World's greatest sales pitch

A good friend of mine (Harry) was recently on the receiving end of the most compelling sales pitch he'd ever seen. He just couldn’t work out how to say “no”.

Here’s what happened - and what we can all learn from it…

Harry was in the kitchen with his two-year-old Tom. Their conversation went like this:

Tom: Daddy, can we play football outside?

Harry: We can later, Tom. It’s raining now. Shall I read you a book instead?

Tom: No Daddy. Let’s play football outside.

Harry: We can’t Tom. I’d like to. But it’s raining. What else would you like to do? A story? Play with your trains? Something else?

Tom: Shall I get my shoes Daddy?

Harry: Why?

Tom: So we can play football outside.

Harry: I’ve already told you, Tom – it’s raining. Come on, let’s find something else to do

Tom: (Leaving room). See you later Daddy.

Harry: OK. Where are you going?

Tom: To get my shoes.

Harry: Tom, come back in here…TOM!

Tom: (returning) I’ve brought my shoes Daddy. Can you put them on please?

Harry: (if I’m being honest, now becoming a touch frustrated) No Tom. It’s raining. Look, here’s your favourite book…

Tom: I’m just putting my shoes on.

Harry: (thinking he's ‘won’, because his son doesn’t know how to put his shoes on) Ok then, Tom. You put your shoes on

Tom: (Two minutes later) I’ve put them on Daddy. Let’s go outside.

Harry: (Getting more flustered now). Wow. You’re a good boy for putting on your shoes. But it’s still raining.

Maia, Harry's six year old who’s been listening to their conversation: Actually Dad, it’s stopped raining.

[Stunned silence]

Harry: Er… OK then… Let’s go outside.

Tom: (very excited now) Yaay. And can we play football for lots and lots, Daddy?

Harry: Don’t push it son...

And, before you ask… yes – they did play for ‘lots and lots’.

Harry did his best to say “no”. But it wasn’t happening.

And there’s a lot we can learn from this:

• If someone says “No” to you, it doesn’t mean “No forever. Go away”. So try a different tack
• This different tack might involve you doing something you haven’t ever done before, like putting on your shoes for the first time
• It always helps to have a good relationship with the other person. But a good relationship won’t always be enough on its own – you’ll have to be persuasive too. But if they don’t know/like you, it’s a lot harder
• Circumstances change – like, it stopping raining – making the reason for the original “no” no longer valid. So, you can often revisit things which got a “no” last time
• Sometimes you need a third party – in their case, Maia – to point out that things have changed. So ask someone else for their ideas
• When you’re so focussed on the value of something – like Tom was – the objections/concerns become almost irrelevant. You/he sees them as minor inconveniences to overcome; not an Impenetrable Forcefield Of Doom that requires 100% of everyone’s focus

Action point

Today, somebody will say “no” to you. So, what are you going to do, to turn it into a “yes”?

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Written by NativeEnglish

Native English Spain is dedicated to make learning English simple, fun and affordable for Spanish people.