Should I really begin our relationship with a lie?

[stenlund]

Hi, all!
I've been lurking here for some time now, so it's about time I join.

I am in the midst of contacting various manufacturers about selling their stuff online.
Up until now I have kept to the truth, I.e. writing "I have founded a company relatively newly, directed towards selling products online." in the emails I've sent.

Should I follow Tims advice (income autopilot 3, The blue chip, how to look fortune 500 in 45 minutes) and try to look bigger than I am? It feels kind of awkward, because I believe in, well, honesty or something...:o

Or do anyone of you have any other ideas?
How have you guys done this?

And what if they want to speak to the boss? I see myself sitting with a handkerchief in front of the phone, like in old films, to make my voice sound different...;)


Cheers
Leif

[winvest]

I don't see a need to tell them in your marketing that you are "New" company. You don't want to lie though and say you have been in business since 1999. Just be professional and provide a good service or product. That should do a lot to establish credibility. Good Luck!

[Sven]

Leaving out truths is totally different from telling lies. You can do a lot just by focussing on strengths and stuff that realy IS good and true.

[stenlund]

Thanks for fast replies, mates!

[officer_dibble]

Nobody ever asks to speak to the boss - unless you pretending to be someone with no purchasing power eg a cleaner. They know the boss doesn't deal with buying stuff in anything other than small companies. Very occasionally sales people will try and go around you if you aren't buying - which if they do it to me usually results in zero business as instead of annoying one person you now have two pissed people.

And if they do - the boss is always unavailable which is fairly normal behaviour for a boss.

Having a boss even if you are a one man band is always helpful during negotiations. I'm currently negotiating a contract at work at the moment where I hold the budget and have complete authority over how it's spent - but you know it's amazing how much the finance director keeps raising unreasonable objections to the contract and I have to act as a "go-between".

And when negotiating - be sure to chuck in plenty of red herrings on anything other than very simple contracts. You can "give way" on these while getting them, by way of compromise, to accept what you really want.

The book Tim recommends on negotiating really is excellent. Secrets of Power negotiating by Roger something.

[winvest]

The authors name is Roger Dawson. Great book. Read it when I was 18. been dominating ever since! ;)

[stenlund]

Thanks, Officer and winvest, I'll check out that book.
Officer, I'm sure you didn't mean the dried, smoked, and salted fish when you said red herring, although it got me hungry. Rather, I guess it means something along the lines of a decoy, to divert attention from the important things I want?

[REOBULK]

One of the best things I have done as an independent breaking into a market was to align myself with really smart forerunners in the environment (niche). It was/is great to learn from them, understand their business and learn from them as often as possible.
Not only was this a great education and I made terrific business contacts and friends, it enabled me to honestly say to people (in a business context) that I am advised in the business by some of the most successful people going.....and you can fill in the blanks....
The amazing thing about this amazing thing about that process for me is that I end up doing MOST of my business WITH those advisors/friends...Why? We've built relationship...pure gold.

[officer_dibble]

Thanks, Officer and winvest, I'll check out that book.
Officer, I'm sure you didn't mean the dried, smoked, and salted fish when you said red herring, although it got me hungry. Rather, I guess it means something along the lines of a decoy, to divert attention from the important things I want?

Ah - the wonders of local slang. Red herring is indeed a commonly used expression for a decoy or diversion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_herring_%28idiom%29