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
How to Embrace Your Leadership Role When Times are Tough
My personal mentor and friend Marty Park joined me in an episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about how to manage and communicate effectively in times of crisis. Many people were immediately thrust into working from home. Employees feel they are on shaky ground and find themselves uncertain of their future. How do YOU muddle through this as a leader? How do you reassure your staff when you are experiencing... Read more
How to Manage Your Emotions to Maintain Credibility as a Negotiator
In order to be an effective negotiator, you have to learn how to manage your emotions to maintain your credibility. You can’t let emotions drive the process and most certainly can’t take things personally—or the conversation will go south quickly. Josh King recently joined me on the Negotiations Ninja podcast to discuss negotiations and the tactics he’s learned over the years to manage emotions. It’s okay to take a step... Read more
How to Eliminate Cognitive Biases in Negotiations
A cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking that affects every decision or judgment that you make. Edmund Zagorin developed a software platform called Bid Ops that understands cognitive bias and factors it into the equation when developing quotes for potential buyers or suppliers. The two of us have a conversation about artificial intelligence and its impact on procurement in a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja. According to the... Read more
What Game of Thrones and the Coronavirus Can Teach Us About Negotiation Tactics
In a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja, Oren Klaff joined me to talk about negotiation tactics. While I don’t watch Game of Thrones, Oren used an analogy that drove his point home and it is worth discussing. Winter is coming “Winter is coming” is a theme running throughout Game of Thrones. While it is layered with meaning, Oren points out that the critical subtext is this: a once 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
Morgan J Ingram’s 11-Touch Prospecting Campaign
Sales prospecting is a complex and often complicated role to play. You have to learn how to connect with people and keep them engaged while convincing them of the usefulness of your product or service. Morgan J Ingram has narrowed down two strategies to push past rejection and connect with sales prospects: 1. The pattern interrupt. Instead of starting a phone call sharing your name, the business you’re with, and... Read more
The Impact of Emotional Intelligence in Sales Negotiations
Emotional intelligence is the ability to be able to recognize and manage one’s own emotions—and those of others. Those who’ve mastered this skill are able to use the information they glean to adapt to different situations. They are able to assess the needs of others and communicate effectively to reach a common goal. Kim Orlesky—featured in a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja—was in a sales position where she was 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