I received a call from a company that sets up networking meetings between brand development firms and large brands looking to hire.
The sales representative told me that we (Abiah) were hand-selected by a team of experts who believed we were a great match for this group of brands. He went on to explain how successful this opportunity would make Abiah.
Then he revealed the cost: $35,000. He backed it up by explaining how each brand had at least $100 million in sales, $5 million for marketing and had signed an agreement to launch four new projects in the next nine months.
It didn’t make much sense to me because I knew I would have to compete with larger and better-staffed organizations. In my experience, the more bodies in the office equal a higher level of confidence to mega corporate brands.
I thought about it and said to the sales representative, “If you are so confident that I would be successful at your event, would you work out an agreement with me to only pay you if I win a contract? I’m willing to pay you $70,000 (twice what you want) assuming I win a contract.”
Needless to say, he declined. Funny how some people are so confident you will succeed until they are asked to put their money where their mouth is. If this sales representative was so confident I would succeed, he would have at least told me he would ask his manager.
I guess the pitch was as fragile as glass.
