GD#01: Don’t Sell Yourself Short

10 Best Ways to Get the Deal is a fast, focused, to-the-point course including 10 short videos (3-6 minutes each) - showing you what are the most common mistakes most entrepreneurs do when asking for a deal, and... how to solve them.

Each mistake you fix increases your chances to close the next deal.
And you can implement each video lesson immediately after watching it.

Lesson 1 - Don't Sell Yourself Short

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  1. What was your biggest insight from this lesson?
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  2. Merijn Kegel

    9 commentsstar-0

    Love this lesson.
    It helped me actually to not wanting every proposal to succeed…..
    It also filtered the right clients I love to work with.
    After I experienced the power I actually fired a few of my clients which opened up major opportunities and made me financial free in a matter of months.

    Reply
  3. Manny Moerman

    412 commentsstar-5

    Brilliant how you convey this message, Nisandeh.
    Biggest insight: in business modesty doesn't get you anywhere.
    Action: I heard you. Won't be false modest anymore.

    Reply
  4. Theo Labrujere

    13 commentsstar-0

    Doing business in The Netherlands it's virtually impossible to ignore our culture ("doe normaal", "kop boven het maaiveld", "kapsones" (from Hebrew: גאַותנות ), etc, etc.). So, if this is a fact and this is our way of doing business, how is it an asset to "overpromise" when our potential clients are very much aware that I'm overpromising?

    Reply
    1. Nisandeh Neta

      718 commentsstar-5

      From my experience, in the Netherlands, for over 20 years…
      Working with 150,000 individuals, and probably 15 big companies…
      Our conversion to the deal was always the highest in the industry… by a factor of 10 or more.

      Just one quick example…
      About 20 years ago… got a call from one of the biggest financial institutions in the Netherlands - asking for a proposal to give a kick-in-the-ass weekend to 24 of their top division managers.

      Met with the CEO (a very famous person at that time), his COO and CMO…
      They talked for an hour about the problems they have with their management teams (too comfortable with their results, not ambitious enough, not willing to take risks)…
      I listened quietly and at the end I told them that they diagnosed the problems totally wrong, and that I suggest a whole different direction, and I believe I can easily transform their mindset in two days.

      They said it was an “outrageous claim”.
      So I told them, that if I deliver on what I promised, they need to recommendation me in an email to anyone on their client database that I can help.

      I got the deal on the spot, and everything I asked for (I was pretty peculiar).
      At the end of the weekend training, I asked the CEO how many other candidates sent their proposals.
      He said “10 other companies”.
      I asked “why did you choose me?”
      He said “you were the only one that stood out. All the rest offered pretty much the same thing. They were all too Dutch”. Those were his words.

      3 weeks after the event they sent a recommendation of our services to 12,000 of their clients.
      That’s twelve thousand Dutch companies, endorsed by the CEO.

      Take from my anecdotal story whatever you want, Theo.
      But if you’re not converting every single proposal you send - isn’t it a good idea to try something else?

      Reply
      1. Theo Labrujere

        13 commentsstar-0

        Ha ha, love this anecdote. The CEO was a Dutchman himself I suppose 😉
        Anyway, this triggers me to excel, to be crazy creative in my proposals, which is more fun to do also!
        Thanks Nisandeh!

        Reply
  5. Tine Krijnen

    21 commentsstar-0

    After this lesson 1, do not sell yourself short I went through my email to check how I had submitted the proposal in response to a lucrative interesting deal I was offered. .....

    I kept within his budget ...just.. , Offered him a privat tour in a museum nearby his home to see the quality of my work...

    He did not reply. Now I am tempted to publish this book myself for my 'red carpet' customers, a 1:12 facsimile of a book from 1616.
    Am I morally obligated to contact him and ask for his plans?

    Reply
    1. Nisandeh Neta

      718 commentsstar-5

      It’s a very good question, Tine…
      Could you give us some more details - so I can actually give you an educated answer?

