Persuasion Skills: Using Questions as commands

Have you ever noticed that when you ask a question your voice goes up at the end of the sentence?

As an example, try saying this sentence out loud:

"Do you want to go out to see a movie with me?"

Did you notice the tone of your voice going up and the end? That's because you've been taught that a question goes up at the end of the sentence since you were born.

Now say this sentence out loud:

"Shut that door"

This time voice tone goes down a little at the end. That's because you've been conditioned say commands a particular way.

Now, a this point other advisors would get you to practise intonation until your blue in the face. Believe me when I tell you - I tried. Man, did I try. Hours and hours I have lost practising voice intonation. I wish someone had told me what I am about to tell you. It would have saved so much time.

Like me, you want shortcuts. Here's the secret:

If you want to make any question into a command, you simply "mentally" put a comma in after the "do you want to" section. Seriously. That's it.

You should try it with that last example - just try reading this sentence:

"Do you want to, go out to see a movie with me."

You will notice that your voice goes up when you say the first part "Do you want to". But becuase you paused, the next part "Go out to see a movie with me" sounds more like a positive command and therefore is far more likely to illicit a positive response.

Do it with any question you want to. You can instantly change the question into a command and will get a positive response much more often.

You must try this stuff out. I know it sounds simple. That's the beauty of it!

It's easy to remember, and it works like a dream. Don't worry that you'll get caught by someone who figures out what you are doing.

They will never know what you are doing - they will just find themselves naturally drawn to you and like to follow what you are saying, because it feels right.

Now you know an easy to apply way of guiding people, use it nicely! Don't do anything bad - it 'll catch up with you. Just have fun with it.

Peter France Copyright Peter France 2007