What are internal representations?
Internal representation is the term we use to describe how we internally represent and attribute meaning to the outside world.
How do we use internal representation to persuade?
A uniquely effective method to persuade someone to your point of view or, to put this more strongly, communicate to others precisely what we want them to think, is to initiate within them a journey of thought and imagination to directly and proactively influence their internal representations in line with your objectives. If you suggest to someone to imagine something, whatever they see in their mind’s eye they will believe is their idea, because they have generated it and brought it into conscious thought.
Imagine you are selling products or services. By using language in a particular way, you can actively lead your prospect to exercise their imagination. We do this using a combination of precisely describing what you want others to imagine and ultimately believe and, by asking specific questions designed to trigger their imagination, this will enable you to:
- shape your customer’s internal representations (how they ‘uniquely’ perceive your product/service and associated advantages of ownership);
- persuade them more effectively;
- overcome objections and criticism.
Now, take a little more time than usual as you read this paragraph slowly and think about what it will mean to you when you acquire the skill to direct and lead the imagination of others proactively and positively towards the benefits of your product or service. Imagine what having that skill would be like and then think through all of the advantages you will enjoy. It is possible, isn’t it, even to contemplate financial independence?
What if you could easily initiate desire in others for your products, services or ideas? Imagine how much more successful you will be and what this success would mean to you and your family.
Before we look into how to proactively initiate internal representations in the minds of others, let us think through what happens in your prospect’s mind when you are in conversation with them or delivering a presentation.
You would be surprised at how much information your prospects receive consciously and subconsciously. For starters, they hear and see you and form an opinion about you instantly, based on their perception, which, in turn, is linked to the subliminal signals you reveal and their accumulated experience of interpreting such information, right or wrong! There is a lot to take in. To make sense of it all, their brain filters this information, it deletes some, distorts and generalises the rest. To understand the meaning of your presentation, they create unique mental images of the filtered information, these are the ‘internal representations’ you will learn to control and direct in this chapter.
The internal representations fuse with your prospect’s emotions and create new ones at the time of your presentation; they may be happy, sad or even confused. And this, in turn, merges with what they are doing, sitting, standing or moving around – we call that their physiology. Eventually, your prospect understands and takes meaning from what you are saying.
One of our objectives as persuaders is to trigger the imagination of others to create intense internal representations of our ideas, our products and the actions we want others to take, in a way that it is important to them.
When you start to use the vocabulary of internal representation, your prospects sell themselves on the advantages of your product or service because you have spurred their imagination. They see in their mind’s eye how your offering brings benefits.
At this stage, I would like you to re-read an earlier paragraph of this chapter. Here it is again:
Now, take a little more time than usual as you read this paragraph slowly and think about what it will mean to you when you acquire the skill to direct and lead the imagination of others proactively and positively towards the benefits of your product/service. Imagine what having that skill would feel like and then think through the benefits you will enjoy. It is possible, isn’t it, even to contemplate financial independence?
When you read this for the first time, did you:
- think about what it will mean to you when you acquire the skill to direct and lead the imagination of others proactively and positively towards the benefits of your product/service?
- imagine what having that skill would feel like?
- think through the benefits you will enjoy?
- contemplate financial independence?
When we use the following words, we proactively compel our prospects to begin a mental journey of imagination that we have initiated, whether they are listening to us or reading our proposal documentation, and whatever they imagine is unique to them:
- Consider/considered
- Contemplate for a moment
- Think about/through
- What if
- What’s it like when
- Imagine/imagined
- How about
- If you could have
- What would/will it be like if/when
- Suppose
- Think through
- Ponder
- Mull over
- Reflect on
Everyone uses the vocabulary of internal representation without knowing they are doing so and have no idea of the high level of influence it has on others, both consciously and subconsciously. Now you are aware of the powers wielded upon the imaginations of others by using these words, imagine the increased levels of success you will experience by actively integrating them into your speech, emails and text messages.
In each of the following examples, the client is directed to think about and imagine exactly what the sales professional wants them to think.
Accounting software sales
- Just for a moment, think through the benefits an accounting system like this will bring to you and this company.
- Consider the range of advantages this accounting system has over others at the same price point.
- What if this software paid for itself in the first six months?
Retail sales
- Think about how confident you will feel when you wear this suit to your next presentation/interview.
- Can you imagine that extra touch of sophistication this lighting will bring to your home?
- What if I could offer you a deal on this dining service?
Double glazing sales
- What if your utility bills were 60 per cent less after you double glaze your entire house?
- Imagine your family being much more secure in your home.
- Suppose the savings you will make fitting this double glazing meant it would pay for itself in under two years.
Financial services
- Imagine all the things you will be able to do, if you could retire early.
- What would it be like when you have a tax-free lump sum of £500,000 for anything you want?
- Think about the implications of not having a plan like this in place.
Property sales
- Just imagine yourself living in an apartment like this.
- If you could have a place like this to bring up a family, wouldn’t it be amazing?
- What would it be like entertaining all your friends in a dining room like this?
Telecommunication sales
- How about comparing your current mobile phone to the latest iPhone?
- What if you could have any telephone in this shop; which one would you choose?
Persuasion sales
- What would it mean to you if you could have the ability to generate more new business?
- What if you were financially independent within the next five years?
- Imagine how you would spend all the extra money you would make after you learn the persuasive techniques revealed in the Proactive Persuasion Seminar.
- Proactively use the vocabulary of internal representations to enable others to begin an imaginary journey that you control regarding your products/services and the actions you want them to take.
- When you talk or write to your clients, use the vocabulary of internal representation to compel them to create mental images in their minds to understand and make sense of your messages.
- The vocabulary of internal representations is present naturally in everyday conversation and becomes power packed only when proactively used with a goal in mind.