Speak To Me in Plain English
It is clear that there is an epidemic of business “double talk” out there and it has got to stop.
E-mail Messages Returned to Sender
A surprising large percentage of e-mail messages don’t make it to your target when you conduct a large e-mail campaign. Many are snared by spam filters, fire walls, and some are eliminated by the delete key without being opened. The reasons for this e-mail mortality rate are many.
Escalation: There is Never Enough
Escalation is a dirty trick played when one party has leverage or when there is still money on the table. Essentially, escalation is when a deal is almost done and one of the parties reopens the negotiation with a demand for one more concession.
Put It in Writing
If you put your proposal or ideas in writing, people will find them to be more believable. A proposal or idea, when presented in a written document, demonstrates to the other party that you have carefully weighed the options and have come to a decision.
Non-Verbal Communication
Non-Verbal Communication is mightier than your words; this is especially true in-person. Words are important, but your body language and para-language may transmit a louder message.
Fear of Rejection
A major cause of failure of sales people is said to be the fear of rejection. Fear of rejection can disable you from making cold calls, handling objections, closing deals, and from getting up in the morning.
Take it or Leave it
Maybe the most aggressive tactic for a negotiator to take is to say “take it or leave it”; this stance is cocky, unequivocal, and mean. Aggressive negotiators use this tactic because weaker negotiators give in and it works. Yet, many times it is just a bluff.
This tactic sends a strong signal that the aggressive party has a strong BATNA (i.e. other options if this agreement does not come together). At least that is what they want to believe. They will say things like, “This is the best I can do. You can take it or leave it”. Frequently, they will also have a short deadline for you to respond, which is yet another aggressive tactic. They will say, “I need your answer by 5 PM today”.
Cherry Picking: An Aggressive Negotiation Tactic
You submitted your proposal to your customer two weeks ago and reluctantly presented it with line-item detail like the bid required; you also submitted a package price. Finally, you sit down with the grim-faced buyer, who pronounces the pricing too high by citing lower line-item prices from the competition. “If want the business, you need to lower your prices,” declares the buyer. This is called cherry picking.
Call Me on My Cell Phone
Cell phone usage has radically changed over the past five years. It was not that long ago that corporate usage of cell phones was considered a luxury and their usage was closely scrutinized for cost reasons since it was so expensive. It is an understatement to say that cell phone usage today is ubiquitous.
More on E-mail
My recent blogs regarding e-mail and selling created quite a stir with my readers. Apparently, e-mail is a very thorny issue for many sales people. Sales people are increasing forced to sell through e-mails; customers seem to hide behind their PCs.
Writing effective e-mails is hard work and there is also confusion about when to e-mail and when to call (or leave a voicemail).