Ngahi Bidois: A lesson from the mouths of babes

I recently received an outstanding lesson in acquisition. Not from a sales seminar or corporate gathering or even a sales person with many years of experience, but from a 7-year-old boy.

I was at a whakatau for the recent Kia Manawanui Tauhara North No2 youth camp held at Tui Ridge in Rotorua. More precisely, I was eating my kai during the hakari meal and there was a spare seat and soft drink next to me.

I had almost finished my meal when the boy who I will call Tama turns up with a huge cheesy smile on his face, sits in the spare seat and says: "I know you eh? We got a photo of you at home."

He had my attention.

"Is that right Tama, why would you have a photo of me at your home?"

Still smiling, he said "You know my mum eh?"

Now he really had my attention.

He continued: "Yeah, you know her, she took a photo of you and me and my little brother at the last camp and that's the one we got at home."

"Who's your mum Tama?"

He pointed and I was pleased to recognise a relative and recalled the photo shoot with her tamariki at the last camp whakatau.

He was looking earnestly at me and I replied: "Oh yeah I know you now. That's right your mum took photos of us eh? How are you?"

"I'm good thank you. My brother and I are on holiday now ..." The conversation continued for a few more minutes before he moved in for the kill.

He looked at the soft drink and asked: "Is anyone sitting here?"

"Nah Tama, no one is sitting there."

I couldn't believe it when he deliberately paused and waited for me to speak again. He didn't touch the soft drink, but looked at me and then looked back at the soft drink.

I turned to the adult sitting next to me who had been listening to our conversation and he and I smiled when we realised what was happening.

After a long pause, I asked him: "Do you want that soft drink Tama?"

"Yes please," he replied quickly before grabbing the soft drink and sliding down from his seat.

Clutching the drink, he stood and looked at me with that cheesy smile again before saying: "Thank you, now I got three drinks."

Then he was off like a shot and I thought that would be the last we would see of him now that he had claimed his prize.

But like every good sales or purchasing person should do, he came back to show the person is more important than the prize.

We spoke for a few more minutes before my relative came over and said: "Sorry Matua, he will talk all day if you let him. Haere mai tama leave Matua alone cause others want to talk to him too you know."

I replied that he was fine and the man next to me echoed that, however, before we knew it he was saying "ka kite ano" and disappeared.

My hakari table neighbour and I agreed we had just received a first-hand lesson in acquisition and laughed again.

So what had he done? The young Tama had got my attention and maintained it while he developed rapport with me before asking his leading question and waiting patiently for me to ask if he wanted the drink.

He then claimed his prize before telling me he had already secured two other drinks and what an excellent acquisition agent he was. That's called branding.

He then thanked me for the drink before returning to continue the relationship in case we should meet at the next whakatau.

I can't wait to sit at a table with a spare seat next to me if he is at the next whakatau.

What's the bet he will have developed his acquisition targets and go for five drinks next time. The things our tamariki teach us eh? Good on him.

Ngahihi o te ra is from Te Arawa and is an international speaker, author and consultant. His book is available at Mcleods book store and the Lakeside cafe in Rotorua. His website can be viewed at www.ngahibidois.com.