An ambitious new sales rep for Budweiser beer traveled all the
way to Rome and managed to get an audience with the Pope himself. As
soon as the two were alone together, the rep leaned over and whispered,
"Your Holiness, I have an offer I think might interest you. I'm in a
position to give you one million dollars if you'll change the wording in
the Lord's Prayer from 'Our Daily Bread' to 'Our Daily Beer.' What do
you think?"
"Absolutely not," said the shocked Pontiff.
"Hey I understand, it's a big decision," sympathized the salesman. "How about five million dollars?"
"I couldn't think of it," sputtered the Pope.
"I know it's a tough one. Tell you what, I have been authorized to go up as high as fifty million dollars, " proposed the salesman, "but that's our final offer. You have 21 days to think it over."
Asking the salesman to leave the room, the Pope called in one of his top Cardinals and whispered, "When does our contract with Wonder Bread expire?"
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that when negotiating with a prospect, firm deadlines are a useful tool. But you have to stick to these deadlines or your reputation of folding too easily could become common knowledge. And that could severely hamper your ability to earn your "daily bread."
"Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all." - Nelson Mandela
"Absolutely not," said the shocked Pontiff.
"Hey I understand, it's a big decision," sympathized the salesman. "How about five million dollars?"
"I couldn't think of it," sputtered the Pope.
"I know it's a tough one. Tell you what, I have been authorized to go up as high as fifty million dollars, " proposed the salesman, "but that's our final offer. You have 21 days to think it over."
Asking the salesman to leave the room, the Pope called in one of his top Cardinals and whispered, "When does our contract with Wonder Bread expire?"
Moral of the story. True sales professionals know that when negotiating with a prospect, firm deadlines are a useful tool. But you have to stick to these deadlines or your reputation of folding too easily could become common knowledge. And that could severely hamper your ability to earn your "daily bread."
"Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all." - Nelson Mandela
