🤝 The Negotiation
In the app, the story is read aloud and you can write or speak your answers — the site corrects your mistakes.
Listen to the story and answer the questions →Sonja runs a small design studio, and last year she had the chance to work with a large international hotel chain. It was the biggest contract her company had ever been offered, but there was a problem: the client wanted the project finished in six weeks and was only willing to pay half of what she usually charged.
Instead of accepting straight away, Sonja asked for a meeting. She explained that she was keen on the project but that quality work took time. She then made a counter-offer: a slightly lower price in exchange for an extra four weeks and the right to use the project in her portfolio.
The client's manager hesitated, saying he would have to consult his team. Two days later, he called back and accepted. The project turned out to be a great success, and the hotel chain has since hired Sonja's studio twice more. "The most important thing I learned," she says, "is that you shouldn't be afraid to say no — politely."
Key words
Questions about the story
- What were the two problems with the client's offer?
- What did Sonja ask for in her counter-offer?
- What did the manager say at first?
- What is the most important thing Sonja learned?