Business Relationship Training for Parents and Professionals
Negotiation. Persuasion. Persistence. Parents utilize these sales skills daily, whether it’s getting a toddler to try broccoli or a teenager to meet his curfew. Many of the common Business Relationship Training Systems (we use Sandler) are a great tool to have in any type of role that requires you to engage with clients or even your own co–workers. And yes, parents can use these techniques as well. If you’re interested in broadening your persuasive skills at home and in the office, read on!
Going Negative: A professional might use this strategy when dealing with someone who has shut down and stopped responding to requests. This is somewhat like “playing hard to get,” and renewing your counterpart’s interest by withdrawing a bit, or stating that they must no longer be interested in working together on this issue. How could this work in your home?
“I assume that since you left your sneakers on the porch with the storm approaching, you’re no longer interested in owning those kicks. I’ll do you a favor and throw them in the garbage for you.”
Assuming the sneakers aren’t truly garbage-ready, you might be surprised how fast your kid throws down the video game controller to prevent their demise.
A.N.O.T: This acronym stands for Appreciate, Naturally, Obviously, and Typically. This can be used either in the beginning of meeting or the end, depending on how you use it. It is a great way to introduce a meeting and set expectations so that everyone understands the reason for the meeting. When dealing with kids, these words can prevent an argument while the parent addresses potential complaints or stressors up front.
“I appreciate you being so patient on this long car ride. Naturally, we are going to try to get there as quickly as possible, but obviously, you will want to stop for a snack. Typically, the rest stop about an hour from Grandma’s house is a good place to stop. Does that sound okay, kiddos?”
Most likely, the kids (or customer) will agree and the trip will go more smoothly now that expectations and the general plan are clear.
Post Sell: This is the last step when closing a meeting. Nothing is more frustrating than agreeing on a next step during a meeting and, when the deadline or next steps come due, having the committed person be a no-show or come unprepared. To avoid these scenarios, I use the post-sell at the end of my meetings in order to make sure everyone has ownership of our agreed next steps from our meeting.
Similarly, another frustrating scenario is waiting for a teenager (new driver!) to arrive home at the agreed upon hour. How can you use the “post-sell” to up the odds your son or daughter will make it home on time and you get a little shut-eye? Try this post-sell script.
“You need to walk through the door at 11:30. My biggest concern is that you will be late and I have to wait up for you, only for you to waltz in and tell me you lost track of time. Can you set a phone alarm for 11:00 to remind you of your curfew?
Expressing doubt makes the other person take ownership of the next steps and decreases the odds of a last-minute cancellation or epic fail. Likewise, being up front with your child about their potential tardiness might decrease the odds of them missing curfew. In this example, I’ve given the teenager a strategy for keeping track of time; I also like to send potential customers an email reminder for our phone call.
Sandler has been a great tool for me over the years and has assisted me with reaching my goals and creating strong bonds and great rapport with our teams. How has Business Relationship Training helped you in your workplace, or perhaps even with your family and friends?
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