I have had a few emails asking for ideas on how to practice patterns NLP Hypnotic Language Patterns. This is about a practice drill for the agreement frame and redefine patterns from the first part of The Persuasion Skills Black Book.
Firstly let me overstate several key points from the book:
So taking these things in mind here is a quick drill that is worth doing. Ideally you should have a study buddy or at least someone that won’t get fazed by having a bizarre conversation with you. That said I do this exercise live with people that don’t know I am doing it (although they soon know something is different and start getting frustrated).
The object of the exercise is to get you thinking in terms of the patterns, get used to thinking on your feet and saying them out loud.
The exercise is very simple. Everything you say in the conversation needs to start with the agreement frame and then move into a redefine. If you are ding this in a live situation the extra element is to keep it going for as long as possible without the other person realising. Here is an example:
Person (P); The credit crunch is really hitting some businesses.
Me (M); I agree some businesses are hit with the credit crunch and the issue is not the businesses that are going under but how your business is doing. How are you doing?
P; Actually I still have all my usual customers and business seems okay.
M; I agree business seems okay if you are keeping your customers and the issue is not your customer base but how you are expanding your business.
P; I’m not really thinking of expanding my business at the moment because I think it is important to play safe in the current environment.
M; I almost agree with you and would add the issue is not playing safe but making sure you have plans for the future. Do you have an exit strategy for the business?
P; There is something strange about the way you are speaking to me. Are you using that weird hypnosis stuff on me?
M; I can see how you might be thinking that, but the issue is not about doing weird hypnosis stuff but practicing and developing my skills do you want to know how I am doing that?
P; Yes
M; Okay…I agree you want to know how I am practicing my skills and the issue now is not my practice but how to get you to learn some basic language patterns that bypass conscious resistance. Would you like to learn a few?
P; Only if you stop this strange way of speaking.
M; I agree it can sound a bit weird and the issue is not how it sounds but if I am getting some good practice. The only issue now is that it is so ingrained I can’t stop.
And so on until they buy a copy of the book
Have you got the idea?
Obviously if you have a study buddy or someone that is willing to stooge for you there will be opportunities to move in some wild and wacky directions. The issue is to keep going regardless even if you have to stop to think, stumble or backtrack over your words. Remember these things happen naturally when people are speaking anyway. So the fact that it happens when you are using patterns is just as natural. Let it happen and just move on as if nothing has happened.
This reminds me of an interview I heard from BB King on the radio many years ago. The interviewer asked BB King if, as an extremely accomplished and experienced guitarist he ever plays a bum note. BB King replied obviously he does and does so more frequently than people would credit.
The interviewer then asked BB King how he covered up these mistakes. There was a long pause and then BB King replied “I play the bum note again and again and again, eventually people think I meant to do it.” Taking this approach to language patterns will give you a great advantage.
Find out more about The Persuasion Skills Black Book here.
Tags: Influence, Language, Persuasion, Persuasion Skills Black Book
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