Talk about a high-class problem. You have delivered a specialized solution in a niche market while doing all the right things. What happens? You land an elephant for a customer who has an insatiable appetite for your product or service. By comparison, your other customers look like mice. You hate to admit it, but this…
Unscrupulous negotiators will try almost anything to win in a negotiation including lying, throwing tantrums, and verbally abusing the other party. Why is winning so important to them? It has long been thought that mean people such as this are just cold, detached, and unemotional—we have thought that they did not understand the damage that…
As many of you know, I am writing a book on negotiation which leverages my work as a trainer and lecturer in negotiation, along with my personal experiences in negotiation. It is a fascinating subject which seems easy on the surface, but is very difficult to practice. The other day in my consulting practice I…
My recent blogs about using questions as a selling tool got many comments from readers who sell to senior executives. I was reminded about how busy C-level execs are these days and how intolerant they are of “discovery” sales calls. C-level executives (i.e., CEO, CMO, CIO, etc.) need a different sales approach. Gone are the…
Good negotiators are prepared. It first begins with knowing what you want. Additionally, good negotiators anticipate the wants and needs of the other party. You need to ask yourself a few basic questions: 1. What do you wish for? 2. What do you deserve? 3. What must you have? 4. When might you walk away…
Customer service reps need to maintain their cool even when customers push all their buttons. Keeping cool is a matter of keeping your self control while helping customers get through their rants. Here are a few ideas on how to maintain your composure when the heat is on. Be sure to breath. Silly as it…
Bullies on the playground—you thought that you had left them behind in grade school along with bloody noses, homework, and the mean school principal. Yet, the same bully behavior can appear when you are confronted with an aggressive negotiator. A bully is someone who is mean and attacks other people with words or actions. They…
Superior negotiators come in all genders, shapes, and sizes, but they tend to have a few things in common. Here is my list of the seven habits of superior negotiators: 1. A superior negotiator is always prepared. Abraham Lincoln said, “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening…
When negotiating you will periodically encounter the “cry baby”, which is a negotiator who has learned that if they cry loud enough and long enough, he or she might get what they want. This behavior resembles a two year old screaming until you pick them up to shut them up. They scream because it works…
The flip-side of you dealing with your own fear of negotiation is dealing with the fear of the other party. Their fear and anxiety can be absolutely palpable. You can see if in their eyes. You can almost smell it. If the other party is afraid and not thinking properly, you might have an advantage…