■ You are making me feel uncomfortable;■ I do not understand;■ I don’t think I can afford it;■ I want something else;■ I need more information; or■ I want to talk it over with someone else.Then, after pausing, ask solution-based questions or
simply label their effect:
“What about this doesn’t work for you?”
“What would you need to make it work?”
“It seems like there’s something here that bothers you.”
People have a need to say, “No.” So don’t just hope to
hear it at some point; get them to say it early.
PERSUADE IN THEIR WORLD
I’d like to present you with a guy named Joe Businessman
as he readies himself for a negotiation. You’ve met him
before. He’s the prepared type, with all his Getting to Yes
strategies written out and memorized. And he’s more than
ready to unleash them on the guy across the table. Joe
pauses to look at his expensive suit in the mirror, fantasizing
about the impressive things he’ll say and the fancy charts
and graphs that’ll back up those things and leave his