Mishary made a dramatic pause, as if the agent was
extracting every cent he had.
“Then I tell you what, I initially went up from $1,730 to
$1,790,” he said, sighing. “I will bring it up to $1,810. And
I think this works well for both.”
The agent shook his head.
“This is still lower than the market, sir. And I cannot do
that.”
Mishary then prepared to give the last of his Ackerman
offers. He went silent for a while and then asked the agent
for a pen and paper. Then he started doing fake calculations
to seem like he was really pushing himself.
Finally, he looked up at the agent and said, “I did some
numbers, and the maximum I can afford is $1,829.”
The agent bobbed his head from side to side, as if
getting his mind around the offer. At last, he spoke.
“Wow. $1,829,” he said. “You seem very precise. You
must be an accountant. [Mishary was not.] Listen, I value
you wanting to renew with us and for that I think we can
make this work for a twelve-month lease.”
Ka-ching! Notice this brilliant combination of decreasing
Ackerman offers, nonround numbers, deep research, smart
labeling, and saying no without saying “No”? That’s what
gets you a rent discount when a landlord wanted to raise his
monthly take.
KEY LESSONS
When push comes to shove—and it will—you’re going to