Invisible Influence: The Power to Persuade Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere

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Hypothetically Speaking

The skillful use of a hypothetical situation can help the other person to see past obstacles or roadblocks in a way that otherwise wouldn’t be possible and can also help the other person to see things your way without any reactance.

Hypothetical questions are really asking, “What if?”

They fit smoothly into conversations and are such strong thought-directors that they are one of the more valuable forms of influence. Here are some examples:

“Would it be possible to ________________?”

“How would you do it if ________________?”

“If X were true, what would you do?”

“What if ___________________________?”

Questions like this typically refer to a potential future based on some current assumptions.

Remember, this is only a potential future. With the right guidance, there can be a better outcome, and the future that unfolds can be better than the other person imagined.

This is one of the approaches that nonprofit fundraising will use from time to time showing what will happen with your donations and what will happen without your donations. They paint a hypothetical picture with emotion that often results in a steady stream of donations.