The power of “Yes, but” — Kelford Labs Daily

Here’s a powerful trick of language you need to promise me you’ll only deploy for good purposes.

If you want someone to believe you can do something, say, “Yes, but...”

In Gerald Weinberg’s Secrets of Consulting, he talks about the Orange Juice Test:

If you’re an event planner for a hotel or convention center, and your client asks you if you can provide fresh squeezed orange juice to a few hundred guests, at the same time, there are two wrong answers:

“Yes” and “No.”

No is obviously not ideal, as it will lose you the client’s business.

But a straight Yes is also a red flag. Because it demonstrates you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Because to deliver fresh squeezed orange juice to hundreds of people all at once actually requires a fair amount of logistics, and there would be conditions, stipulations, or at least follow-up questions from any qualified event planner.

The right answer would be, “Yes, and this is how much it will cost”, or even “Yes, but...” and then the conditions, the necessary preparations, or the information about any additional fees.

Clients actually get nervous when we agree to things too eagerly, too quickly, or too thoughtlessly. They think, “Can they actually do this, or do they just need the money?”

Whereas a condition, a question, or a recommendation demonstrates we actually know what we’re doing. We’ve actually done this before.

So the next time a client or prospect asks you if you can do something that’s a little outside your wheelhouse, or a little more than you typically do, or a little more complicated than you’re used to, don’t just say yes.

Say, “Yes, but...” and then ask them a question. Or state the conditions under which you’re capable and eager to help.

This amplifies your believability and builds confidence in your client.

Just promise me you will only use this technique when you actually can do the thing they’re looking for. When you actually have a question, a condition, and important stipulation.

Because it works so well you can convince people you can do things you can’t.

So, you know, don’t do that.

Kelford Inc. shows entrepreneurs the way to always knowing what to say.