Yes And... Where's My Free Boat?
Sit right back & you'll hear a tale...
Isaac Rodriguez and I were having a conversation over lunch after our most recent Improv For Business workshop. A little background information... In our workshop I teach the improv and, as a world-class business consultant, Isaac applies improv to business. This arrangement lets us each talk about our own specific areas of expertise.
Over lunch Isaac was saying that one of the big objections he hears is right after I teach the concept of yes and. Sometimes a workshop participant will push back...
"Wait a minute! Are you telling me that I have to say YES to whatever the customer says? Because that's nuts! Everybody wants everything for free!"
Sometimes it's taken so literally that people think yes and means they have to agree to ANYTHING proposed rather than simply acknowledging the other person's reality or point of view.
Definitely NO. Possibly YES... Maybe?
The conversation took us back to a time when Isaac & I were teaching a workshop for a business organization in Raleigh, NC and there was a guy there who sold boats. Let's call him Bob The Boat Guy.
"Yes and is all well & good for improv,” says Bob The Boat Guy, ”but I have somebody walk into my showroom every day and, when I ask them if I can help them, they say, "Sure... you can give me a free boat!’” We all agreed that if Bob The Boat Guy goes around giving out free boats, pretty soon he'll be Bob The BROKE Guy.
Isaac suggested that maybe yes and doesn't mean you have to give away free boats. Maybe yes and is more about acknowledging the customer's reality AND adding your own perspective.
Fantasy Boat
“Maybe it means that you have to 'yes' the fact that boats are a big ticket item and expensive to maintain.” Isaac says to Bob The Boat Guy, “AND... then add in YOUR point of view.”
Bob The Boat Guy suddenly looks like he's been hit by lightning.
"Of course you can have a free boat!" Bob literally shouts, "There are free boats in almost every marina in America! Old boats that people have abandoned because they got behind in their docking fees. You can often have one of those boats FOR FREE. Just pay the back-docking-fees AND get it all fixed up. That's often about TWICE the price of a new boat!”
Reality Boat
Bob turns to us with a HUGE smile, ” SO... why don't I save you 50% of the cost of a OLD boat by putting you in a NEW boat right now?"
The room went nuts laughing and cheering!
Look at them going nuts!
Instead of denying his customer’s perception of reality, Bob said yes and to the price objection and added his own perspective, which is the value & benefit of a new boat to someone who loves boats.
Yes, and... THAT’s the value & benefit of Improv For Business.
This is a skill YOU can LEARN!
Contact Isaac Rodriguez
The Double Eagle Process
(347) 878-3253
In one short session you'll learn to...
Think more creatively.
Be in the moment with your clients & collaborators.
Solve problems with positive action.
Create dazzling content for your marketing.
Facilitate change initiatives with words and actions.
Listen to and appreciate the voice of the customer
Harmonize vision and mission with real action.
Actively listen, be seen and heard.
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