| By :
George Hutton
There are several particularly powerful language patterns that you can use during normal, everyday conversations that will easily persuade your listeners to agree with pretty much any idea you present, providing it isn't too "out there." These patterns are called linguistic presuppositions, and they are very powerful. They work because the sentence is set up grammatically so that the listener, in order to make logical sense of the sentence, and respond to it, either verbally or unconsciously, will have to assume some things as true. For example, if I said, "I have a red car," then in order to respond, you'd have to assume I could own a car, cars can be red, and there are even things called cars. The pattern of influence you'll learn today is referred to as a "Cleft Sentence." These are sentences that start off with "It is..." or "It was..." You follow these with a statement involving a couple of elements, one usually dependent on the other. When you make a statement like "It is X that causes Y." Most people will take that as true, or if they question something, they will likely question whether or not X is the cause of Y. You, however, being the skilled persuader that you are, know the secret is that the very existence of "Y" is the thing you are persuading your listener of, and by phrasing the sentence this way, you pull a virtual sleight of hand with their thoughts. For example, if I say "It is your genetics that cause you to be so handsome." You may argue with me and say that it's really your exercise habits, or your proper eating habits, or that you never go out in the sun. You wouldn't likely argue that you are handsome. Consider this one: "It is our money back guarantee that causes our product to be so incredibly popular among most people your age." Most people might think twice about how great your money back guarantee is, but the thought that the product is popular with many people will likely slip right in undetected. Or how about this one: "It was your focus on exercise and fitness that gave you such a good looking body." This is a double whammy. Not only will your compliment of their body slip right on by, but you are also complimenting them on something they actually did, rather than their luck of the genetic draw. This compliment on two simultaneous levels will go along way to making this person feel good about themselves, and associating that good feeling with you.
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