Twain & Protection Plans

Those who study emotional intelligence (EI) speak about 3 bad habits that interfere with our ability to persuade others, even though what we’re trying to achieve may be great for everyone. Those 3 mistakes are:

1. We fail to clearly communicate our specific goal.
2. We prioritize what we want to say without paying attention to how our message is received.
3. We go off topic and it’s confusing exactly what we need others to do.

When we introduce our Protection Plan it’s too easy to make these 3 mistakes, nearly forcing our guests to take the simple way out by saying “No.” But there’s a way to overcome all 3 of these bad habits, using a famous quote attributed to Mark Twain in a letter to a friend:

“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”

As Twain says, it’s easy to drone on and on, meandering along our Protection Plan presentation. It takes work to pick the right words to tighten up our presentation and emphasize its clarity. For example,

“I don’t want you to pay for expensive repairs, from damage caused by wear and tear, which is why I recommend you include our Protection Plan with your purchase.”

How did I answer the three important requirements while being brief:

1. My specific goal? I don’t want you to pay for repairs.
2. How does it sound to the guest? I’m taking care of you even after you leave the store.
3. What do I need you to do? Include the Protection Plan in your purchase.

The good news is that, unlike Mark Twain, you have the time—with skill practices & role plays—to refine your presentation to be as direct and brief as possible. You can practice until your Protection Plan presentation is direct and clear, and then share with your guests. Work on your shorter presentation this week and you will…Make It Happen!