Yikes! Jason, our son, is 40 today. Am I really old enough to have a 40-year-old son? Well..this milestone comes with five grandkids, courtesy of Jason and Melinda, so it's all good. To wish Jason a fabulous HAPPY BIRTHDAY...I'm venturing off the book review circuit today to bring you my favorite Jason story--from 36 years ago. (It's from Chapter 6, The Program Bucket, in my book, Mastering the Management Buckets.)
When the only two answers are yes or no,
you’re not satisfying customer needs.
When my son, Jason, was about four, I taught him an important marketing principle I learned from Bob Hisrich, co-author of our book, Marketing Your Ministry: Ten Critical Principles.
Late one afternoon, Jason asked his mom for a cookie. “No,” Joanne said. “It’s too close to dinner time.”
I took Jason aside and gave him my fatherly advice on effective marketing. “Here’s how to get your cookie, Jason,” I began. “Tomorrow, go into the kitchen and ask Mom this simple question: “Can I have one cookie or two?”
My street-smart kid learned fast. The next day, he joined his mom in the kitchen and asked nonchalantly, “Mom? Can I have one cookie or two cookies?”
The answer was immediate: “Just one!”
Jason enjoyed his chocolate chip cookie that afternoon because he gave his mom the opportunity to say no and still say yes. He gave her choices. It’s a simple marketing rule of thumb, but it’s easy to overlook in the Program Bucket: "Give people the choice to say no to a few options—yet still say yes." For more on the Program Bucket, visit my website.
Great story! I am looking forward (not really) to when my son uses "marketing" on me. :-)
Happy birthday to your son!
Posted by: Alison | June 16, 2010 at 11:57 AM