Cause and Effect is a tool from speechcraft and is explained in Part 2, Chapter 7 of the 7 Skills to impress book.
A Cause and Effect phrase subtly suggests a link between two events. It implies that A causes B. They work in one of two ways;
- A arouses curiosity about B. Your client is waiting to hear what B is and so is open to the suggestion A hides.
- B is a distraction. It hooks your client’s interest, so A slips into System 1 unnoticed.
For example:
- A arouses curiosity about B: “I don’t know if, as you read the next few lines, you may start to notice how much easier this becomes.”
- B acts as a distraction: “You may find this idea useful if you begin to feel calm.”