Real Estate Innovation

Binding Persuasion

Binds are a fascinating strategy in persuasion which should be used sparingly, a little ‘persuasion seasoning’ so to speak.

Binds are language patterns that figuratively bind your prospect or client to do as you wish them to do. (Can you see why this should be used sparingly and with the utmost integrity?) Like all language patterns, there’s a formula to it.

For single binds there are two formulas: the first is, ‘if X, Y’ and the second is ‘the more you X, the more you Y.’

X, as a general rule, will be a pace. A pace is something that is verifiably true and can include a suggestion or challenge. Y is a lead. A lead is something you want them to do, think, or feel which they may or may not be currently doing. (Want more on pacing and leading? Stay tuned.)

Think of X as the set up and Y as the punch line.

Here’s a self-serving example (lol): ‘If you develop a deep understanding of the power of binds, you’ll feel compelled to sign up for The Persuasion Factor.’

Obvious, maybe. But it’s merely an example. And if we break it down you can see that the first part of the sentence, ‘if you develop a deep understanding of the power of binds’, is a pace. This is a suggestion or challenge. And the second half of the sentence ‘you’ll feel compelled to sign up for The Persuasion Factor’, is a lead. It’s something you may or may not be doing currently.

Here’s another example: ‘The more you read what I’m explaining, the more you’ll understand the power of using it.’

I’ll break this one down a little. The more you read about something, for example, the more you read about using binds, the more you will understand how powerful they are in persuasion. Is this true? I think it is. But it’s more of a presupposition than it is solid, hard, cold fact.

Binds do not have to in any way make sense or be logical.

For example: ‘The more you hear about this piece of property, the more you will be compelled to buy it.’ Is that logical? Not necessarily. In other words, hearing a lot about something doesn’t compel people to buy. Hearing the right things about something might compel someone to buy, but the suggestion here is that that there is a logical link between hearing about the property and being compelled to buy it. You’re creating that link, you’re creating the truth, and you’re making it so in their minds.

Here’s where we start to get into some really interesting ways of using this. ‘The more you try and object, the more you will find yourself going along with these ideas.’

What we’re doing here is issuing a challenge, so to speak. The more you try to do something I don’t want you to do, the more you will find yourself doing what we want you to do.

Here’s another one: ‘The more you want to feel good about yourself, the more you’ll need to act now on this proposal.’

You might say, ‘Kenrick, you can’t just say that to people.’ Well, yes I can. And I do. And it works great. My advice: write some samples out before you try using this technique. It is something that needs to be delivered smoothly or you will get an odd reaction.