At some point during the evaluation, you’ll likely have to relay some bad or inconvenient news. However, the strategy referred to as a “compliment sandwich,” coined by the TV show “Family Guy,” actually works. Here’s an example.
Say you want your client to come back for a follow-up interview in a month. Unfortunately, instead of half hour interview, the next interview will be an hour and a half. What you need to do is to start with a good thing, slip in the bad thing, then end with another good thing. Let’s try it.
“The next time you come in you’re going to make another easy $40 answering questions. The interview will be more like an hour and a half next time, but after you do this one, you’ll make $60 on your last one. Plus, your input will help prevent a doctor from having to tell a 17 year old kid he has HIV.”
So before you deliver some inconvenient news, put it in a compliment sandwich. It will soften the blow and increase your follow-up rate.
