words are labels for our concepts. When you string words together you are making a progression of concepts. You are not "hypnotizing" people - you are building perceptions from the denotations and connotations of our idea codes (words).

    You can make a person agree with you all day long and when it comes to the part where they open their wallet, miss the target completely. It's easier to get to the target if they are agreeing - but the first time you hit a trigger that makes them put their brain in neutral or reverse, you have to start over getting them back into over-drive.

    The truth is -- most of everything a person reads or hears spoken is recorded and sorted subconsciously. The subconscious categories that the info has been sorted into are pulled up and used by a workstation when you are assimilating new information, so even conscious thought is a very large percent formed by the subconscious.

    Whether someone is going to buy from you or not is not determined by agreement, again, agreement helps. It is determined by exactly what categories the information you have imparted gets sorted into. If you got it sorted in the right category, when the person is presented with the conscious action of handing you the cash, they will do so. If not, they will not.

    It's not "hypnotism". It's alignment with instinctual programming systems.
    Signature

    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4557532].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Terry Coombes
      This is dead right, Sal. I've come across it from both sides of the counter. The trick is in never saying anything to break the spell. If the customer is internally deliberating - keep quiet.

      I was in the final stages of buying a logic analyzer (irrelevant what it is, but it's a bit of electronics test kit). The best brand by far was Nicolet and the runner-up was Philips. I'd had the Philips presentation and was looking forward to seeing the ultimate machine from Nicolet.

      I was drooling as the sales guy went through his routine, with his supervisor in attendance. In my mind, I'd already bought it and I was dreaming about how I'd use this wonder machine, when out of the blue, the supervisor asked, "Do you control the budget to authorize this purchase?"

      The question snapped me back to reality and I felt affronted. "No, I'm afraid I don't. 'Bye." I bought the Philips.

      When I had a retail store, making a sale was like playing a fish on a line. You had to spin the story, get the customer entranced, then when you could see they were deep in thought, back off, say nothing, however tempting it might be to give a little verbal push. You could see the point at which they'd mentally made the purchase.

      I think this is analogous to driving a car - you drive on autopilot until something exceptional happens, such as a red light, then you immediately snap back into manual control.

      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      You can make a person agree with you all day long and when it comes to the part where they open their wallet, miss the target completely. It's easier to get to the target if they are agreeing - but the first time you hit a trigger that makes them put their brain in neutral or reverse, you have to start over getting them back into over-drive.
      Great post Sal.

      Terry
      Signature


      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4558399].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author HeySal
        Originally Posted by Terry Coombes View Post

        This is dead right, Sal. I've come across it from both sides of the counter. The trick is in never saying anything to break the spell. If the customer is internally deliberating - keep quiet.


        Great post Sal.

        Terry

        Terry - that's what my field from my college days is - ethno-linguistics (which is where socio/psycho-linguistics, cognitive science, and sociology/ethnology all come together as one thing in your brain). I've watched some of the most ridiculous crap being tooted by marketers online than I've ever seen anywhere . NLP? -- It's a misnomer - should be called NLR - Neuro-linguistic-RE-programming. You begin being programmed the day you are born. NLP just helps you redo your circuits after life has jacked em all out of shape.

        "Hypnotizing" writing is a marketing sham. You can put out a good piece of propaganda that people might buy into -- politicians are experts (and when they aren't they just hire propaganda experts). And that's what "hypnotizing" readers is -- it's freaking propaganda to get quick sales. I just about choked the first time I heard that drool. Maybe my next WSO should be to reverse engineer some of that crap for people so they can see what exactly they are buying into.

        Language is the strongest human instinct - it's HARDWIRED into your brain to work certain ways. A good marketer knows some of the ways that certain verbal codes works better than others do and s/he uses the codes to strike the right biological response. It's all pretty simple --- but it isn't "hypnotism".
        Signature

        Sal
        When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
        Beyond the Path

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4559108].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Rose Anderson
    No worries. Everyone has their own thoughts. Different opinions don't bother me
    Rose
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4557791].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
    If hypnosis and NLP really worked all that well in copywriting, then the best copywriters in the world would be NLP practitioners and hypnotists. However, none of the most renowned copywriters I know of seem to mention squat about NLP or hypnosis.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4558143].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author myob
      Just as the observed is altered under observation, the very mention of NLP, hypnosis or related terms makes them ineffective.

      Damnant quod non intelligunt.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4558213].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Originally Posted by marcusalphaeus View Post

    Hi all,

    Created this thread not to debate whether it is ethical to use psychological/hypnotic techniques in writing articles or copywriting. But having followed the other threads for a while, there seems to be a need to consolidate these techniques as there are many different threads about similar topic of writing techniques. You feel the same need too don't you? And it will give an added edge to have cross over techniques from other specialities that might help us to enhanced our writings and articles. Won't it be appropriate to venture some cross-over techniques from the field of psychology and hypnotism?

    Whether, you are writing yourself or looking for copywriters, it will sure help you to know some of these techniques to use them or as a checklist to see if they are incoporated by your copy writer to give you that added advantage in publishing?

    Milton Erickson is considered the modern father of hypnotism. Here is just one of his hypnotic techniques.

    The "Yes" set. It was discovered that the chances of people agreeing to your suggestions or being more open to what you are going to say happens more so, if you ask them three consecutive questions to elicit a yes response in them earlier on. Take a look at the sales persons on the street or the article written by others, some of them could have intentionally or unintentionally incorporated such a technique in. Well, maybe there are similar techniques in our field, but it sure helps to know that it is parallel to what hypnotist used. What are your views?

    Hypnotic writing techniques can produce certain results if done properly. Your attempt at it, however, is way overdone.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4558242].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Harlan
    Originally Posted by marcusalphaeus View Post

    The "Yes" set. It was discovered that the chances of people agreeing to your suggestions or being more open to what you are going to say happens more so, if you ask them three consecutive questions to elicit a yes response in them earlier on. Take a look at the sales persons on the street or the article written by others, some of them could have intentionally or unintentionally incorporated such a technique in. Well, maybe there are similar techniques in our field, but it sure helps to know that it is parallel to what hypnotist used. What are your views?
    The Yes set is usually not handled very well in face to face selling.

    Kenrick Cleveland and I refer to it as the Mr. Bobblehead technique. As if shaking your head "Yes" is going to convince someone.

    The yes set is not a very elegant technique.

    There are far more elegant techniques available that I have used for years in my copy.

    The obvious hypnotic/NLP techniques used in sales such as EMBEDDED COMMANDS do not work very well in copy.

    BUY NOW you are probably wondering if...

    Signature

    Harlan D. Kilstein Ed.D.
    Free NLP Communications Course at http://www.nlpcopywriting.com
    http://overnight-copy.com
    Get Fit In Four Minuteshttp://just4minutes.com
    Learn how to build a Super Site Without SEO http://supersiteformula.com

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4558392].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author marcusalphaeus
    It sure depends on the overall way we write that works best rather than cramming in all the techniques or using techniques in such a way that it becomes artificial or a turn off. End of the day, writing or techniques, we just hope make a good presentation to potential customers, as they are the ones still, that make the conscious choice to decide if they want to purchase our products.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4558703].message }}

Trending Topics