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.