The Power of Saying Yes

August 14, 2007

I am a student of improv, and one of the core principles of good improv is the concept of “Yes And.” There’s an exercise taught by many an improv teacher with 2 students involved. The first student delivers a line, any line. The next student’s response must begin with “Yes, and…”

For example.

Student A: “I love you.”

Student B: “Yes, and I’m in love with someone else.”

I’m glued. I’m hooked. I have to find out what happens next!

But what happens if Student B were to deny or ignore the reality of Student A. S/he might get a quick laugh, but the scene will suffer in the long run.

Student A: “I love you.”
Student B: “Chocolate ice cream is my favorite.”

If we were to explore the scene further, it could end up like this…

Student A: “I’ve loved you all my life.”
Student B: “There’s a new desserty downtown, and I’ve heard they have the best ice cream.”

Enough with the ice cream! Do you love this person back or not?

What “Yes, and” is really all about is acceptance. It’s vital for every improviser to accept what other actors offer on stage.

Business people and marketers can also embrace the concept of “Yes And.” By accepting the experience (i.e. reality, perspective) that others bring to the table, you will ultimately produce a better big picture for your company.

We see examples of companies saying “Yes, And” to their customers all the time. The iPhone, flavored coffee, free wireless internet, pink laptops, and TiVo are all great examples.

If you’re worried that saying “Yes And” means giving into every whim of the consumer, don’t be. “Yes And” works best when all parties are involved in acceptance. Customers have to say “Yes And” to companies as well. But they can only do this when companies are engaged and transparent. “Yes And” works best when all players are giving to the conversation.

This seemingly easy concept takes a lot of practice. People are often surprised that there are such things as improv classes because they think you should just be able to get up on stage and spew out whatever comes to your mind. In reality, it takes careful study and application.

In the same way, marketing with the “Yes And” principle in mind will take practice and tweaking. “Yes And” is about listening and acceptance. It’s not about giving in to every request. It will be about saying yes to some - or even many.

“Yes And” enables companies and customers to become partners. Together, they can produce something extraordinary and that’s a win-win for everyone.

Are you BOLD enough to say “Yes And”?

Technorati Tags: online custom publishing, conversation marketing

Posted in Conversation Marketing by Nathania Johnson