"The Power of YES!"

Hello

Years ago – I made a pack of cards – it was very unusual.

Here’s why...

Instead of the usual hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs – instead of the usual aces, kings, queens, jacks, 10s, 9s etc etc etc – every single card bore the same legend; one simple word – the word was ‘Yes!’

And using...

These cards I taught my sales team the ‘Yes’ game.

Here’s why:

A ‘yes’ in any buying/selling/persuasion conversation is a very powerful word and I wanted them to understand the power of that word and especially to understand they shouldn’t GIVE AWAY the ‘yes’ perhaps as often as they had been in the past.

Let me make it clear...

This was ONLY a game and not the rules or way of all communications – simply a method to understand the power of ‘yes’ and get them to think – when communicating.

Here’s how it worked:

One salesperson would play the role of the salesperson; another salesperson would play the role of the buyer?

The pack was shuffled, though it made no difference – and dealt out so each player had an equal number of cards.

Then the fun began.

The salesperson would start asking the buyer questions and whilst NOT focusing on just ‘closed-ended’ questions would try to solicit as many ‘yes’ answers as he could. When the buyer said ‘yes’- they had to give one of their ‘yes’ cards to the salesperson.

However...

It was the same rules for the salesperson – every time they said ‘yes’ they had to give one of their ‘yes’ cards to the buyer.

You can imagine the fun we had with this.

Instead of EASY ‘yes’ answers being given away they were fought for - long and hard.

Here are some examples:

Example One:

Buyer: “Will this ‘thing’ work in Manchester?”

Salesperson: (knowing it would) “Would you like it to work in Manchester?

Buyer: “Yes!” – one card to the salesperson

Example Two:

Buyer: “Do you do it in red?”

Salesperson: “Would you like it in red?”

Buyer: “Yes” – oops another card gone

Example Three:

Salesperson: “Would you like to buy one?”

Buyer: “Do you personally recommend it?”

Salesperson: “Yes, of course” – one card passed back

Now again – let me EMPHASIS this was NOT teaching the salespeople to only ask closed ended questions NOR to be obtuse and only answer questions with a question – IT WAS – so the sales team members would be aware of the power of this 3-letter word ‘Yes’

And sure enough...

They soon became aware and sales went up!

Funny how something as simple as playing cards for fun (with a serious intent) can make such a positive difference.

Can you make a pack of cards like this and play the ‘Yes Game’ too?

I would have thought so – and you could always download the picture of the ‘Yes’ card as a template to save you making one.

Go on then

Peter Thomson

Editor and Card Playing Publisher

tgiMondays

Please do email me with any feedback or comments.

peter@tgimondays.com