Have you gotten a call like this before? “Hi, Susan. I sent over the contract. Did you get it? And, my boss told me that he wants a couple of more people trained on your system that were not included in the contract. This won’t be a problem will it? Call me.” Susan...
This economy is separating the weak from the strong, even when it comes to negotiating business related deals. In the boom years, many average sales people looked like stellar sales people and didn’t have to negotiate much. All that has changed. It is becoming more...
Follow these four steps to a winning counter proposal! Step One: Restate their words exactly as they said them It seems to me that you are saying . . . What I hear is . . . . Step Two: Ask clarifying questions What is your greatest concern here today? What bothers you...
Seven business men and women gathered recently in Seattle over an early morning breakfast to discuss negotiation best practices. Over the course of two hours they discussed a wide variety of negotiations that they had been a part of over the years. The seven best...
Scientists have statistically proven what many of us have known for a long time. Non-verbal communication (body language and tone of voice) is critical to building trust, and without trust, there is no sale. Researches at MIT’s Media Lab found that body language,...
Stressed out and stretched thin. That’s today’s business theme. All kinds of businesses are making tough choices. Customers are cutting back. Some are on the brink of disaster, while others are perfectly fine but act like they are on the verge of collapse. All of this...
There is an urgent problem facing many companies: Deflation, the devaluing of goods and services as demand shrivels up. For the past 5 years that I’ve been teaching and coaching negotiation skills, my clients have been faced with pressure to reduce prices. Folks, this...
There is a lot of power in making an opening offer. In fact, the opening offer anchors the entire price conversation. Do you want to set the anchor, or allow the other party to set the anchor? You should make a conscience choice. By setting the anchor, you are...
Have you ever wanted to say no to some unreasonable request, whether from a client, vendor, boss, or co-worker, but said yes just to keep the peace? If you are like most of us, we are taught that saying no can be a bad thing. But what about those times when you have...
In the first paragraph of the Wall Street Journal article How Blackstone’s Chief Became $7 Billion Man, June 13, 2007, Schwarzman, the CEO and mastermind behind many leveraged buyouts, touted his deal making prowess. “[H]e [Schwarzman] wants to ‘inflict pain’ and...
