Hypnosis is a very powerful and effective way to induce change in people and there's been a giant growth of the number of hypnotists in recent years. However, when it comes to persuasion, ordinary hypnosis inductions become almost useless because the people one is trying to "hypnotically influence" didn't give any permission to do that.

"Covert hypnosis is the utilization of techniques and strategies to induce change in a person in a subtle and completely unconscious way", says Kevin Hogan Psy.D., a University professor of influence and persuasion, a professional speaker, trainer and therapist.

From this definition it is clear that the "subject" isn't aware of the persuasion (= change) taking place. This is the key difference between covert hypnosis and 'ordinary' therapeutic hypnosis and thus the methods also vary quite a lot. Sometimes, however, the techniques are very similar as covert hypnosis 'took' many (more subtle) methods out of the hypnotherapy practice.

Hypnosis literally means "sleep" and is not a very good description of either of the models. Early hypnotists though that a subject, when hypnotized and entering a trance, fell a sleep. They also used the word "Sleep!" to induce trance a lot, and some (stage) hypnotists, because it's been engraved into our minds so deeply, use it to this day.

A hypnotic trance is a unique state of mind where the subject is more suggestible and both hypnosis and covert hypnosis attempt to induce such a state in a person.

In a regular hypnosis setting, a subject is placed in a controlled environment (a safe room with little distraction...), is aware of what's about to go on and allows the hypnotist to lead them into a trance and give them positive suggestions.

Covert hypnosis works quite differently. A person is brought into a trance state during what seems a normal, everyday conversation and is, through various techniques, suggested what the covert hypnotist desires. The subject typically acts on the suggestions and because it's very hard to detect covert hypnosis, he or she is certain that the whole thing was their own idea. This can be used to change a thought pattern, to stimulate emotional responses, to implant ideas and false memories, to change behaviour etc.

The person being persuaded with covert hypnosis is usually wide awake. Suggestions are slid "below the radar" so that little or no critical thought goes to them. They are thus readily accepted by the subconscious mind and acted upon.

The aim of the persuader using covert hypnosis is to capture and lead the subject's imagination, thus reducing the action of the critical mind, focus them on a specific outcome and through suggestion make it a new, firm reality for the subject. The firmer belief about the outcome the subject already has, the harder it is to change it (e.g. if a person passionately supports one political party, it's very hard to get them to support the other), but the multitude of techniques and strategies almost assure a successful change (it's all in the persuader and his willingness to persist and utilize different strategies).

Covert hypnosis has unlimited uses, but most commonly it's used in sales, relationships and therapy. It gives a tremendous advantage to the person that's skilled in it.