Exactly What to Say

The author presents a practical guide to persuasive language built around the concept of "Magic Words," specific phrases designed to speak directly to the subconscious brain and influence decisions. The book expands on the author's earlier 2012 publication, Magic Words, by revisiting some phrases, introducing new ones, and providing concrete application examples for sales professionals, business owners, and anyone seeking to become more persuasive.

The author opens by identifying what separates people who achieve dramatically different results from the same resources: knowing exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to make it count. He defines Magic Words as phrases that bypass the conscious, analytical mind and communicate with the subconscious, which he compares to a computer producing only "yes" or "no" outputs and never landing on "maybe." He advises readers to practice the techniques immediately, cautioning that while they are simple, they are not necessarily easy.

The first phrase the author introduces is "I'm not sure if it's for you, but," a rejection-free way to present any idea, product, or service. The opening signals that there is no pressure, which paradoxically increases curiosity. Because the word "but" negates everything preceding it, the listener's internal voice hears only "you might want to look at this." He then introduces "How open-minded are you?" to shift the odds of agreement from roughly fifty-fifty to about ninety-ten, since nearly everyone considers themselves open-minded. To handle people with entrenched opinions, he recommends "What do you know about…?" which challenges the knowledge foundation of someone's position rather than arguing against it, often leading the person to realize their stance was unfounded.

The author next addresses emotional decision-making. He argues that all decisions are made emotionally first and that people work far harder to avoid a potential loss than to achieve a potential gain. The phrase "How would you feel if…?" invites listeners to project into a future scenario and experience its associated emotions. A related technique, "Just imagine," functions as the adult equivalent of "Once upon a time," prompting the subconscious to visualize a described scenario. The author advises applying both "toward motivation," depicting desirable outcomes, and "away motivation," depicting outcomes the listener wants to avoid, to make these mental images compelling.

To overcome the common objection of not having time, the author presents "When would be a good time to…?" This phrasing leads the listener to assume a good time exists, removing "no" as an option. He advises locking in a precise follow-up time and, at that follow-up, asking "What do you like about it?" to steer the conversation toward positive responses. For situations where the speaker suspects someone has not completed a promised action, "I'm guessing you haven't got around to…" lets the other person save face while stripping them of the excuse they had prepared.

The author devotes a section to "simple swaps." He advises replacing "Do you have any questions?" with "What questions do you have for me?" The original phrasing can make listeners feel they should have questions, pushing them to leave and think about it rather than deciding. The revised version makes "I have no questions" the easiest reply, signaling readiness to decide. Similarly, replacing "Can I have your phone number?" with "What's the best number to contact you at?" removes permission-based resistance and prompts people to provide the information effortlessly.

Several phrases address indecision. "As I see it, you have three options" uses the rhythm of three, with the preferred option placed last and framed as the path of least resistance. "There are two types of people in this world" triggers the listener to wonder which type they are, and the speaker frames the options so one is clearly more attractive. "I bet you're a bit like me" gains easy agreement with strangers, creating evidence the speaker can reference later to neutralize objections.

The conditional structure "If… then" leverages patterns ingrained from childhood, such as "If you don't eat your dinner, then you won't get dessert," creating statements people find difficult not to believe. "Don't worry," said with confidence, instantly relieves tension and positions the speaker as a calm authority. "Most people" provides direction without seeming pushy, since listeners reason that if most people would do something, they should too. "The good news is…" labels information positively, making it nearly impossible for the listener to reject that characterization.

To close conversations, the author presents "What happens next is…" as a way to walk listeners through next steps rather than asking what they would like to do, ending with a simple question whose answer signals forward movement. For handling objections, "What makes you say that?" forces the other person to explain their concern rather than prompting a counterargument. When someone leans toward no, "Before you make your mind up" keeps the conversation alive by inviting a different perspective. "If I can… then will you…?" isolates external barriers by proposing a conditional exchange.

The word "enough" influences quantity decisions by making the larger option the path of least resistance: Asking "Would eight be enough?" swings odds well beyond fifty-fifty. Inspired by the television detective Columbo, "Just one more thing" serves as a downsell technique. A downsell means pursuing a lesser objective when the primary one fails. After a conversation appears to end without commitment, the speaker turns back with a simpler request while the listener's guard is down.

The author presents asking for "a favor" as a way to gain agreement before the other person knows what is being requested. He applies this in detail to requesting referrals, identifying the best moment as when a customer says "Thank you," which he interprets as an expression of indebtedness. He walks through a multi-step referral script that layers several previously introduced phrases, arguing that while this process slows down the request, it accelerates the outcome by producing qualified prospects.

To address the objection "I need some time to think about it," the author offers "Just out of curiosity" as a softening preface that transforms a blunt question into something palatable. He stresses the importance of remaining silent after asking, explaining that the listener either provides a genuine answer after an uncomfortable pause or realizes during the silence that they have no real excuse and decides to move forward.

The author closes with an anecdote about Roger, a veteran telecommunications salesperson who discovered that the simple answer "It works great" outperformed detailed technical explanations when customers asked how new technology worked. The lesson is that a speaker's responsibility is to give a simple, positive response that empowers action rather than one that confuses with technical detail. The author affirms that the techniques work with most people most of the time and urges readers to practice until the phrases become natural, arguing that the compound effect of subtle language changes can transform conversations from being merely counted to truly counting.