Written Sunday
We are staying at a resort in Antigua, Guatemala. This morning we were four American tourists trying to decipher the Spanish language activities poster in the courtyard. Suddenly a well-dressed black guy appeared amidst us. He introduced himself as Irwin, from Aruba, and from the time-share sales office next door.
I have been to a number of time-share sales pitches. The skills of the salespeople vary, but the pitches are relentlessly high pressure and well organized. He seemed likable and helpful, but my defenses were up as he learned who we were.
When he asked us which rooms we were staying in, he immediately brought up the worst feature of those rooms (they are too near the traffic noise) and he asked us what we thought could be done to improve the noise problem.
It was a problem that we could have just complained about, but suddenly our minds were engaged to solve it. For the moment it didn’t matter that we were not acoustical engineers or that he was not likely in a position to make changes.
In what could be described as the finest move I have ever seen in martial arts, Irwin had broken down our defenses, as we all became part of the same team. In one smooth move that we didn’t even realize he was making, he found where we were off balance and then used our own energy to his advantage.
Follow through is important in any martial arts move. He brainstormed with us on the traffic noise for a minute until WE changed the subject. He continued to be helpful with advice about local things. He made sure we remembered his name. By the time he left, we had no fear or hesitancy about talking with him.
Later this week, if it comes time for him to sell us something, Irwin already has the hardest stages out of the way. If he makes these kinds of moves a regular habit, I bet he is a very successful salesman.
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