Mirroring
The biggest mistake salespeople make immediately after delivering a mirror — which kills the technique's effect
What is talking / breaking the silence?
Voss says a label should never begin with this word — it shifts focus to the speaker instead of the counterpart
What is "I"?
Calibrated questions should always start with these two words — never "Do you" or "Can you"
What are "What" and "How"?
Proactively naming all the bad things your prospect might think about you or your offer before they say them
What is an Accusation Audit?
In the Ackerman model, your first offer is set at this percentage of your actual target price
What is 65%?
Voss says a mirror delivered with this vocal pattern feels like genuine curiosity — rather than repetition or a tactic.
What is an upward inflection / rising tone?
When you label a negative emotion, this counterintuitive thing happens to it
What is it diffuses / shrinks?
Calibrated questions give your counterpart this, making them feel in control while you guide the conversation
What is the illusion of control?
When your prospect says this specific phrase — not "you're right" — it signals genuine agreement
What is "That's right"?
The Voss principle of committing a counterpart to a position three times in three different ways
What is the Rule of Three?
A prospect says "I'm just not sure the timing is right." The correct mirror response is this exact phrase
What is "the timing is right"?
Labeling a positive emotion does this — reinforcing the connection you're building with the prospect
What is it amplifies / reinforces it?
This single word, when used to start a calibrated question, sounds accusatory and should be avoided
What is "Why"?
"You're right" actually signals this — a dangerous sign in any negotiation
What is the counterpart wants the conversation to end (not real agreement)?
According to the 7-38-55 rule, this percentage of your message's impact comes from tone of voice
What is 38%?
Voss says mirroring is more effective than asking a follow-up question because your propsect never perceives it as this
What is a technique / sales tactic?
After delivering a label, the single most important thing you must do next is this
What is stay silent?
The most powerful calibrated question in Voss's toolkit — used to slow things down without saying no
What is "How am I supposed to do that?"
An Accusation Audit is most effective when delivered at this moment in a conversation
What is at the beginning / before your pitch?
The Ackerman model uses decreasing offer increments to signal this to your prospect
What is that you're nearing your limit?
Beyond rapport, the real strategic purpose of mirroring is to buy time to listen for these — Voss's term for unknown information that can completely reshape a negotiation
What are Black Swans?
When you accidentally mislabel an emotion, Voss says to resist correcting yourself and instead do this
What is let them correct you?
A well-placed calibrated question at the close of a deal can accomplish this — without you ever having to say "no" yourself
What is get the counterpart to reconsider / back down?
The psychological reason an Accusation Audit works — it does this to objections before they can take hold
What is diffuses/disarms them?
Voss's name for the calm, slow, downward-inflected vocal tone he recommends as your default negotiating voice
What is the late-night FM DJ voice?