The Power of Hypnotic Language in Copywriting

You can improve the persuasiveness of your copy by using hypnotic language. This episode shows you how.
About 10 years ago, I took a series of seminars on how to sell from the platform when you're giving a speech. The teacher was good… really good. I decided to try to figure out why he was so good. I asked him, "It sounds to me like you're taking a sales letter and making it horizontal – that is, turning the script of a sales letter into a speech."He agreed with me. But something was bugging me… he was doing more than just dictating sales letters.
I realized he was doing something else… he was slipping in hypnotic techniques as he spoke. He certainly didn't invent these techniques, but he was using them in an expert way.
Today, we're going to talk about some of those techniques, and other ones, that you can use in your copy.
Warning – don't drive or operate heavy machinery. You'll probably be fine – this is not "deep trance" hypnosis. But you might find your mind goes to a different place, so above all, stay safe…
And here's another way to stay safe:
Copy is powerful. You're responsible for how you use what you hear on this podcast. Most of the time, common sense is all you need. But if you make extreme claims… and/or if you're writing copy for offers in highly regulated industries like health, finance, and business opportunity… you may want to get a legal review after you write and before you start using your copy. My larger clients do this all the time.
Hypnotic language for copy is about bypassing the thinking mind partially or entirely and going directly to the unconscious mind, in a way that doesn't disturb the conscious mind and in fact, makes sense to the conscious mind. All of these examples do that.
1. Hypnotic phrases (examples for each) (u/c – causality)
- because (Cialdini talks about this, too)
Ordinary: You'll really enjoy this new course.
Hyp.: You'll really enjoy this course because you'll find it easy to do things that used to be hard for you to do… or, impossible.
- and
Ordinary: This book gives you a lot of information to help your business. It has changed the lives of millions.
Hyp: This book gives you a lot of information to help your business, and it has changed the lives of millions.
- which means
Ordinary: I've spent decades putting together the best possible system. People who haven't been able to "get it" before can now succeed.
Hyp.: I've spent decades putting together the best possible system, which means people who haven't been able to "get it" before can now succeed.
- every time
Ordinary: Do this regularly and you'll see constant progress.
Hyp.: Every time you do this regularly, you'll see constant progress.
- when (try the same sentence)
Ordinary: Do this regularly and you'll see constant progress.
Hyp.: When you do this regularly, you'll see constant progress
2. Hypnotic sentence structure-
The more, the more
Example: The more you listen to Copywriters Podcast, the more you'll make extra money with your copy.- Reframe: "It's not that ___, it's that __"
Example: (this is an old one!) It's not that advertising is a cost… it's that advertising brings more money into your business.
- As you_____, you ____
Example: As you study this material, you find your confidence increases exponentially!
3. Two extremely powerful hypnotic techniques
- open loops (Zeigarnik effect)
Also known in the entertainment industry as a "cliffhanger." Zeigarnik's experiments found that people pay more attention and remember better when you leave them hanging in the middle of a story. Getting attention focused is what hypnosis is really all about.
- embedded commandsHam-fisted: You want to buy this book.
Embedded command: Depending on how closely you're paying attention, it may turn out that you want to buy this book.
Recap: Phrases, sentence structure, techniques. The idea is to engage the unconscious mind in a way that positively influences the prospect's decision to take action.
Next time: What I learned in journalism that helps copy – and what I had to unlearn from journalism because it was hurting my copy.


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