Make the Sale Happen Before Lunch: 50 Cut-to-the-Chase Strategies for Getting the Business Results You Want (PAPERBACK)

RULE 5 Create a Sense of Urgency

Hollywood agent “Swifty” Lazar often told a story about movie mogul Sam Goldwyn. In the late 1950s, according to Lazar, Goldwyn welshed on a $400,000 verbal agreement to buy the movie rights to Max Shulman’s book Rally Round the Flag, Boys. Suddenly, Lazar had no deal. He fixed the problem at a party at Frank Sinatra’s house by spreading word among two studio heads in attendance that they had to read the book quickly, because (in Lazar’s words), “I’m selling the book tomorrow.”

Was it a bluff? Was it a prophecy? Who can say? One thing is certain, however. Both studio heads dashed out the door to head home and read the book. Sinatra was miffed that Lazar’s ploy caused the early departures. All the same, Lazar did ...