Some of us go shuffling into a meeting dreading the moment when we have to get down to the hard facts of money. So we uh-price them.
“What’s the cost?” the customer asks.
“Well, that one is-uh-it’s about-let’s see, with tax and freight and the small installation charge we have to make-uh-its going to run you right at-well, maybe just a shade under, tuhthzzert. Um, yeah that’s about it.”
“What? I didn’t catch the price you’re quoting me.”
“Ten thousand.”
“Dollars?”
“Yes, ten thousand dollars, more or less.”
“Well, which is it, more-or less? It better be a lot less if you expect me to buy it.”
“Uh-let me double check my figures.”
While the hapless salesperson frantically adds and subtracts, the buyer sits back and calmly plans his next move to keep him off the buyer sits back and calmly plans his next move to keep him off balance and drive a better bargain. Or his next phone call-to the competition.
Never uh-price a possible client. Control the money issue by facing it squarely and boldly. The triplicate of choice for money allows you to win every money vote that can be won. Use it. This technique is a reliable workhorse-if you know your figures, adapt the phrases to your offering, and practice them carefully.
