A Lunch Offer No-One can Refuse

In Coffee or Lunch? I suggest that a lunch date is a sure-bet, but a coffee date is tricky to arrange.

Here is how to secure a lunch date:

• “Let’s meet for lunch”.

And yes, it’s that simple.

In Business Communications I stress the value of Quantifiers, and that Management Measures , but in this case that’s not going to work.

Consider these alternatives:

• Alternative 1: “Let’s meet for lunch on Thursday”.
• Alternative 2: “Let’s meet for lunch at 11:50 on Thursday”.
• Alternative 3: “Let’s meet for lunch at Grisanti’s on Bloor Street at 11:50 on Thursday”.

Each of the alternatives gives your prospect a hook on which to hang an objection. (Not free that day, at that time; Can’t stand the service at Grisanti’s …)

But “Lunch”? Who doesn’t need to eat.

And since there is no place, date or time specified, what could be the objection?

It’d have to be something pretty personal (You are bald; you are over 60; you have a Western Australian accent) in which case you don’t want to meet with that kind of person anyway, and certainly not if you’re paying for lunch.

Valid objections are:

• “I’m busy all this month”. OK. Pick a day next month.
• “I organize the lunch’n’learn for my company”. Great! I’d like to sit in on one.
• “I don’t drive”. That’s OK, I don’t have a car, but I’ll get the TTC to your neck of the woods.

Try it.

“Let’s meet for lunch”.

You’ll find that it works.

(Thanks, Promod!)

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