(Time to read: 3 minutes)

What I’ve learned in more than 20 years of teaching is that people often learn at least as much from the examples I share as from the concepts I present.

So here is a recent real-life situation in which I used some of the communication principles I teach.

What do you think? Are there any new aha’s here for you? Or any reminders of lessons you’ve learned yourself?

The Situation

I had just signed up for a training program – when I received a special, time-limited offer to get the additional support I knew I needed.

But the new offer included what I had already purchased, so it didn’t seem fair for me to pay for that again.

I tried calling the company, but for over two days there was no answer.

The clock was ticking down to the final hours.

I had to decide now what to do – because I was about to start a client appointment that would end after the deadline had passed.

What I Did

I chose to sign up for the program, and trust that I could sort out an arrangement that would feel “fair” on both sides.

My training and experience in what I teach gave me confidence that I did not have 10 years ago.

Then I wrote the following email.

For those of you who have studied with me recently, can you see how I used the different elements? Is anything new or surprising for you?

The Email

Subject: Like to touch base re money

Hi Chad,

I’m really appreciating the clarity and experience that [your company] “bakes” into your offerings.

I sense that you folks have been doing a lot of thinking about, and some revising of your offerings over the past couple of months, to make them accessible to a wider range of businesses, which I both understand and appreciate.

And, while I love everything I’ve seen of what you folks do, some things are not seeming to be quite “right” financially around where I’ve ended up in all of that. So I’d like to share what I’m seeing, and check your perspective on it all, with the goal of coming up with something that feels good for both of us. Okay?

Here’s how I see things:

• I signed up for The Academy, which is essentially
  $400 for access to the video trainings
  $  95 per month for the JAM sessions
  Great stuff! I LOVE it!
  .
• The sessions for Dec were either cancelled and the first one was rescheduled with 15 minutes notice, which meant I couldn’t attend
  So you postponed my next payment to February to account for that
  Thank you! I love that too 🙂
  .
• Then you offered a pre-Christmas discount on Makeovers and Mini-Makeovers
  $2700 for a Mini-Makeover, which includes
  Access to The Academy
  2 months of access to JAM sessions
  .
  I think I’m going to benefit a lot from this. And, by the way it was written, this discounted rate was not being offered only to people who are already Premium Members. So it seems to me like I’m double-paying for The Academy.
  .
• What seems reasonable to me would be:
  $2700 for the Mini-Makeover
  –  400 already paid for The Academy
  = $2300 for the Mini-Makeover
  .
  Plus delay my next Premium Membership charge by an additional 2 months to April.
  .
  Does this seem reasonable to you?
  .
• If so, I’ve already been charged $1800 (the first two payments) for the Mini-Makeover.
  .
  If my math is right, the perspective above would leave $500 to be paid.
  .
• Given current exchange rates, I would like to pay my balance by cheque from the US dollar account that I used to make my first payment to you for The Academy and Premium Membership.
  .
  I can get the money order and put it in the mail to you this week, so you should have it shortly, and certainly well before my Mini-Makeover session currently scheduled for Feb 4. Will this work for you?
  .
  i.e., would you be able and willing to stop the next Mini-Makeover charge from going through on my credit card and use this payment method instead?

Thank you for all the support that you and your colleagues have offered during my time with [your company]. I’m well on my way to being a raving fan!

Warmly,
🙂
Glenda

The Response

Hi Glenda,

Absolutely, I will make the next payment for $500 and make it a manual payment so you can send in the check or money order.

I will stop the next payment right away.  Please send the remaining balance of $500 to our new office address below…

Thanks,
Chad

Success!