      Reply
      1. Tine Krijnen

        21 commentsstar-0

        Hi Nisandeh,

        A gentleman an expert in the medical field in the USA and worldwide, also an expert in the work of Andreas Vesalius ( 1514-1564) has the desire to publish a miniature version of the Epitome by Vesalius.
        The rarer ‘Epitome’ of 1543 for medical students and artist. This was intended as a summary of the larger volume.
        We own two copies he tells me. He would like to publishe a limited edition of 50 to 100 copies. As elegant as possible.

        This Epitome is not that rare, every self-respected medical university at that time had a copy. And they still have them in their rare bookcollection.
        After sending my proposal I went to the University of Utrecht and I was allowed to study the three copies which they had taken out of the safe for me in exceptional cases.

        Brilliant books. In the meantime, while waiting for the response of the possible client, I asked my team to investigate whether the scans of an illustration from this book would be suitable for printing in miniature.

        No reaction of this client, and if I get a positive reaction of the lithographer I think I will publish the miniature version myself.
        Legally there is no obstacle for me to do so.

        Kind regards Tine

        Reply
        1. Nisandeh Neta

          718 commentsstar-5

          Thank you for the elaborate response, Tine…
          If there is no legal obstacle, and the prospective client is unresponsive… I personally see no moral obstacle either.

          Reply
          1. Tine Krijnen

            21 commentsstar-0

            So your advice is also not sending an inquiry email to check if he received my email. To be sure.
            Tine
            Great zoom workshop ‘masterclass’ yesterday!!! Double your income!!!
            Tine

          2. Nisandeh Neta

            718 commentsstar-5

            That’s depends on what you want, Tine…
            If you actually want to do that on your own… then go for it, and bless him in your heart for sending you in that direction.
            But if you prefer to do that for/with him - then sure… follow up first.
            (I just assumed you did everything to make sure he did get your communication…)

  6. Gerdy Heek

    576 commentsstar-5

    This is such a good lesson and something that I really struggle with, especially when I get some feedback- even when I get a 9, I find it hard to believe that I AM in fact one of the best. While my testimonials prove otherwise!

    During COVID I considered getting a job and applied for a training job at CoolBlue.
    I didn't write a resume, just a short letter with a few of the types of trainings that I gave and the type of customers that I worked with.
    I simply said that they would want to talk with me because I am one of the best trainers of Holland- and referred to the testimonials on my LinkedIn profile.

    I immediately was called back and invited for an interview.
    (BTW I made it to the last round and then told them I wasn't willing to work for them- too many rules and protocols).

    It's also why I think it's good to show them first how good I am (front-end)- but then dare to ask good prices too.

    Reply
    2. Melanie Lo

      201 commentsstar-3

      Hi Gerdy,

      I really like this comment, because you bailed out because of the rules and regulations.
      I do know companies that have sooooo many rules just to be able to start. My husband is working for one of them as en entrepreneur. I had the same feeling. This is crazy. Now, he is in and does very well. Now he leans back. They need him very much and he gets what he wants.

      In the schoolsystem it is even more difficult, because the real rules are behind a grey curtain. Tomorrow I will find out more.
      I have my purpose list ready. And I will go.

      Reply
  7. Richard Schippers

    1 commentstar-0

    To underpromise and overdeliver will always work better than the other way around, unless you focus on a single assignment rather than a business relationship.
    And -hands up- how many of you can't wait to work for someone who wants a cheap or preferably free superstar?

    Reply
    1. Nisandeh Neta

      718 commentsstar-5

      It's true that overpromise and underdeliver is the worse we can do...

      But I'm not sure I agree with the Underpromise and Overdeliver.

      From my experience, when you underpromise - you will not get a lot of opportunities to Overdeliver...
      You will simply won't be chosen in any competitive marketplace.

      My strategy has always been... OVERpromise AND OVERdeliver.
      It worked (and still works) for me...

      Reply
  8. Elske van de Fliert

    232 commentsstar-3

    Ha, I can honestly say this lesson stuck with me all these years. Just yesterday I was discussing a proposal with an partner and said: I just never doubt we will offer the best proposal and I will not sell ourselves short. 🙂

    Reply

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