The Top Subliminal Words for Sales

Advertisers and sales professionals can steer customers to their products by using targeted words and language that invoke emotional responses.

True subliminal advertising, where sales words are briefly flashed into films and movies, is unethical and the government does not allow this. However, in both sales and advertisements, small businesses can use coded language to help influence consumers. Adding key words into specially structured sales dialogue or advertisement copy helps make important points, spark curiosity and neutralize self-limiting beliefs in the consumer.

Subliminal Laws

While the U.S. government hasn't formally legislated against subliminal advertising, the FCC has said it could take the broadcast license away from TV stations airing subliminal messages. Beyond the fact that it is viewed as unethical behavior, there is little evidence that secretly showing viewers words in videos will boost sales, and for these reasons true subliminal advertising is rarely practiced. However, by using targeted words that drive emotional responses, advertisers and sales people can subtly tap into people's subliminal mind and influence their decision making.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Some sales people use a communication and inter-personal behavior system called neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP. By using language that brings out certain feelings in people, sales professionals can develop emotional connections with their customers that can help with sales pitches and advertising copy. NLP is not subliminal, and though it is described by some as "hypnotic," it simply is a way of speaking and acting with people to gain trust and exert influence, including using a defined sets of "magic" words that evoke certain thoughts and feelings in people.

Magic Words

Words used in NLP are called "magic words" because people associate them with emotions. Words such as easily, naturally, unlimited, aware, realize, beyond, before, after, now, new, because, freely, expand, how to, discover, scientifically proven, research, powerful and amazing can be used in almost any scenario. Words that generate positive emotions include believe, change, energize, healthy, overcome, thrive, success, refresh and happy. Words to invoke curiosity include finally, revealed, truth, imagine, expose, secret, uncover and illegal. Sales professionals can trigger action by using words like urgent, easy, simple, limited time and tested. Words like proven, guaranteed and leading are used to gain trust, according to NLP HypnoCopy.

Embedded Commands

NLP sales techniques also rely on how thoughts and phrases are structured. One practice is to use "embedded commands" in sales pitches or ad copy. Simply put, marketers can implant the idea to buy a product by using verb structures that, in essence, give orders to listener or reader. For example, a salesperson that says, "Let's talk about the benefits so you can make the right decision and buy with confidence," has commanded their customer to "make the right decision" and "buy with confidence." Used along with NLP magic words, and with a little practice, sales professionals can use embedded commands to steer their customers and boost their sales rates.