02 4 / 2010
Verbal Judo For Dealing With My Pops And Peddling Snake Oil
So I had chat with my old man recently and after exchanging pleasantries, asking about how’s work and then throwing in his 2 cents of advice. He really didn’t understand how my business (well internet in general) makes money; not to blame him most people don’t. I remember I used to get all riled up, when he used to get all negative with me. I don’t know why it took me so many years to do so with him, when I already learned this from dealing with chics (when they’re on the rag)…
You never want to argue with somebody who is being negative. You agree with them first and then just presume the opposite.
“You’re right dad, internet sites are always free so it’ll never make money. But maybe some big company will buy my site out for millions” So I’m not being confrontational with him, and I stay positive, without being approval seeking either.
This has been very helpful with prospective clients as well who think we’re ridiculous expensive for asking 2 kajillion Vietnamese Dong (currency) to run a campaign when buying banner ads only a dollar per thousand ad impressions.
“Your right, we’re not cheap. Our service/solution for your company is to get consumers to get their friends to become consumers. Not just a few consumers, a few hundred thousands of consumers…”
Even though in my head I maybe thinking, “Look dude, you’re not paying to show a picture with a message thousands of times. Each of the 100,000 consumer I’m pulling for you will try your product 10x a month and will buy at $1, 1% of the time of when they try, and will stick with you 10 years straight… giving you $1.2 million in value; so actually you’re paying me peanuts.” The first line comes off as too confrontational, and make them more likely to argue opposite just to argue even though you make total logical sense.
Or maybe I should just try giving “world’s greatest dad” coffee mugs and give prospective clients coffee money. Which leads to lesson #235; coffee money is code for bribe money in Vietnam to conclude the day.
