Someone in Buzzy’s Country Store the other day told of his conversation that involved a back and forth over the price of an item. As the negotiation stretched out and was obviously not going too well, my friend noted “I finally said to the guy “What’s it gonna take M *****F*****? Either you want to sell this bitch or you don’t. Shit or get off the pot.”
I asked him how that went over. He laughed as he said that the guy told him that he’d have to think about it some more and accordingly the deal wasn’t done.
Somewhere in there is a lesson on how, or more aptly, how not to negotiate the price of something. Ironically enough, two of the more popular books on the subject of negotiating were both published in the early 80’s. A quick scan of their contents fails to reveal any technique involving the lines of my Buzzy friend’s “What’s it gonna take M+++++F+++++.”
I think Robert Palmer was addressing his “What’s It Take” comments to a senorita who had some other “commodities” he was interested in.