From Small Talk to Signed Contracts: Turning friendly chats into real business.

Hello, and welcome to the podcast. Apologies before we begin because I'm making today's recording outside. I'm outside church because it's a Saturday and the kids are in Cadkism classes. And typically when we have these kinds of episodes, expect to hear noise coming from, you know, anywhere in the background, you know, teachers teaching, children chanting. And then there's a construction site next to the church. So, you know, hammers, nails and, you know, things banging and buzzing and all that.

So this could be a very noisy episode. Now, today, when I'm here to talk about religious things or my personal things, what we're going to discuss today is we're going to look at what to say whenever you're in a conversation with a potential customer, a potential client, you're in a meeting. And then the person says, yeah, this sounds all good. It sounds all good. It's all good. Now, the reason why we're looking at this today is because some people have been in this situation and I even saw one guy, the guy, the vex, seriously on LinkedIn because he was in a situation where the customer said it's all good.

The potential client says it's all good. And of course, when somebody, you're meeting with somebody, you're trying to sell something and then the person says it's all good. Of course you will assume that there's something positive going on. You'll assume that you're making progress, but there are times when somebody will say it's all good and then before you know it, this deal is going absolutely nowhere, nowhere at all.

So these things happen, they happen to everybody. So when it happens to you, don't take it personal and don't be be like that Bros on LinkedIn, that guy vex the guy. Just begin the right. Anyhow, on LinkedIn, first of all, it's unprofessional. You know, as a business owner, as a salesperson, you're trying to do business with someone. Things don't go your way. You don't just go on LinkedIn and then begin the event. You don't go on social media and start writing things up and down.

No, it's not professional. What if the guy, you know, the person goes, you know, sees the the post that he put up later on, you now seem like an immature somebody. So, yeah, these things happen. And I understand that they can be annoying because for most of us, all we hear is all good. We assume that everything is is all right, that we're OK, we're moving in the right direction. But yes, situations happen where people say it's all good and then the deal ends up going absolutely nowhere.

So first of all, don't take this thing person personal. It happens to everybody and that's happened to everybody. You assume that this thing was a deal made in heaven and then it the thing doesn't pull through. So don't take it personal. That's the first thing you need to do. If you hear it's all good, and then it turns out that thing actually were not so good. However, even though you're not meant to take this thing personally because it happens,

it's just life, it's just business. You have to take the initiative and you have to take the responsibility to make sure that the occurrence of this thing goes down over time. There's no way that we'll stop this thing from ever happening because it will happen that you're talking to someone else. Somebody will say it's all good. This thing looks nice. This is this, you know, the person will say we're good to go, like all kinds of things,

and then the deal is not going to happen. So we cannot reduce it 100%. But we can take responsibility to make sure that the number of times when people say this is all good and then the thing doesn't end up in a business deal, we just reduce it. So we have to take responsibility for it. Also another reason why we shouldn't go on social media and start ranting whenever these kinds of things happen. You know, people who do whatever it is that they want to do, they have to take care of themselves.

So you can't go and start ranting and provoking on social media that somebody did this to you, somebody did that to you. Like, they have their own life. You have your own life. So it's your own job to make sure that you reduce the number of times that these things happen. Oh, by the way, this is your first time listening to the podcast. My name is Tavishima Ayede. I'm a former lawyer turned business consultant. If you'd like to connect with me, you can call, send me a text message or WhatsApp message on 080 64662140.

So just in case you've been in situations where you thought this was a done deal, it looked like things were moving ahead. It looks like things were in favor in your favor and then things didn't quite pan out the way you are thought. Reach out, Let's discuss. Let's see how we can reduce these things happening in your business. So now, right now, let's get concrete. Why does this thing happen? Does somebody who say is all good and then the deal will go nowhere?

There are lots of reasons and I'm not a psychologist, so I'm not going to bother trying to come up with any number of reasons why it happens. However, like I said before I introduce myself, there are some things that we can do to reduce the amount of times that these things happen. Now, one of the reasons why this thing happens to you or to us, we salespeople, we business owners, is because we don't have the habit or we don't have the skill of seeking advancements in sales.

So maybe I wonder, what's an advancement? Very simple. I'll explain. But for those of you who are Ogs, you've been listening to the podcast for a while, you already know or for the benefit of people who are just coming today, today, let's explain. Now the concept advancement is something that was coined by a researcher called Neorakam, old school trainer, consultant type guy. And I think the book Spin Selling was written in the 70s or in the 80s.

