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Trail with what you want

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Posted on 13th August 2008 by Jade Handy in Let's Talk About Language |Objection Strategies |Persuasion |Selling Language

Do you want me to brush your teeth, or do you want to do it yourself?

Maybe you’ve had to utter this phrase.

Chances are you’re a parent, then.

Unconfirmed rumors about studies that address the sequence of the introductory statement suggest this is the best order to utter it.  Also, my own personal count confirms it.  Try rotating the order and track the results, yourself.  Night one, ”Do you want to do it yourself, or do you want me to brush your teeth.?” Night two, “Do you want me to brush your teeth, or do you want to do it yourself?” etc.

In a professional environment, you can amplify the choices, easily.  “Do you want the cheaper version, or do you want the one that will really fill your needs the way you need, want and in the long run will be in your best interests, financially?”

I mean, would you rather wallow aimlessly in your persuasive pursuits, or would you rather do it in a methodical fashion, successfully?

If it’s not an issue, then don’t make it one. Or, should you?

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Posted on 13th August 2008 by Jade Handy in Objection Strategies |Persuasion |Selling Language

,

I was listening to a very well-intentioned mother try to teach her daughter to not play with coins out of fear a even younger sibling of the daughter trying to eat one and choke.  Fair enough.  Here’s how it went.  “Daughter, I’ve told you before, not to play with those coins.  Your baby sister could put them in her mouth and choke.”  Whoa!  Stop the train.  Back up.   I don’t know about you, but this child will take that suggestion(negative suggestion) and run with it.  The first time their alone and the older daughter has some coins, you can bet she’ll “share” them with her younger sibling.

This, of course,  is an example of when you don’t bring up an objection before it is brought up by the other person.  At the very least, and only if you have to, talk about it in in high-level general terms.  Example, “stop.”

Distinctively different, is when you’re getting an objection again, and again, and there’s a better than not chance of it coming up, again.  Let’s say the older sibling has been attempting to insert coin in mouth several times, already, and predictably will do it in the next opportunity.  This is when you bring it up in a way that will inoculate it.  This may be more challenging than with a prospective customer, so it’ll be more fun learning it in a situation that will stretch you to learn it in a way that you can appy in both.  Example, “daughter, before you think about doing it, put the coins back in the bank.  In other words, when you feel your hand moving towards doing this, Stop.  Then, go do something else somewhere else.”

So, more clearly put.  If it’s not an objection, don’t bring it up.  If it’s a predictably reoccuring objection, only bring it up in a way that inoculates it.

Maybe you have already done something similar and can relate.  Have you gone into a restaurant and not requested that they overcook your steak?  And, have you not, after receiving an undercooked steak several times at a particular steakhouse, mentioned that it’s happened the last several times and to pay special attention to your steak this time?  Same thing, right.

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