Playing hard to get

Should you or shouldn’t you play hard to get when trying to make a sale or hoping to land a job - that is the question.

I once landed a good job because I played hard to get, by accident.  I wasn’t sure about the job and so I turned the tables on the interviewing executives.  I grilled them about why I should take the job.

I’m not sure that strategy will work too well in today’s economy.  This brings me to a story send to me by a UK executive.  She recently came across a man at a conference who said that he wouldn’t sell her his products unless she could correctly answer 20 questions!

Although he appeared pleased with his negative sales pitch, he sold nothing.  He was playing hard to get on purpose.

Playing hard to get can work.  But only if I already know that you are one of the few who have what I want now.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of Playing hard to get (10 most recent radio files)

© 2009 James Henry McIntosh