Code of Honour

• If you had to pull a gun, you’d already lost the deal.
• A yes squeezed out by pressure comes back as a complaint.
• A good deal: both sides walk out richer, and nobody walks out paler.
• Trust is money that doesn’t go to the lawyers.
• First find out what a man fears. Then sell him peace of mind.
• Two evenings over coffee cost less than one lawsuit.
• A man sets the price, not the orange.
• Your costs interest you. The client is interested in what he gets.
• A price five times below the market is a confession, not an offer.
• Teach the client to know the trade, and he’ll explain your price to his boss himself.
• Before you sit down at the table, count what happens if you get up.
• Whoever can walk away names the price.
• Cash is for those with nothing to wait for. Men of substance take a promise.
• Negotiations are won before anyone sits down.
• The final no is said by the man who isn’t in the room.
• Before you hire a go-between, make sure he isn’t the one writing you letters.
• A gift that expects something back is a loan.
• It isn’t price that holds people back, it’s fear. Treat the fear.
• A guarantee says two things: “you won’t lose” and “I’m sure.” The second is heard louder.
• Tell the bad news first, and they’ll believe you about the good.
• Fail to name a limit up front, and the client will call it a swindle.
• A former client hasn’t left. He’s gone out for a stroll.
• Come back with news, not reproaches. And not every week.
• The next order is earned by the last one.