Can you unscramble these letters to make a real word? KIPYN
That’s your challenge in a popular word game called “JumbIe,” which often appears in newspapers. It is a great word game and I admit I am a “Jumble” addict. More importantly, I would suggest that“Jumble” type thinking can save a sale for you that seems to be going south.
“Jumble” asks you to unscramble letters to make a real word. For example, if you re-arrange the letters in each of these sets, what words do you get? (Answers at end of this post.)
HIRTB
OCXTEI
RTIEKS
NLMEO
“Jumble” Thinking Pays Off
Success in “Jumble” depends on being able to pull back and look at possible re-combinations of the letters to get to the right answers. It can be frustrating at first, but if you stick with it, you can usually figure out the right answer.
Similarly, in frustrating sales situations, it pays to pull back and look at what’s happening in a fresh way to help you win business. This is particularly true today when decision-making is spread out among many stakeholders, competition is fierce, and relationships can be unreliable.
You Want Me To Do What?!
I remember when an ad agency client requested that I deliver a program for free to a group of senior managers. My initial thinking was, “No way! How dare you ask me to do that!”
Then, in “Jumble” fashion, and with a few deep breaths, I pulled back and asked myself
- How else should I be looking at this seemingly outrageous request?
- Why would this otherwise good client ask such a thing?
- What in my client’s experience would make this seem like a reasonable request?
It took me a while, but I finally figured it out. I called him back and asked him if his agency ever did work for free for clients and he said, “All the time.” I said, “I thought so.” Then, I explained that unlike his agency, which earned hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, from their accounts, as a small business with much lower price points, except for special circumstances, it was not possible to survive on work for free and that he would need to pay a fee.
He listened and said, “Okay, that makes sense.” I got my fee and, more important, kept the relationship intact.
The percentage of people who wake up every morning to ruin our day is small. When people act strangely, there is a reason behind their behavior. It is our job to uncover that reason and take the appropriate actions.
When is it Time to “Jumble” Your Thinking? When a client..
- Makes a seemingly unreasonable request
- Raises an odd objection
- Changes decisions or direction suddenly
- Procrastinates
- Finds reasons not to introduce you to other stakeholders
- Doesn’t return calls
Something is going on. Pull back. Ask yourself why this could be happening. Why else could this be happening? Why else? Act on your hypotheses. Ask questions. Get to the real underlying reason.
When confusion is turned to clarity, it leads to better business and deeper client relationships.
Anne Miller
Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!
(Answers: pinky, birth, exotic, strike, melon)
To play Jumble online, complete with the cartoons, click here.