This Simple Negotiation Technique Can Improve Your Marketing
Ever heard of “mirroring”?
It’s a powerful tool in negotiation for building trust and encouraging people to open up.
And it’s effective in marketing, too.
Because when you do mirroring right, it helps customers and clients see themselves in your marketing.
Here’s how it works.
What Is “Mirroring”?
I was reading in the green chair in the living room, holding a mechanical pencil (I’m left-handed).
It was a book called Never Split the Difference.
The author, Chris Voss, used to be an FBI agent. His job was negotiating with terrorists and criminals.
Sometimes to save hostages.
Sometimes to de-escalate hostile situations.
Talk about high stakes!
Anyways, Voss was talking about how he “mirrored” a criminal during a tense conversation.
And I was underlining with my pencil…
“The other vehicle’s not out there because you guys chased my driver away…” he blurted.
“We chased your driver away?” I mirrored.
“Well, when he seen the police he cut.”
“We don’t know anything about this guy; is he the one who as driving the van?” I asked.
The mirroring continued between me and [ the criminal ], and he made a series of damaging admissions.
If you can’t tell…
Mirroring is when you repeat back to someone the last 2–3 words of their sentence.
Instead of responding with “wow, really?” or “no way,” you repeat their words back.
And it has a way of unlocking them, making them want to talk more.
Because when you mirror someone…
They feel like you both are in sync.
Like you’re listening to them, and interested in them.
They feel seen.
Powerful, right?
So how do you use it in marketing?
How to Use Mirroring in Your Marketing
Ever heard of Marketing Examples by Harry Dry?
Harry may not know it, but one of his marketing tips is literally mirroring.
Here’s an example he gives:
A great example of mirroring in copywriting by Harry Dry.
See how the copy on the right literally takes customers’ words and turns them into…well, copy?
That’s what mirroring can look like in marketing.
It’s similar to repeating someone’s last 2–3 words back to them.
Only in this case, you’re using their own words to describe challenges, pain points, and outcomes.
I did this for one of my own clients recently.
Read the first few paragraphs in this Huel ad:
Facebook ad copy I wrote for Huel. The first paragraph is “mirroring” in action…turning customer language into copy.
This copy came from 3 separate Reddit threads.
After reading the stories of people who eat plant-based diets, how they navigate restaurants, grocery stores, and life, I worked those experiences and stories into a Facebook ad.
That ad has been running for months…not bad when you consider the short lifespan of most Facebook creative.
Where to Find Customer Language
Here are some of my favorite places to research customers and their language:
✔️ Reddit
✔️ TrustPilot
✔️ Amazon reviews
✔️ Google reviews
✔️ G2
✔️ Capterra
✔️ Facebook groups
✔️ Testimonials
✔️ Survey responses
And of course, you can’t beat interviewing customers yourself and asking them calibrated questions that reveal their triggers, motivations, circumstances, and processes for buying.
Powerful, powerful stuff.
To sum up…
The point is, using real customer words and experiences means better marketing.
When customers “see” themselves in your copy, they feel like they can trust you better, like you really know them.
And that leads to more purchases, more revenue.
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