Dan　Smith是一位美国的健身用品经销商，此次是Robert　Liu第一回与他交手。就在短短几分钟的交谈中，Robert　Liu既感到这位大汉粗犷的外表，藏有狡兔的心思――他肯定是沙场老将，自己绝不可掉以轻心。双方第一回过招如下：

　　D:　I’d　like　to　get　the　ball　rolling(开始)by　talking　about　prices.
　　R:　Shoot.(洗耳恭听)I’d　be　happy　to　answer　any　questions　you　may　have.
　　D:　Your　products　are　very　good.　But　I’m　a　little　worried　about　the　prices　you’re　asking.
　　R:　You　think　we　about　be　asking　for　more?(laughs)
　　D:　(chuckles莞尔)　That’s　not　exactly　what　I　had　in　mind.　I　know　your　research　costs　are　high,　but　what　I’d　like　is　a　25%　discount.
　　R:　That　seems　to　be　a　little　high,　Mr.　Smith.　I　don’t　know　how　we can make　a　profit　with　those　numbers.
　　D:　Please,　Robert,　call　me　Dan.　(pause)　Well,　if　we　promise　future　business――volume　sales(大笔交易)――that　will　slash　your　costs(大量减低成本)for　making the Exec-U-ciser,　right?
　　R:　Yes,　but　it’s　hard　to　see　how　you　can　place　such　large　orders.　How　could　you　turn　over(销磬)so　many?　(pause)　We’d　need　a　guarantee　of　future　business,　not　just　a　promise.
　　D:　We　said　we　wanted　1000　pieces　over　a　six-month　period.　What　if　we　

place　orders　for　twelve　months,　with　a　guarantee?
　　R:　If　you　can　guarantee　that　on　paper,　I　think　we　can　discuss　this　further.