Your Puzzle To Fix Their Problem

Or vice versa. When running workshops to sharpen the skills around initial conversations with suspects I come up against the particular flaw time after time. It rears its death grip in two ways;

Seller: …have you got the problem?

Suspect: Yes…

Seller: Great!

Complete with audible cheer …or rather;

Seller: …have you got the problem?

Suspect: Problem? Of course not. No problems on my watch. How dare you… [phone slams down]

Recognise?

Recently I decided to mix up this pavloviana.

Substitute in a different word for ‘problem’;

Puzzle.

It is at once more playful, disarming and subtle.

People don’t like divulging cold their problems. Especially to strangers  random salespeople calling them for the first time or newly met potential vendors getting too matey too quick.

Yet they are it seems open to a conversation about the puzzle they’re busy trying to re-arrange into shape.

There are many such little devils of words that may feel unassuming, but which can get the backs of buyers up and work against you. Problem is but one example. So trying switching up your speech to join forces as engaged collaborative puzzlers.