When choosing who would play the lead role in the Blair Witch Project, the auditioners were told to pretend they’d been in prison for 20 years.
They were then instructed to act as if the producers were the parole board, and the applicant’s job was to convince the board to let them out of prison.
But the woman who got the part did just the opposite.
Instead of convincing them to let her out, she spent 10 minutes convincing them that she should never be released from prison.
By choosing to convince them that she should not be allowed to leave jail, the underlying sentiment they understood was that she knew what she had done was wrong.
And she was deeply remorseful for her unlawful act.
Of course, that doesn’t explain why she got the part.
I believe she got the part because of the unpredictable nature of her response.
People are drawn in when you’re unpredictable, and she knew this.
How can you use this approach in your business?
Say, you have a motorist on the phone. You’ve told them your rates, and they’re complaining that it’s too much.
So rather than getting upset, you could instead use the situation to contrast and compare their options.
You might suggest that they call AAA or some other motor club and apply for a membership. (unpredictable)
Then say something like, “Sure, you’ll have to wait longer for service, sometimes up to 5 hours. But if money is a concern, then it’s probably your best bet.”
And you could even tell ‘em a story, like…this reworked comment from my YouTube channel.
“You know, there was this guy who got his truck stuck just recently. Three wheels on gravel, left rear slid off the side, and it was just a spinnin’. He had AAA, so he calls them. After about 20 minutes or so, they call him back and say that they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) do anything until the next day. So he called Good Sam, another motor club. And they called him back repeatedly, saying, “We are still looking for a tow truck in your area.” He finally uses Google and finds like 2 or 3 towing companies 10 miles away who could get to him. But he was still waiting on Good Sam. When Good Sam called back, they said he might have to wait until the next morning. So he complains profusely, and they finally find a towing company, but he waited nearly 5 hours for help to arrive.”
Happens a lot.
Or you could tell one of your own stories.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you do this as a means to spite your prospect for pushing back on your rates.
Not at all.
You’re giving them perspective. A way to look at the problem from a different angle.
An angle that you’re all too familiar with.
You could then end the phone call on a good note and say something like….
“Well, I wish you luck. Let me know if we can help.”
If you do it right, there really is no downside.
And there’s a good chance they’ll call you back.
https://thetowacademy.com/policy-procedures-manual-for-the-towing-business/
Don Archer
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