Just say "Yes!"

We did a fun event with the team today at a midtown Improv comedy theatre.  On top of side-splitting laughter and acting like fools, we also learned some invaluable lessons from the world of Improv.

1. Cut loose - too many people take themselves too seriously.  By getting out of one's own way, they open themselves up to become real to those they are dealing with.  It's amazing how customers soften and open up when they feel their salesperson is being "real" and transparent
2. Be creative - Most of the games are versions like games we played as kids.  That being the case, it's amazing how hard it is for adults.  I mean, one game is telling a story, one word at a time, as we went around the room.  It is staggering how many adults struggled to come up with one noun or verb!  When that creativity is stimulated, it becomes infinitely easier to become a problem solver with customers and come up with real life solutions to objections that used to stump you.
3. Just say "yes!" - As a father of five, I have to admit that saying "No!" has become rather a popular pastime for me.  You can develop a certain cynicism that your child's average request is both self-serving as well as dangerous to themselves, others, perhaps even the space-time continuum.  So, as a parent, the right answer is probably "No!"   However, nothing kills Improv or a sale quicker than saying "No!"  For example, in Improv, if a skit member says, "What are you doing, fishing?"  It is proper for comedic timing and humor to find an answer that starts with "Yes!", and keeps the conversation going - like, "Yes, I always like to fish with a radiator - the fish love it!"

Sales is the exact same thing.  You can feel yourself tense up when a customer asks for something you know you can't do, and you try to think of the best way to say "No" and not tick off your buyer.  As a result, you begin to stammer, your palms get sweaty, and you begin uttering a gibberish as if English were your second language.  "Well, I ... er.... you know... I don't think... shouldn't you..... where would you put..... that sounds like a costly solution to.... can you repeat the question?"

Figure out how to start with a "Yes!"  I recently heard a sales person answer a question this way from a very tough customer, who wanted a 2 story open living room in a floorplan that did not offer this.  She calmly said, "Oh, yes!  I love that idea!  So, let's look at the floorplan together - so, it appears that the Master Bedroom is squarely above the Living Room, so all we need to do is eliminate the Master Bedroom and you can have those soaring ceilings in your Living Room!"  The buyer was incredulous - "Why would I eliminate the Master Bedroom?  We don't want to do that, besides - we like that room!"  My sly salesperson replied, still in the affirmative, "Yeah, you're right.  We should go ahead and leave the Master Bedroom intact."  The customer never raised the objection again!