How a GPO Benefits Members AND Suppliers
A GPO (Group Purchasing Organization)—negotiates contracts with major brands in thousands of different categories. They have already leveraged and negotiated contracts that allow YOU to take advantage of savings and service. The short version—according to Anthony Clervi—is that they help small or mid-cap businesses buy like the big guys. Most (but not all) GPOs are free to join. You jump on contracts that make sense a-la-carte and work directly with... Read more
Why Negotiation Strategy + Tactics + Mindset = Success
Dan Oblinger and Allan Tsang busted some myths about negotiation in a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja. One of the things they point out is that there is no “easy button” when it comes to negotiation. Negotiation is a learned craft that must be cultivated. You need to use the correct combination of negotiation strategies, tactics, and the right mindset. But aren’t negotiation tactics important? The major pitfall to being... Read more
How to De-escalate Your Counterpart’s Anger
What happens when a negotiation spins out of control and everyone is angry? How do you deal with a counterparts’ emotion? Do you simply walk away? Or reschedule? Dealing with strong emotions can be one of the most difficult parts of a negotiation. It’s also one of the topics of conversation in episode #175 of the Negotiations Ninja podcast. Svitlana Kalitsun—a negotiation trainer based in Vienna, Austria—shares how you can... Read more
Understanding Cultural Differences in Middle-Eastern Negotiations
Formalized trade deals are beginning to take place between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. It’s a historically monumental move that’s come about as the world is in turmoil from the coronavirus pandemic. In episode #173 of the Negotiations Ninja podcast, Dr. Shira Mor talks about honor-culture and the unprecedented trade deals and what those negotiations look like. They’re learning a lot from these business negotiations, and she was kind... Read more
The Power of Silence in Negotiation
Silence can be deafening. Silence during a negotiation can be uncomfortable—but it has a purpose. When leveraged correctly, the power of silence is impactful. So how do we break past our discomfort with silence? How do we move the negotiation in a direction where silence has a purpose? Alexandra Carter spoke about the power of silence in episode 141 of the Negotiations Ninja podcast. She has seen powerful breakthroughs in... Read more
How a Divorce Attorney Negotiates a Prenuptial Agreement
A prenuptial agreement often referred to as a premarital agreement or simply shortened to prenup, is a legally binding agreement. Before a couple gets married, they decide how their assets and/or income will be allocated should they get separated, divorced, or one or both passes away. Prenuptial agreements can be frowned upon because some view them as creating a lack of trust in your relationship or that you’re just “preparing... Read more
Gap Selling: WHY a Problem-Centric Sales Strategy Works
Are you familiar with the concept of gap selling? At its very core, it’s a problem-centric sales approach. Instead of being pushy with a product, a salesperson focuses on learning the desired outcome an organization wants to achieve in the negotiation process. Keenan—author of the book Gap Selling: Getting the Customer to Yes—is the special guest on episode 139 of Negotiations Ninja. In the episode, he talks about gap selling... Read more
Negotiation for Lawyers: Become a Super-Negotiator
In episode 138 of the Negotiations Ninja podcast, Dr. Claudia Winkler joined me to talk about negotiation for lawyers. One of the topics we touched on was that many lawyers aren’t properly trained in negotiation tactics—and many completely dislike negotiations in general. Claudia believes it’s largely due to the lack of training. We conversed about why negotiations tend to fail. We also talk about how to manage your emotions so... Read more
3 Negotiation Traits that Incorporate Cultural Intelligence
In a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja, Mark Davis shares the top three cultural intelligence traits you need to understand and master: dualism vs collectivism, universalism vs particularism, and linear and nonlinear thinkers. His training surrounds 10 different units of understanding surrounding cultural intelligence, but he believes obtaining a good grasp on these three is the best starting point. #1: Dualism Versus Collectivism The individualist is someone who emphasizes negotiation... Read more
Conversation Skills: Why They’re SO Important in Negotiation
Conversation skills are becoming somewhat of a lost art. Yet conversation is the #1 basic skill any good negotiator or salesperson must master, according to Rene Zamora. Rene joined me on a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about sales management and communication. He points out that conversation skills can make or break a negotiation. You can’t be in a conversation with the person across the table and spend... Read more