When Not to Present the $1,000 Invoice

I have been agonizing over next Thursday's appointment.

I saw it as a sales call; sit down, ask questions, get facts, then come back to the office and write a proposal and send it off.

If the prospect agrees to the proposal, they send a cheque and I start work; otherwise, nothing else need be done.

But now The Prospect wants me to start work the minute I arrive at 9:00 a.m.

The Prospect wants the job done and complete by close of business Thursday, or 2pm, or 11 am, it doesn't matter. And The Prospect has stated that they will pay me for a full day, even if it is only two hours.

It sounds like a dream job, but I worry that the task might be insoluble - something I usually determine after extracting some facts.

The solution?

Take the invoice with me, $1,000 plus tax, but don't even think of presenting it unless the job is complete.

That way I don't leave feeling that I've taken money from the client under false pretences, and as well, I have an option to walk away at any stage.

Of course, we all hope I'll be able to pull bunny out of hat, but if I don't, I don't have to make things worse for us all by taking money that I feel I've not earned.