Here are 6 strategies that research suggests will improve your odds of getting someone at work to say 'yes' to you. In other words, six ways to turn a nobody into a yes-buddy. (OK. I'll see myself out.) 

1. Leave a handwritten note. Research from Sam Houston State University found that when people included a handwritten note with their request - even just on a small post-it note - people were far more likely to agree to the request.

2. Use the phrase, "Would you be willing...". People want to be seen as being agreeable and willing, so they are more likely to say 'yes' when you plant the seed with this phrase.

3. Ask at the beginning. Research reported in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that requests made at the start of a conversation are more likely to be agreed to than when requests are made at the end of a conversation.

4. You know, you can always say no! A study from France found that when you remind the person they can always say 'no' the odds of getting a yes substantially improve.

5. Focus on what's in it for them. A German study found that focusing on how the person will benefit by saying 'yes' greatly improve the odds.

6. Use humor. According to scads of research, humor builds trust, makes you more likeable, minimizes counterarguments the person might be concocting, and, in negotiations, reduces fee resistance, all of which improves your odds of getting to a yes. One study involving sales negotiations over an expensive piece of art found that buyers were more willing to settle on a higher price if the seller offered to throw in a pet frog. Another study found that simply sending a funny, non-offensive cartoon to someone resulted in higher levels of trust and led to 15% larger profits. And Dr. Paul McGhee found that when salespeople used more humor, buyers were more likely to agree to a higher price.