Anchor to Commitment: Time, Reputation, Money

Words are cheap. The way to cut through polite enthusiasm is to ask for commitment: something the person gives up that costs them. Fitzpatrick names three currencies: time (a scheduled follow-up, a trial with their real data), reputation (an intro to their boss, permission to use them as a reference), and money (a preorder, a deposit, a signed letter of intent).

'Sounds great, keep me posted' is a rejection dressed as encouragement. Someone with a real problem doesn't want to be kept posted, they want the pain gone. If they won't give up anything, they don't actually care.

This reframes rejection as useful. A clear no, or a refusal to commit, is real data that just saved you months. The people to fear are the ones who stay vaguely positive forever.