Way of the Wolf: Straight Line Selling: Master the Art of Persuasion, Influence, and Success

In other words, there have been countless times in your life when each one of these tonalities came out of you naturally, as a reaction to what you were actually feeling at the moment; and the same thing is true when it comes to body language.

Let me give you an example:

Have you ever had a time in your life when you were feeling so absolutely certain about something that the tonality of certainty just came flying straight out of your mouth? It was like you could literally feel the certainty coming through in every single word, and anyone who was listening would have had absolutely no doubt that you 100 percent believed what you were talking about.

Of course you have!

We all have.

And how about telling a secret? How many times in your life have you lowered your voice to just above a whisper to tell someone a secret?

Again, we’ve all done this a thousand times, because we intuitively know that a whisper intrigues people and draws them in—compelling them to listen more closely.

Now, in a sales setting, when you apply a whisper at precisely the right moment during a presentation, you will be shocked at the impact it has on your prospect, especially if you raise your voice back up right afterwards.

The key here is modulation.

You want to lower your voice, and then raise your voice; you want to speed up, and then slow down; you want to make a declarative statement, and then turn it into a question; you want to group certain words together, and then say others in staccato-like beats.

For instance, let’s go back to the whisper, but we’ll add a little oomph to it. Now, we have what’s called a power whisper, which comes from deep in your gut. (Give your solar plexus a few quick pats with the palm of your right hand. That’s the spot I’m referring to when I talk about your gut.) A whisper from there creates the perception that what you’re saying has extra importance to it, that you really mean it.

It’s like you’re saying to the prospect, “Listen, pal, this particular point is really important, and it’s something I really, really believe in, so you need to pay very close attention to it.”

But of course, you’re not actually saying those words. They’re registering with the prospect unconsciously, in the form of a gut feeling, which moves them on an emotional level, as opposed to a logical one. You see my point?

Another great example of this is how we use enthusiasm to create massive emotional certainty in our prospect—meaning, they get an overwhelming sense that whatever product we’re selling simply must be good.

To be clear, though, what I’m not talking about is that crazy brand of over-the-top enthusiasm, where you’re yelling and screaming and flailing your arms about, as you go on and on about how amazing your product is. Not only is that completely ridiculous, but it’s also the easiest way to get your client running towards the exit.

I’m talking about something called bottled enthusiasm, which sits just below the surface and literally bubbles over as you speak. It’s about enunciating your words with absolute clarity and stressing your consonants so that your words have intensity to them. It’s like you’re talking with your fists clenched, and there’s an active volcano inside you ready to erupt at any second—but of course it doesn’t, because you’re an expert who’s in total control.

That sort of bottled enthusiasm makes a massive impact on someone emotionally, and it’s one of the earmarks of sounding like an expert. Just always remember to never stay in any one tonality for too long, or else the prospect will become bored—or in scientific terms, habituate—and ultimately tune out.

To that end, I am constantly using my tonality and body language to insure against that. You see, tuning out does not happen randomly; it’s based on a conscious equation the prospect is running as to whether or not you’re a person worth listening to. Prospects ask themselves: Can this person help me achieve my goals? Can this person help me get what I want in life? Can this person help me resolve the pain I have?

If the answer to those questions is no, then they tune out; if the answer is yes, they listen. It’s as simple as that.

That’s why it’s so absolutely crucial, right out of the gate, to come off as being sharp as a tack, enthusiastic as hell, and an expert in your field. If you do, then not only will you keep your prospect hanging on your every word, but they’ll also let you take control of the sale and begin the process of moving them down the Straight Line.