Dec 01, 2016

Here's a little story (with a lesson attached):

I was contacted by a woman working for a company in Wichita, KS asking if I was still available to do a hypnosis show for her company party. She was very impressed by the videos and testimonials on my website. I told her I was available and what the show would cost.

She was very excited and told me to work up a contract. She told me that she was the person who would be signing the contract. Which usually means her higher-ups had already signed off on her decision, The next morning I was working on the contract when I got an email from her asking about the contract. I told her I'd have it emailed to her shortly.

I signed my copy, scanned it and sent it to her with instructions on how to remit my deposit. That was on a Monday, I believe.

Since the show was in the near future and Wichita is a smallish airline market, I bought a plane ticket to Wichita for $350. (A ticket to Wichita for the same date is now $540.)

A week later I get a voicemail on my phone (yes, even I have to shower some times and can't answer my phone). It was the woman from the company in Wichita telling me that the CEO of the company (who I assumed had already okayed the show, see above) hated the idea of a hypnosis show. Apparently he had seen one once and didn't like it. I tried calling her back that day but got her voicemail.

In the meantime I sent her an email stating that I assumed (yeah, I know) that the show was happening, that we had a "gentleman's agreement" and that I had purchased an airline ticket.

She called me that next morning and explained that she assumed (there's that word again) that an assistant had cleared my show with the boss. The assistant hadn't. She assured me that if it had been her decision that I would be hired to entertain. Maybe if it ever is she'll make it up to me.

Later that day I sent another email offering to help her find entertainment that would suit the boss. I told her that maybe I could charge a commission and recoup my loss. Crickets.

I know ultimately it was my mistake to buy a plane ticket. But... because of this, I will never guarantee a booking fee in the future. If the contract isn't signed and the deposit isn't paid, I won't buy a plane ticket. If the price of the ticket goes up, the client will be responsible for the increased fee. 

Oh, yeah. Never assume!

 

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