So there's a methodology called Spin Selling that is named after the guy. So you can say he's kind of like a grandpa to some of us in the industry. So Neil Rackham in his research figured out that successful sales people have a habit, they have a skill, and that particular skill is they know how to get advancements. An advancement just means a mutually agreed next step. An advancement just means you're talking to someone, you're trying to tell somebody, you're trying to close a deal, you're trying to secure an investment,

you're trying to secure a partnership, you know, through with a stakeholder, whatever agenda it is that you're trying to do. Advancement just means that at this current meeting, at this current phone call, at this current e-mail, at this current WhatsApp, at this current Zoom session, at this current, whatever it is you're doing, you have the skill or you have the habit of getting the other person to agree. OK, good. As we're leaving now, what is the next step?

If somebody says it's all good and you just assume it's positive, you don't secure an advancement. All kinds of things can happen. Oh, my wife said, my pastor said, oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. Oh, the money I allocated for it went to something else. Like any kind of thing can happen. So if somebody says it's all good, what you need to do is secure an advancement. 2 of you need to agree now. OK, shabby is all good. This is the next step.

This is the next thing we're going to do. When you secure an advancement, then the chances of the deal moving forward are high because both of you have agreed. Remember, advancements are mutual agreements. Both of you have agreed. One person suggested. The other person agreed that this is what we will do next. Some of you now ask how do you secure an advancement? Look, it's not too hard. Actually, it's very simple. Somebody has to propose.

If you are afraid, if you're shy, it's OK to ask the person. The person says it's all good. He said, oh OK, no problem, since we are all good, what would you like for us to do next? Assuming that you're shy? But by the way, I don't like that approach because when I put the ball in somebody's court, I have no control over what they will say next. If they say, oh, OK, well, actually my daughter is graduating in Canada. And so because of that, the family is going to travel.

We're going to be away for six months. By the time I come back, I have a meeting in Oakland State and something, something, something. So how about we pick this up in 10 months time? You see, that kind of thing can happen if somebody says it's all good, I'm actually trying to make progress. Now, I don't want to say what would you like for us to do next? And the person will start giving me a story and the story will end in, OK, let's talk in 10

months time. Anything that happened in 10 months. But just in case you're scared or you don't want to be too forward, it's perfectly fine. You can ask, OK, we're all good, Abby, what would you like us to do next? Now what I prefer to do is I think that as the salesperson or as the business owner, we are the ones that are professional. So it is not out of place for us to suggest that this is what should happen next. If The thing is a significant something, if it's an important something for the person, the person will now match, you know,

change their own paros, change their own schedule to blend with this thing if it's a serious problem. So it is OK for you to say, oh, it's all good, Abby, all right, no problem since we are all good. In my own professional opinion, what I recommend at this stage is then you will now see your own either way. Somebody says it's all good. There is no way that I'm leaving that meeting and we have not agreed on the next step.

You don't agree on the next step. You rely on the fact that the person said it's all good. The person says, and we go, yeah, we go, yeah, You know, Shabi, I have your number, ABI. OK. You have chemist number, ABI. Yeah. No problem. No problem. We go. Yeah, We go. See. We go. See you now shake hands, you go home. You have to say how far you say that was a good meeting, my dear, that this deal would click the better said this is all good my friend.

If anybody says it's all good, secure an advancement on the spot is all good, correct. That's why I like to hear I'm looking forward to serving you. I'm looking forward to taking care of you. So Bros, as we are wrapping up this meeting now what do you want us to do next? That's option one. And by the way, that's the option I like the least. I don't like throwing into their own court. Me, I like to take, I like to take the initiative.

So I'll say, oh, it's all good. How fantastic. That's what I was hoping you would say. All right. Now, based on my own professional recommendations, if we're going to achieve so, so and so date, so, so and so timeline, in order for us to beat this and this and this and that to achieve this result, this is what I recommend. We need to have the next meeting for this, this, this, or you need to send over a deposit for this amount or we need to schedule a side visit for so, so and so.

Whatever it is, in your professional opinion, recommend the next step. Do not leave a meeting where somebody says it's all good all overnight. They smile. You know the guy who ordered drinks for all of you. You stand up, you will shake hands. You know, you say we will. Yeah, we'll be in touch. You know, I'll be in touch. And they leave the meeting thinking, man, as a correct guy. I like the way this deal is going only for you to see in three weeks time that they gave the money to somebody else.

