AzHousePro said:
And I do agree with some of the things you have said. I don't agree with the way you have said them, just the things that you said.
I hold a series of events here in Arizona and I am put in the position of having to go to rooms (usually owned by people that I have known in the local pool scene for years) and ask them if they want to run an event. Some of them tell me that they don't make their money back when they run an event and they also don't like dealing with certain local players that can have a somewhat abrasive attitude (kind of similar to yours).
On the other hand, if they don't want to hold an event, I completely understand and move on.
Mike
Mike...I think what you said in the above sentences is the essence of this entire thread. It's something that goes on millions of times every day all across the country, and it's two people in business hammering out their product or service in a typical sales presentation, just as you have to room owners. Sometimes either the SELLOR or PROSPECT can get abrasive toward each other or both and it's what business can be like at times. It's not unusual in the least. I've known many a situation where a business owner has told someone trying to sell something to "get the f*#k out already and never come back". Actually, neither of the two prime combatants in this thread uttered a major cuss word at each other, which I'd call quite an accomplisment on both parts.
What IS unusual has to do with the setting of this presentation. It's usually at the business location of Seller or Prospect, over the phone, or sometimes at a neutral location such as a restaurant or golf course, and it's PRIVATE.
This took place on a public forum with a large number of people chiming in that may or may not have any experience in either business, with personalities or alliances coming into play and possibly personal interests to be able to play in more tournaments.
As I see it, Mike Janis has 3 primary prospects that he has to sell. The players themselves, which I would think is the easiest sale because tournaments are what they're looking for to begin with and what compromises the bulk of this forum. Naturally they're going to side with this product.
He also has to sell sponsors and advertisers to help support the tour with products and money. Based on the list of sponsors that are behind the tour, it looks like a very effective job has been done.
And he has to sell the room owners on allowing the Viking Tour use of their establishment to hold the tournament. There could actually be a value to the room owner in some cases and in some parts of the country, or it might not. Whatever he does, as a good salesman he must try to sell PERCEIVED value to the RO or the whole thing goes down the tubes. And from what he's layed out on this thread and the deleted one, he does a very effective job of presenting facts/benefits for value to the RO (real or perceived), asking qualifying questions, handling objections, and attempting to close the sale.
And then you have Teacherman who is his prospect, the RO with the facilities that's worked many years in the trenches to build up his business and create his own little fiefdom. He's the man that must be sold on the idea. And like many of us, he's a tough sale and has every right to protect his interests. Everyone in business isn't exactly altruistic or philantropic. He has ton's of objections, and rightfully so if the business proposition doesn't look like it's going to benefit him almost immediately as it will the Seller. It does seem fairly obvious that he'll have to work to recoup his expenditure through product sales over time and not be compensated directly for use of HIS facilities. I do know on the PGA Tour that's not how it works. When the PGA agrees with a golf course to hold an event at their location for an entire week, the COURSE is paid at least a million or more for use and abuse of the facility and loss of income. It would be hard to imagine them stocking the pro shop with tons of golf equipment and saying, "here...sell this over time and you'll more than make up for lost profits and income".
Make no mistake about it...both Teacherman and Mike Janis are in business to make money, not break even or lose it. Profit is what business is about and they both have it structured in such a way that they're not going to lose, or I'd like to say HOPEFULLY they do, otherwise they'd both be pretty stupid business people. The question that both have to ask themselves is...what do I have to give up or gain to not only benefit myself, but to have the other guy win a little also. And it doen't look like this negotiation is ever going to provide the answer to that, especially between THIS BUYER and SELLER.
So Mike, as you also said in your post, "When a RO doesn't want to hold an event I completely understand and move on". And that's what a salesman/businessman just has to do on occasion. You can't close EVERY deal, even Donald Trump doesn't do that and many a businessman has told Trump to kiss their ass for trying to beat them down so far to get something for nothing that'll benefit him more than them. But you can't blame neither one for trying, just like here...it's capitalism at it's best regardless of the verbage and tone. Just remember, unlike other private business meetings, this one is being instigated and exacerbated by many other individuals.
This has been a very interesting thread and a great learning experience for one and all...even the two prime debaters.
