The Power of Open Ended Questions
Anyone who’s been involved in negotiations or sales knows the power of a well-phrased question. But a simple focus on asking more questions won’t improve your results unless you work to ask the right kind of questions. You’ve likely heard of “open” and “closed” questions. But do you understand what those labels mean on a deeper, practical level? Keep reading if you want to put the power of open ended... Read more
Sellers: Are you the Brown Box or the Custom Package?
In your industry, who are the stand-out experts? They probably come to mind immediately. That’s because they’ve done a fantastic job positioning themselves as experts. Of course, they have the experience and knowledge to back up their position, but nobody can deny that their personal branding and positioning has also paid off. Now step back for a moment and ask yourself a simple question: How does that person’s reputation as... Read more
The Contract Professional’s Role In Indemnification, Hold Harmless, and Risk Analysis
What is indemnification? How about a “hold harmless” statement? No idea? Alright, then maybe you’ll be able to describe a situation when you, as a contract professional, are obligated to “defend” a company you’re working for? If you find those questions absurd or incomprehensible, keep reading. You need the information below. On a recent episode of the Negotiations Ninja podcast, I had a conversation with Jeanette Nyden, a former lawyer... Read more
The Six Different People in a Negotiation
People new to enterprise sales think that when they’re in a room negotiating with one person, they’re negotiating with one person. But according to Joe Paranteau, there are multiple people that you negotiate with throughout the relationship. Why is it important to be able to communicate and negotiate with everyone involved? The six different people in a negotiation are people that are often overlooked. Joe uses this framework when he... Read more
Gaetan Pellerin’s 4 Cs of Mindfulness [The C4U™ Approach]
Gaetan Pellerin is the author of a new book all about mindful negotiation: “Mindful NEGOtiation: Becoming More Aware in the Moment, Conquering Your Ego and Getting Everyone What They Really Want.” Gaetan took his fascination with understanding human behavior and drive and applied it to the negotiation process. He found that many negotiators focus on planning and strategy but underemphasize how emotion plays into negotiations. So Gaetan created a framework that... Read more
Why You Can Still Achieve a Rags to Riches Story
Can someone still have a rags to riches story like Shaahin Cheyene? Shaahin believes it is possible. Henry Ford once said, “If you believe you can or you believe you can’t, you’re right.” It comes down to mindset. Is the mindset still possible? Yes. Shaahin teaches people how to create predictable, recurring revenue on Amazon. Amazon has taught us that things change rapidly. If you’re equipped, ready, and willing to move with... Read more
The Factors that Impact the Sale of Your Business
According to John Warrillow—the Founder of The Value Builder System™—the happiest entrepreneurs are ones that have more pull factors than push factors. What does that mean? Push and pull factors Pull factors are things that you’re excited to do—write a book, run a marathon, travel, etc. Push factors are things that stress you out within your business. It could be government regulations, employees, angry customers, and more. You need to... Read more
Why the “Why” is Important to Demonstrate in a Negotiation
If you’re trying to convince someone you’re intrinsically and financially worth more, how do you do it? How do you negotiate a raise or a promotion? Sara Laschever—a negotiation coach and author—emphasizes that you have to prove why you deserve a raise by demonstrating your “why”. Demonstrating your "why" Sara is adamant that you can’t go into a negotiation and say, “I’m worth more.” Instead, go in and say, “If... Read more
Limitation of Liability: Who Assumes Risk?
Jeanette Nyden—a contract and negotiation expert—works with clients to help them understand and master the contracting process. Part of that process is helping them understand the limitation of liability clause and how to properly draft it. But who owns the risk? Is it sales or procurement? Or is it a third party who should assume most of the risk? Jeanette breaks down the issues in a recent episode of Negotiations... Read more
The Difference Between Average and Great Salespeople
What helps people move from being average to being great? What’s the mindset difference? Marty Park believes that if you’re the business owner doubling as the sales manager and you have a team of 10 people, you’ll likely have two that kill it. They’re the ones that love cold-calling. They love being rejected because it brings them one step closer to a sale. They are enthusiastic about selling. He firmly... Read more