Whatever the reason, if somebody says it's all good, no problem, The next thing you will do is secure an advancement. If you have never heard of the word advancement before, this should be your new favorite phrase for the year. Advancement. Every single conversation that you're having with a potential customer with a potential client advancement. If you've been in this sticky situations, you're not sure how to secure advancement.

That's the reason why I gave my phone number at the beginning of the episode call, send me a text message or WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Reach out. Let's help you secure advancements in your business deals. Now, another possible reason why you can hang in situations where somebody says it's all good is because you assumed that the person is interested in proceeding to the next step. I repeat, it's not a reasonable time that somebody says is all good that the person is interested.

Sometimes when somebody says it's all good, the person just means on paper this proposal makes sense, but in the back of their mind, they still want to research one or two things. They still want to make sure that you know one or two things correlate first before they move forward. It doesn't mean that they're interested in proceeding. Hope you guys get the difference. Sometimes somebody says it's all good. What they mean is on paper,

everything is set, everything nice. This thing looks good on paper, but they still want to go and talk to Madam, still want to go and talk to business partners, still want to go on Google to go and do some research or whatever. They want to independently verify one or two things to be sure it checks out before they move ahead. Somebody saying it's all good doesn't mean that they are interested to proceed now. Don't assume.

Now in the earlier example that I gave about securing advancements, yes we are assuming. But The thing is by the time you start trying to propose next step and the person says ah next step, how calm down, you will now see that oh you are misunderstanding. You are assuming more than was implied. So another thing you can do is when somebody says this, all this sounds all good, it's all good, everything is set, everything looks all right.

You know, everything add up is looking OK. What you can do is clarify. Instead, clarify so the next time you're on a meeting, in case you're thinking securing advancement is too forward, you don't have to be too forward. No problem. When somebody says this sounds all good, it's all good, everything is set, clarify. Now this is how you go about first of all, you affirm. So you say something like, oh, fantastic, I'm glad to hear that because you know, we must always be positive in the selling situ scenario, you know, maintain that positive momentum.

So somebody says it's all good, everything adds up, the whole team matches up. You say it, I'm glad. Then you repeat what the person said. I'm glad that you think everything sounds all good. I'm glad that everything matches up. I'm glad that everything don't set the exact words that the person said. Repeat it, affirm it. I am glad that and then repeat exactly what the person said. Then you will now clarify and they say Bros when you say this sounds all good.

When you say everything don't set when you say be like say everything. Check out everything pure, whatever he said or whatever she said, the exact thing repeated. You now say Bros, Madame Oga, Ambassador Odogo, Mazi, whatever. Address them properly. When you say XYZ, what do you mean? And then you keep quiet and hear what it is that they have to say. Some people essentially would say, I mean, is no more impediment again, no more roadblock, no more nothing like all their questions have been answered.

There are some people who say, no. What I meant was on paper this proposal seems OK but I still have to go and talk with the board before we can give you a decision. Or I would still want to discuss with my wife before I give you a decision or I still want to go and discuss with the family members before I give you a decision. So affirm. I am glad that you said this, this, this. But Madam, Madam Ambassador, when you say this, is this, what do you mean?

You know what she has to say. Then after that you now get some feedback. You now ask, OK, so does this mean that we are ready for XYZ now, XYZ being the next step? You ask S Presley so that you know where you stand. If the person says yes, then you're on your way to securing an advancement. So let's say this is real estate. OK, Yes, because yeah, I work with my last training cohort. In January, somebody in the class was involved in real estate in Orca, in Anambra.

So let's say it is real estate and then you are on the, you're on the site, the guy is there, the wife is there. They looked at it and then Mazzy says this sounds all good. Then this is the point where you now say, OK Chief, I'm glad that you have said, Chief, I'm very glad that as we came to this place, as we have looked at this house up and down, I was looked at this land. For you to just say this sounds all good. This thing has really blessed my heart.

And Chief, I'm very, very happy because I've been looking forward to working with you. But Chief Novix, when you say this sounds all good, what do you mean exactly? If Chief says I said it's all good because nothing remained, again, now like I like it, Madam, like it. Now there's no problem there. You will now ask OK, so Chief, does this mean we are ready to start drawing up the paperwork and they hear what Chief has to say.

