Overcoming Sales Objections Like a Pro
Overcoming sales objections is a harrowing task. Many salespeople brace themselves for a coming objection and when it inevitably comes they handle the objection poorly. So that begs the question: what’s the proper way to handle an objection? How do you use the objection to connect with your prospect? David Priemer joined me in an episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about buyer intent and why people buy. Buying is... Read more
Negotiation Strategy and Planning From the Lens of a Sales Professional
Paul Watts joined me in an episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about negotiation strategy and planning. His unique perspective as a seasoned sales professional is a welcome change of pace. He shared some techniques that he uses in his career that can help you become a better negotiator. What are they? The old adage: practices makes perfect Simple advice—but one of THE best ways Paul has found to improve... Read more
Why Negotiators Should Master Mirroring
Banachek—a famous mentalist—has mastered the art of mirroring (as well as other psychological means of persuasion). In an episode of Negotiations Ninja, he joined me to share some of his expertise and what he’s found especially useful during his career. What is the concept of mirroring? Most negotiators are likely familiar with the concept of isopraxism—more commonly known as mirroring. Mirroring is echoing what someone else is doing in a... Read more
Practical Ways to Decrease the Tension between Procurement and Sales
Procurement and sales teams tend to have a negative view of each other. Salespeople view procurement as the people who take their deals, shave 20% off the top, and subsequently cause them to lose deals. John Barrows, my guest on a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja, and I discuss ways to decrease the tension between procurement and sales. Engage with procurement as early as possible Instead of waiting until the... Read more
Make The Most Of Cooperative Negotiation Skills
Arm wrestling is a game where one person wins and another loses, every time. No matter how you play the game, that fact never changes. But negotiation trainer and coach Mihai Isman uses the game of arm wrestling to help his students understand two vital components of effective negotiations: Their own attitude about the person across the negotiation table, and Whether they lean toward a combative approach or a competitive... Read more
How NOT To Use Anchoring In Negotiation. Lessons Learned From President Trump
The negotiations going on between the United States and China here at the outset of 2020 serve as a brilliant example of the power of anchoring in negotiations. President Donald Trump, while a polarizing personality, is incredibly good at using anchors to advance his positions and goals. His tactics are fascinating to watch and to learn from. First, let’s make sure we all know what we’re talking about when referring... Read more
Why Post-Negotiation Assessment Is Vital For Future Success
No matter the outcome of the negotiations you’re involved in - positive or negative - a vital practice you need to develop is to conduct a post-negotiation assessment. This debrief should include everyone on your negotiations team. Walking through the events of the negotiation together can give you perspective, enable you to notice the nuances of what made things turn out the way they did, and provide an understanding of... Read more
Can You Push a Negotiation Too Far?
Can You Push a Negotiation Too Far? You can push a negotiation too far and its dangerous to do so. If you push a negotiation too far and you push the other side too hard and too fast, you risk not only losing the deal, but also isolating and distancing potential future business. Relationships are critical in the world of negotiating and knowing when to stop grinding is critical to... Read more
How to Use Time Pressure In Negotiations
How to Use Time Pressure In Negotiations Folks, it sounds obvious to say that time is money. We all hear this saying all the time. But in negotiations, we can use time pressure in negotiations to extract large amounts of concessions out of the other party. Don't Use This Time Pressure Tactic For Evil Please don't use this tool I am about to teach you, for evil. Just because I'm... Read more
Always Ask For More In Negotiations
Always Ask For More In Negotiations As the famous Roger Dawson said: This is the golden rule of negotiating! “Always ask for more than you expect to get.” should be tattooed on the inside of your hands so you never forget. These types of simple golden rules are so basic that sometimes we forget about them and take them for granted and often we don’t even think about why it... Read more