--- title: You Get to Play. You Don’t Get to Automatically Win. | The Sales Blog description: "When you ask your dream client for a meeting, you are playing a game. The game works like this: If you trade enough value for that meeting..." image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_158737541.jpg --- ### [Now booking SKO meetings for 2026/27! 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You Don’t Get to Automatically Win. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) January 17, 2017 When you ask your dream client for a meeting, you are playing a game. The game works like this: If you trade enough value for that meeting, your dream client says, “[yes](http://thesalesblog.com/2013/05/20/a-yes-is-more-difficult-than-a-no/),” and you win. If what you say isn’t perceived as valuable enough to command your dream client’s time and attention, you lose. [Failure is feedback](http://thesalesblog.com/2016/01/24/underestimating-the-value-of-your-failures/). It informs your plan, and it provides you the opportunity to evolve your approach and try again. When you try to gain an agreement as to the process you and your dream client will engage in as you explore change, another game is being played. If you do an excellent job describing the process and how your dream client benefits from that process, you win. You lose [when you cede control of the process](http://thesalesblog.com/2013/09/22/respect-for-your-prospect-respect-for-your-process/) to your prospective client, and you likely decrease the odds of winning. Losing control of the process means that you won’t serve your dream client well enough through the process to ensure a win, and it will educate you by teaching you what doesn’t work. Pricing conversations are another game you play. The game is won when you can[ justify your delta](http://thesalesblog.com/2016/11/20/how-you-should-think-about-your-higher-price/), the difference between your price and what your dream client is already paying, or your price and your competitor’s price. The game is lost when you can’t help your the contacts within the company you are calling on justify spending more to obtain the better outcomes you are trying to sell them. You will lose the game, and it will be your fault. You will also lose the game even when you do everything right. You will sometimes win the game when you play it poorly and deserve to lose. From time-to-time, you will lose the game when you deserve to win. [In sales, no one goes undefeated](http://thesalesblog.com/2016/03/14/not-going-go-undefeated/). You can always improve, and you should always be working on getting better. That said, you always get to play the game, but the fact that you are playing does not [entitle](http://thesalesblog.com/2011/01/31/you-are-entitled-to-succeed-in-sales/) you to win. When you lose, take responsibility for the loss, make your adjustments, and play the game again. ###### Tags: [Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2017](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2017) Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino) on January 17, 2017 Written and edited by human brains and human hands. ![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg) Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success. Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars. Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn, X or Youtube. 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What we’re doing right now **is working**, even in this challenging economy. **Would you like some help?** [![Solve for Sales](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2922376/d3a4938b-2008-4a27-8b44-7b2223f6d035) ### Join my Weekly Newsletter for Sales Tips Join 100,000+ sales professionals in my weekly newsletter and get my *Guide to Becoming a Sales Hustler* eBook for FREE! --- ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org/", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Anthony Iannarino" }, "dateModified" : "2021-09-17T1:53:42 PM", "datePublished" : "2017-01-17 21:58:59", "description" : "When you ask your dream client for a meeting, you are playing a game. The game works like this: If you trade enough value for that meeting...", "headline" : "You Get to Play. 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