Name the other person's emotion out loud. 'It seems like...' or 'It sounds like...' This defuses negativity and builds instant trust.
Labeling
Core Principle
Voss's Labeling technique names the prospect's emotion out loud using 'It seems like...' or 'It sounds like...' This simple act defuses negativity, validates feelings, and builds instant trust. When a label is accurate, the prospect says 'Exactly!' and opens up. When it's wrong, they correct you -- which is equally valuable.
Step-by-Step Execution
Example in Action
Prospect: [arms crossed, short answers, checking phone] You: It seems like you've got a lot on your plate and you're not sure this meeting is the best use of your time. Prospect: [uncrosses arms] Yeah, honestly. I've got three fires to put out and my boss scheduled this without asking me. You: It sounds like you're under a lot of pressure right now. Prospect: You have no idea. We're short-staffed and everything is behind. You: I appreciate your honesty. And it sounds like anything I show you would need to save your team time, not add to the workload. Is that fair? Prospect: That's exactly right. If you can show me something that saves us time, I'm all ears.
Practice this technique with an AI-powered roleplay scenario.