Yesterday: "Hi - I have a home that I need help managing. What are your fees?" I explain my very competitive fees! Response: "Would you drop all your fees and reduce your monthly management fee more than half of what you charge?" My response? I put the ball back in the callers court...with humor, I asked, "If you went to work tomorrow, your boss took your vacation and sick days away, and cut your pay down more than half - but wants you to work the same amount - would you?"
Of course we know what the answer was.
Should he have asked for everything anyway? Sure - but IF he knew how to ask - we'd probably have something to work with. I believe there are two problems with asking for the moon:
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Not really knowing what you want, so you decide to want everything.
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Then, not knowing how to ask for everything, and ending up with nothing.
There is a price to pay for asking for anything and everything - so make sure to follow a few tips if you intend to ask for the moon:
If you know your request is outrageous- don't ask for more on top of it. One over the moon request is easier to manage and find a compromise for than asking for several "are you kidding me" requests.
If you are going to ask for a bunch of things - be sure to know which things you want the most and ask for those last. Why last? Because if the person you are asking becomes defensive, you can reduce the pressure by saying, "Well, let's just forget about the first few items and focus on these."
Re-define your meaning of respect. If you are playing games, asking for everything just to see what you can get; or to set the authority that your needs are most important- don't bother asking at all. It's better to have the perspective that each person has needs and desires and work toward negotiating equitable solutions.
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