When we become the ultimate empathizer, we are able to identify with, understand, and respond to other's experiences.

This has had untold benefits in my persuasion for years and now I'm sharing it with you.

The following exercise can be used on a new affluent prospect or anyone at all. . .

This is about understanding and being responsive of your client or prospect's experiences and reality. You're going to have the experience of being them.

When you build up this kind of trust with someone, you're building rapport.

By employing this technique, you'll be able to naturally understand and gain deep rapport with someone you don't know very well.

You will need a role play partner for this one.

It's this simple: Ask your role play partner to think of something. A book. A friend. An experience. A news story. Whatever. This thought will be called 'A'. As they think this thought, really notice their physicality. What does their body look like? How is their posture? Notice their breathing and their muscle tension. What kind of gestures are going along with this thought? As they think of 'A', you'll take a mental snapshot of them. This is how they represent 'A'.

After you've got your mental snapshot, break their state by having them look around the room or walk around and name three things they can see. This helps them to reorient, get their mind off 'A' and return to their normal state.

Next, have them think of something different from 'A'. Call this 'B'. It doesn't have to be the opposite, but just something completely different.

[NOTE: When you first do this exercise thinking of the opposite may make it easier, but I encourage you to develop your skills and not use something opposite once you've got the hang of it.]

Have them break this state.

Here's where things get interesting. Have them think of either 'A' or 'B'. They're not supposed to tell you which, but you are to figure this out by looking at their expressions, their snapshot.

Give them a turn. Let them try this out on you.

Obviously, you're not going to sit down with a prospect and say, 'Let's practice this persuasion technique I just learned so that I can better understand you. . .' You're going to practice this with friends, family or maybe even a co-worker. This will really fine-tune your observation skills.