May 07, 2021

Use your name

People love the sound of their own name. Using somebody’s name in conversation is a tactic written about in the best-seller How to Win Friends and Influence People and mentioned in many other books on sales and negotiation.

In fact, it is so well-known that salesmen have tarnished its effect by beating their clients over the head with it to the point that it can signal to someone that you are trying to manipulate them. It is still important to use and not overuse people’s names when talking shop with them. 

However, a little known tactic is using your own name to your benefit. By introducing yourself, saying your name in a fun and friendly way, you humanize yourself to the other person. 

In Chris Voss’s book Never Split the Difference he talks about the concept of the “Chris discount”. I’ll save you the details of the story and get to the punchline. When trying to get a discount in an outlet store he used the line: “My name is Chris. What’s the Chris discount?” and it worked! Try using your own name to get a special price.