Quantcast
Subscribe!

 

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

 

E-mail Steve
This form does not yet contain any fields.

    free counters

    Twitter Feed
    « At least the creative jobs can't be taken over by robots. Wait, what? | Main | What do cat videos and unauthorized outsourcing have in common? »
    Tuesday
    Apr162013

    Email Chains and The Price is Right $1 Bid Strategy

    I bid one dollar, Bob.

    Email threads with more than three people Cc'ed remind me of the classic game show, The Price is Right.

    No matter the subject, the email thread starts more or less in the same way. The writer poses a question, asks for feedback on the matter in question, and sits back and waits for responses. And the responses she gets are usually pretty predictable.

    An Alpha dog type on the copy list chimes in immediately with their opinion. Sort of a strike first and strike quick kind of mentality that they hope frames the discussion. They want their opinion or position to be the default simply by virtue of being the first one that is revealed. This strategy can be successful - they have staked a claim to the high ground and need to be pushed off by anyone who responds after them.

    Next, someone, let's call them Beta dog,  will either (gently) question Alpha dog or offer an alternative approach to try and take or re-take some territory and mindshare. 'What about this way?' they will ask. Alpha dog will immediately respond, (possibly with a 'Sent from iPhone' footer), re-stating their position and making sure that no one else gets a 'I agree with Beta dog' in the mix before they remind everyone they are running this conversation.

    Then as the thread progresses, and depending on how many folks were included on the original message, you will get a few 'I agree with Alpha or Beta' messages. These add almost nothing to the conversation, save for reminding us that the senders are indeed still alive, and despite the fact they have nothing to say about the discussion, they want to be sure to be included on future, similar discussions that they will also contribute nothing useful towards.

    Almost every time I get pulled in to one of these mass email threads I like to lay back and wait. I want to see what Alpha dog says. I wait to see if anyone wants to step up and challenge. I like to observe if any of the players on the edges want to get into the mix. 

    I want the last word after everyone has had a chance to state their case, reveal their intentions and interests and show their cards. I like to jump in then.

    It's like being the last bidder on The Price is Right. That spot, if you could get there and not run out of time, was the prime position to be in. You held the cards. You had the knowledge of everyone else's position.

    If everyone bid too low, you'd drop in with the 'Highest bid on the board plus $1' bid.

    If you thought everyone was too high, you'd drop a classic 'I bid one dollar, Bob', and wait for your shot at the Showcase.

    Both strategies give you a great chance to win. But you have to be patient. You have to bide your time to let everyone else show what they are thinking. 

    And once they do, you can drop the $1 bid on everyone, and more often than not, win the game.

    PrintView Printer Friendly Version

    EmailEmail Article to Friend

    References (6)

    References allow you to track sources for this article, as well as articles that were written in response to this article.
    • Response
      Response: IrkOFXWJ
      Steve's HR Technology - Journal - Email Chains and The Price is Right $1 Bid Strategy
    • Response
      Response: HvdmhDdM
      Steve's HR Technology - Journal - Email Chains and The Price is Right $1 Bid Strategy
    • Response
      Steve's HR Technology - Journal - Email Chains and The Price is Right $1 Bid Strategy
    • Response
      Steve's HR Technology - Journal - Email Chains and The Price is Right $1 Bid Strategy
    • Response
      Syed Engineering & Acoustics Consultancy LLC specializes in engineering and acoustics consulting, offering innovative solutions across the UAE and Saudi Arabia
    • Response
      100% Trusted Auto Garage Dubai: car repairing, Engine, mechanical, break suspension, steering, denting & painting, wrapping. All car solution- Top Notch Garage

    Reader Comments (3)

    You could get Quickbooks error code 6123 if you try to restore the company file from a backup that isn't saved on the hard disc. Saving a copy of the backup file on an external storage device or online is a smart idea. The problem may arise if you try to restore a (.qbb) file that was saved elsewhere, but there is a simple way to fix it. You can use the Quickbooks tool hub to resolve this issue very shortly.

    November 10, 2021 | Unregistered CommenterNancy

    louter e3d3fd1842 https://bmw.gdn/dimatboxsner

    December 21, 2021 | Unregistered Commenterlouter

    louter e3d3fd1842 https://bmw.gdn/dimatboxsner

    December 21, 2021 | Unregistered Commenterlouter

    PostPost a New Comment

    Enter your information below to add a new comment.

    My response is on my own website »
    Author Email (optional):
    Author URL (optional):
    Post:
     
    Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>