Chapter 22 - Selling to Dominant Clients

Particularly when you are selling a service, you often deal with clients who dispute its value - and specifically, in that they think that the task you propose to do for them either doesn't need to be done at all, or they think that they can do it themselves.

He provides a dialoged in which a salesman offering laundry services to a local restaurant chain, the owner of which feels that having a washing machine and drier at each of his locations is an acceptable and cheaper alternative. In addition, the character in his narrative constantly interrupts the salesman and dominates the conversation.

In the revised version, the salesman presents an array of facts to the client (the hourly cost of labor, rent of floor space for the laundry room, cost of detergent and water, etc. all outweigh the cost of having a laundry service) - though this time through the character patiently listens to what the salesman has to say and allows him to drive the conversation.

(EN: Ultimately, the author makes a good point about proving the value of your service, but because he does so by contrasting narratives that are so blatantly skewed, his argument loses credibility and the core point is overshadowed by the sleight-of-hand.)