Accentuate the positives. Disguise a downgrade as something more personal and thoughtful: “I know we usually go to the Four Seasons, but I’ve found this amazing local Italian place right by your office. Would you want to try it with me?” Or cloak a budget move as a productivity driver: “I know you’re super busy so I planned a breakfast meeting (note: waaaaay cheaper). We’ll be done by 9:30 a.m. and you can get back to work.” If you have a great garden, invite them over for a barbecue. Or invite them to a club you belong to—somewhere they wouldn’t usually have access. “Trading down can actually make your business appear even more concerned with personal service,” says Jay. “Not only does it save cash, but you’re actually increasing your ‘client care’ stocks. It’s a win/win.”
Put some thought into it. Recast monetary constraints as a chance to show you care—in this case about the importance of their customs or personal interests. “I once worked for a budget radio company chasing a certain client’s advertising revenue,” remembers Jay. “He was ready to give it to a massive station but they blew him off. He was Italian, so I baked fresh focaccia, filled a plastic bottle with the best Italian red, bought imported salami and cheese, and took them to his office in a basket along with my pitch. It probably cost less than a hundred bucks, but I won the contract because he was impressed with my desire for his business.”
Work your wardrobe. Cash is low, but you still need to look like you mean business. “Get a stylish friend to take you shopping so that you can upgrade your basics with current accessories,” advises Jay. “Flick through magazines and make old pieces look new by how you put your outfits together, style your hair, or the handbag you add. And start buying separates—it ups your possible outfits tenfold.”
Present your schmoozing costs as an investment. “In the panic to cut costs, entertaining budgets can be the first to go,” says Jay. “The trick to save your budget is to make it less about the economy and more about deliverables. Reduce your previous successes to a formula: ‘Hey, boss, I wooed company X with a total of $1,500 over X number of months and now they generate $10,000 a quarter in revenue for us.’ The more examples you have, the better. A boss is more open to this than simple cash demands, and you can then apply the formula to potential clients to help decide how much you’ll invest in courting them.”
