Through the RAS system (Reticular Activating System) in our brain, it decides what we should focus on and what we should ignore. You can't focus on everything at the same time, there's simply too much data, that's why the brain takes shortcuts.

How can you apply this information to a marketing or sales setting?

Delete: Your brain will implicitly delete the problems and objections your prospects have with tonality. If the prospect expresses criticism related to how you present something rather than what you present, your more likely to drive past that mentally. Try to be aware of that.  

Distort: In our minds, we make the things that are good, really good... and the stuff that is bad, really bad. I know someone who, whenever she's describing a traumatic experience (like her manager admonishing her, for example), she will describe it as if the manager pulled out a bull horn and was screaming at the top of his lungs. Meanwhile, I know for a fact, it wasn't that extreme. Her brain just made her bad experience seem really bad.

You can use the "Distort" action to your advantage by always stressing the features and positive aspects of your product or service to your prospect -- and that's what customers will tend to focus on and even amplify it in their heads.

Generalize: To make sense of things, our brains will take little snipets of information that we feed it and will make generalizations. That's why I always tell you to share your testimonials with your prospects, use materials that help convey you as an authority and continually project yourself professionally in your industry. Your prospects will mentally gather this info and generalize that everything you do follows the same structure. Sales and conversions will become a lot easier.

This information is gold if used the right way.

The brain is indeed an amazing thing.