The quotes pattern from NLP is incredibly powerful. You can use it quickly, in a simple conversation, or you can use it as part of an extended metaphor to really throw your listener into massive hypnotic loop filled with amazing discoveries and old knowledge that they didn’t know yet that they’d forgotten.
Now, the quotes pattern is just like it sounds. You’re quoting somebody else.
Now, it wouldn’t do you much good to walk up to a stranger on the street and say,
“Hey, did you know that Abraham Lincoln once said,”Four score and twenty years ago today..””
Now, that was actually a quote within a quote, (I was quoting the hypothetical you quoting Abraham Lincoln) and to tell the truth, I’m not even sure what the grammatical rules are for writing something like this.
But quotes can be used to deliver statements to people that you wouldn’t otherwise give, or would get in trouble if you gave them.
Like, let’s say if you were angry at your boss. But if you know you yelled at him, he’d fire you. So you could walk up to him and say this:
“Hey, boss, I just was out walking my dog, and this guy came to me, looked me right in the eye, and said “you are the biggest jerk this side of the Mississippi!” Do you believe that guy?”
You can also use this to test close. Say your pitching some product. You want to know if your client is ready to buy. You may say something like this:
“See that guy over there? He’s a nice guy but he’s real pushy. He’ll look right at a client, hold up the product and say, “Hey, you should buy this right now!” Do you believe that?”
Then when you say the “you should buy this right now,” part, pay close attention to their facial expressions and body language. If they pucker up like they just ate a lemon, you’ve got some more selling to do. But if they smile, and laugh along with joke, you may as well ask for the sale.
You can also use this with your romantic partner. Imagine if they were your slave, and they’d do anything you told them to. Then take that statement, and put it in a quote, like this:
“Hey, the other day I was at my buddies house and he put in this porno by mistake. It was pretty embarrassing. The guy looked at the girl and said “…..[insert sexual command here]…””
Be sure to pause, and look directly at your partner when you say it. If pay close attention to their pupils. If they get bigger, it’s party time! (If they don’t maybe you should take out the trash or something).
You can also use this with kids. Instead of telling them to do their homework or go to sleep, or eat their vegetables or whatever, tell them some long convoluted story. Create an “authority” character that they like, as well as some “non authority” characters that they can identify with. Then just have the “authority character” tell the “non authority” characters whatever you want to tell your kid.
Just be sure to look directly at them, and be as “in character” as you can. If done correctly, they’ll suddenly get the crazy idea to eat their vegetables, like it’s the obvious thing to do.
And they’ll think that it’s their idea.
Give it a try!