got an email from a prospect i gave a quote to last week. they wanted 9 separate areas priced out...don't ya just love those ones.....

then after that, i threw in a lower price for the whole facility.

he asked me this question, "Can you sharpen your pencil anymore for the whole job?"

i ASSUME he wants a better price (for him of course). but i don't want to reply with that assumption and leave $ on the table!

i replied that i'd honestly never heard the expression and asked what he meant.


thanx --- Derek.


BTW - no sicko replies either!

That's exactly what it means Derek.

Here is what I would say to him:

"I understand that it is your responsibility to look out for your employer/company and get the best deal you can and I respect that completely.  I am a highly trained carpet care professional with a lot of training, experience and over XXXX dollars worth of equipment with which I provide VERY HIGH QUALITY service at reasonable prices.”

“You may or may not be aware that there are a lot of costs to factor into running a business: labor, business insurance, medical insurance, equipment, chemicals, vehicles and on and on.  I have given you an excellent price for excellent service and it is the same price I would give to any other client with the same conditions.  Just tell me when you want me to start."

"Oh and by the way out of complete respect, just to give you another perspective.  How would you like it on payday if you boss sat you down and said to you: 'Where can we sharpen our pencil on your paycheck?'  You undoubtedly would not enjoy being asked to provide the excellent work that I am sure you do for less money- and who could blame you for that?”

“Let’s lock in that excellent price for the next year with a contract right now"

Make you own luck,

Del Scrivner
Owner/Operator
Cowboy's Carpet Care

I like that Del. Thats cool.

Thanks
Your Servant Alex

The Time Left Is Reduced!!
USE IT WISELY!!

Del has a given a precise answer on that.

That expression has even reared its ugly head down under.

Del has a lot more finesse than I.

I am much more blunt & to the point

I usually tell them something similar to Del, but end up with,

"Sorry, but my pencil is now out of lead due to many requests to sharpen it more"

"The price can be lowered, but so would the standard of the clean, and as such, I must consider my reputation and would not even entertain cleaning below my standard"

Cheers,

Shorty.

I've seen the light, and changed my wicked ways.
www.get.shorty.com.au

Business people expect negotiations. When I started, so many told me to not negotiate. The best course is to learn how to negotiate to your advantage. If we just cut the price, the looming thought to the client is why didn't you offer that price to begin with. How much lower will you go. Instead offer to reduce the service. Have more than one cleaning method or package. Offer a lower price if they sign a service agreement. Negotiators call that pushing back. Flat refusing to negotiate makes you look unfamiliar with business.

I learned to talk when I was a prison guard, including death row.

Most of my co-workers realized they could MAKE inmates do whatever they wanted and took the easy road.

I learned to talk to inmates (yes they are human- well most of them, there are a FEW exceptions).  I learned to persuade and convince people by getting them to see things differently.  The skill has served me very well over the years.

Make you own luck,

Del Scrivner
Owner/Operator
Cowboy's Carpet Care