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Close More Sales: Keep price breakdown information to yourself

by Roger Brooksbank

A friend who collects vases once explained how she used the classic ‘price-breakdown’ tactic to acquire a magnificent hand painted vase for a rock bottom price. Here’s her story:

One Sunday afternoon she was out exploring some city side streets when she came across an arts and crafts store she hadn’t seen before. Peering in through the window she spotted a glorious pair of huge ceramic vases which, apart from the hand-painted designs, were identical. Finding herself unable to resist the temptation to buy, she went straight inside and proceeded to push the shopkeeper to give her his best price for the two vases. In the end, his very best price was $1000. She then pretended to be interested in her least favourite of the two vases and asked him to give her his very best price just for that one vase - $600 came the reply. “Oh well”, said my friend in a mock disappointed tone of voice, “...in that case, I’ll take the other one for $400!”.

Well it’s a neat little story that does make a point rather well, don’t you think? The point being that in a selling situation, a professional buyer will ALWAYS push you for price breakdown information, and the more you give them, the more they’ll use it against you! That’s why you should always keep price breakdown information to yourself.



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