If Chief says no, there's nothing holding this process back. Good. You will now secure an advancement. OK Chief, no problem. No problem, no problem. If you have it in the car, that's where you now say Chief. OK, fantastic. Let me take the copy of I have a copy of OK what do all units of so I'm not in real estate, so I'm not sure Anyway, whatever the paperwork is OK Chief I have I have a copy of tenancy agreement. I have a copy of this.

I have a copy of that taken show to Madam that your lawyer that you mentioned the barrister, barrister Kenny Chuku, his I have his WhatsApp number. I'll send it to him on WhatsApp share. That is OK. So yes, so for most of my clients now looking over this paperwork, normal, normal team know they take more than like that kind of four or five days. So chief, I can call you Friday. I can call it like Thursday evening. I'll be let's see if we can meet by Friday in your office.

So I'll bring the contract, you know, we'll sign or you transfer deposit. Let me call the site engineer to come and start. What do they do again? These engineers, you know, when they come and then they put beacon stone and marking, then they start marking the exact plot of land. I know what not. Anyway, those of you in real estate, you see what it is that I mean, you ask Chief, oh, does this mean that we're ready for XYZ?

If Chief says yes, good. You start securing the advancement. You start narrowing it down, whatever the advancement is supposed to be. So regardless of whatever psychological, spiritual or emotional reasons that somebody who say is all good and then 2-3 weeks later you say that they're ghosting you, whatever the psychological reason. Because honestly, who can probe the the mind of man? After all, scripture even says it that who can probe the mind of man except God?

You can't read their mind. Don't bother trying to read their mind. Your own is secure your advancement. That's all. That is all. If you think securing advancement is too aggressive, no problem. Then you clarify instead. You say chief, you say Madam, you say ambassador, you say Deaconess Afubero, I'm glad that you have said this. I was hoping that that's exactly what you want to say because I'm looking forward to having you as one of my satisfied clients.

So, Deaconess, I beg, when you say it's all good, you know what did you mean exactly? So, Deaconess, I'm very happy as you said that. So Mommy, does this mean that we're now ready for us to sign the contract? Oh, fantastic. Very good. So mommy, I will give you the contract right now. I have extra copies in my car and sure, I can forward you my account number now so you can just do the transfer. So at least by Monday morning the thing will clear.

Let's get this thing on the road. Oh, fantastic. Mommy, thank you very much. Thank you very much. When you follow it like that, you now reduce the situation where somebody will say this sounds all good. You stand up all of a night, you know, you give yourself a handshake, you know, pay yourself some nice compliments. You know, you finish your drinks and then you say I'll be in touch only for 2-3 weeks later you come and hear a different story.

This is how you avoid all these stories that touch. So remember, if you've been in this situation, you've had these kinds of problems before, Reach out to me, call me, send me a text message, send me a WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Let's see how we can get your deals on stock. Some of you will be listening right now and you'll be saying that man, these, these *** sounds expensive. I think I'm actually reasonably reasonably priced, but I, I have no problem with giving people free advice.

So you can actually can reach out and say I've been in this kind of situation. I'm looking for free advice. That's not a problem. I will grant you your wish and I will give you free advice. But just like the genie, there are limitations. I will only answer one question, so think very hard about what you want your one question to be. But if we have to go in in depth to try and figure out exactly what's going on, how we're going to unwind the situation and prevent this thing from happening again.

If we're going to have to go in depth, then we'll have to look at some hourly sessions, some daily sessions, some weekly sessions, or some monthly sessions. So that's it and that's all for today. Thank you very much for listening. It's been a while since we had a very practical episode. So for those of you who are regular listeners and you are tired of, you know, hearing me talk about myself, I'm sure you guys are glad that we're back to the practical episodes, are we?

And I don't worry, we've got more practical episodes lined up because for the training that I did in January, we discussed lots of important stuff. In fact, too much like because after each session I would prepare a summary and then I would send to the participants. So I think I have close to, it's almost like 60-70 pages of notes on the, on the things that we spoke about. So I figured, hey, some of you couldn't afford the training.

It's not a problem. So I'll come over here and practically in episode after episode, we'll just break down a couple of things. I introduce you guys to some of the stuff that we spoke about so they can see that time spent with me. It actually is well spent. So that's it. And that's all for today. I'll catch you all some other time.