make your default answer "Yes!"

Sooo, lately everytime I talk to Allie her default answer is “No”. It drives me up a wall.
Allie would you like to eat breakfast? No
Allie lets change your diaper. No
Allie, would you like to play with toys? No
Would you like to go outside? No

Most of the time she changes her answer or gets in trouble for being sassy. Sooo, how many times a day do you tell clients, prospective clients, vendors, spouses, friends etc “No” After you said it, how many people questioned you? How many just walked away? How many do you think thought, my they are sassy or rude or unreasonable or difficult? How many things could you have turned into a positive if you had just taken a moment and thought about what they are asking?

Your default should always be “yes”. Even if you can’t do something, think of how you can make it into a yes.

****This is purely an example and not my negative policy***
A client asks, “Can I get the negatives from my wedding?” Instead of immediately saying, “No”. You may want to ask them to clarify. “That may be an option, do you know why you would like the negatives?” Once the client tells you, you may have better reason to explain your policies or what they can do to get what they want. Maybe the client just thinks they should have them for their archives. If it is your policy to not give them away then you might be able to say, “well there are a few options: I archive all of your files on raid 5 external hard drives in 3 different places and they are archived indefinitely and I send updated addresses and keep in touch so that if you ever need an image, I have it at my disposal or you are welcome to purchase the negatives at $5 per image which would come out to $5,000 for 1,000 of your wedding images or you can tell them after 10 years I will send you 2 dvd copies.”

Now, the client has a few options and can make a decision based on that and they feel like you heard them and took the time to understand what they were really asking for. Many times, especially weddings, people just follow what others tell them. They have never been married before or planned a party for 100-250 people. They read magazines and ask friends. Most of the time they need reassurance that certain things will happen and sometimes they don’t know why they need or want somthing. Their friends just told them to ask.

If you had just said NO. They may have just booked someone else and then told their friends how unreasonable you were etc. It will basically drive them “Crazy”

If it is something you really can’t do, then maybe say “well I am extremely busy right now but can do it on Monday. Will that work for you? If not Mr. Smith can get that done for you by friday” now you have turned a no into a positive and helped someone out.

So, I make every effort to say, “Yes” If anyone ever notices that I don’t say “yes”, please let me know….I want everyone that works with me to have a great experience.

Now, if I could just get Allie to stop saying “No”