Holding the bid back to control how it lands
I delivered a shell bid and asked the broker to wait so I could reach the client first.
The broker at Xtrata wanted a bid for the shell of a 6-plex for one of Xtrata's clients. The scope shifted twice before I could settle a number.
After sending her the finished bid, I asked her to wait a few days before giving it to the client, so I could speak with the client myself first.
Once a number reaches a client through someone else's framing, how it is read is out of your hands. Reaching the client first meant the figure would be taken the way I meant it, not the way it got relayed.
For the townhome build, that shell bid turned into the structural reference.
Control how your number reaches the client, along with what it says. This also let me agree to the broker's request while guarding my own read of the end client. It is a small daily balancing act that never settles into a rule.
Story details
| Project | Xtrata |
|---|---|
| Type | Insider truth |
| Year | 2026 |
| Firm telling | on the Common Ground wiki |