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Personal Development Sales

3 of 7: Are you Qualifed? What do you Believe?

 

Mindful Sales Practice 3 of 7

The entire sales process consciously or unconsciously depend on what you believe.

Beliefs are strongly held thoughts that are held consciously or unconsciously to be true. 

To be successful you must integrate beliefs into the sales process.  Do you believe in yourself?  Do you believe in your product or service?  Are you willing and able to convey that belief in a convincing way to your customer?  Do you elicit an emotional reaction within yourself when you share your product or service with someone else?  If yes, is that emotion positive or negative?  If you believe in yourself and you believe in your product, you will begin to feel an emotional response when you identify the ideal customer.  This is where sales become something more than a transaction, it becomes an experience.  Our invitation is for you to transcend your beliefs into an authentic, world-class customer experience.

Qualification is, without question, the most important step in the Mindful Sales process.  This includes a series of questions you ask your customer before selling anything. There are many ways to do this.  We focus on five key areas that can be used to better understand your customer and the reason they are looking to make a purchase. 

The five key qualifying topics are:

Needs

Decision-Making Process

Competition

History

Resources

 

We use the following statement to remember them.

New Data Creates Happy Results

Use this strategy to mindfully connect to your next customer.

Eric Szymanski is a C-Suite Network Advisor and an award-winning co-author of Sell More, Stress Less: 52 Tips to Become a Mindful Sales Professional.  He is an American hospitality industry professional with extensive sales & marketing leadership experience. You can see more of his work at www.MindfulSalesTraining.com. Eric has demonstrated success in leading high-performing sales teams through planning, implementing, and monitoring actionable sales and marketing plans at hotels and resorts of all sizes, including city-center, convention district, airport and attractions areas. He has a proven track record of success at all levels through the achievement of both individual and team goals for several 1st tier, globally recognized brands such as Disney, Marriott, Hilton & Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Throughout his career, Eric has created authentic, world-class experiences while volunteering at all levels in several meetings industry associations. In 2018, Eric was recognized with the top individual sales award in the convention sales division at The Walt Disney Company. In 2002, he was recognized as Caterer of the Year by the Orlando, Florida Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives. He is an avid runner, choral music performer & father of twin daughters who entered college in the fall of 2019.

 

Categories
Best Practices Leadership Personal Development Sales

Temporary Price Cuts Need Thoughtful Wording

WATCH OUT! Customers think any price reductions are permanent!

Especially now, CPG producers must feature a price reduction on their retail shelves. But if they want to do that, producers need to temporarily reduce their FOB prices to their distributor, then get their distributor to reduce their wholesale prices to the retailer, and finally, the retailer must reduce the retail price to their customers. If the producer sells directly to retailers, the retailer must cooperate in cutting prices for the customer.

Temporary Price Reductions

 Temporary Price Reductions, or TPRs, can draw attention to your products, help you negotiate for retail displays, and score those customers who passed on your products many times before. But debuting a new product at retail with an immediate price reduction is an awful idea. Why? Because, any change back to everyday pricing would be viewed by the customer as an “increase”. They would be discouraged to continue buying your brand. So, before you employ TPR tactics, it’s essential that everyday pricing is already established for at least a month in that location.

Of course, you need periodic TPRs to bring some more attention to your products, but it’s all about how you do it. Things become more complicated when you try to affect retail shelf price reduction. For example, if you lower you FOB pricing in order to get a lower retail price, both the distributor and the retailer won’t be happy when the price returns to normal. They’ll think it’s an increase!

Protect Your Price

 So how can you do all this without messing with your everyday pricing? The answer is simple: NEVER lower the price! On your invoices, always charge full price. Then, you can offer a one-time credit that’s only good under certain limitations. When you do send an invoice, do so for the full price and display the credit (if applicable). In other words, the credit could be based on volume, time, a performance factor, or a combination of any of these. For example, perhaps you’d offer a program to a retailer or distributor for their purchase during any given month, on the stipulation that they must reduce their margins that month in order to achieve 1 or 2 dollars less on the shelf. You might also require that they buy a certain amount of your products at a time, like a 5-case minimum for example. This encourages a floor display!

Protect Your Sales

Make sure to have seasonal promotion materials ready when you sell this program. This shows retailers how you’ll support your products’ displays. It’s crucial that they understand the credit you’ve given them is only available when they purchase products under your program. Be careful–don’t present your program too much longer before your promotional event, or else the retailer will wait and you might lose sales during the month before the event. This becomes tricky when you rely on the distributor’s rep to create the presentation. We suggest your salespeople, or better yet, you, do the presentations and get the buy-in from the retailer.

When you sell directly to the retailer, the credit will be seen as a one-time allowance under limited circumstances for a certain period of time. But when you offer this credit to the distributor, the retailer may think of it as a permanent price reduction. That is, unless you control the lines of communication and get your distributor to make the TPR and its conditions clear to the retailer. The last thing you want to hear is, “I paid less last month, and now you’re raising your price?!” Giving away money is not easy!

For more, read on: http://c-suitenetworkadvisors.com/advisor/michael-houlihan-and-bonnie-harvey/

 

Categories
Body Language Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

“This Is How To Win Comparisons In The Negotiation” – Negotiation Tip of the Week

“The value of what you compare lies in the value of what you’re comparing.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

“This Is How To Win Comparisons In The Negotiation”

 

People don’t realize; they’re always negotiating.

 

When people evaluate situations, they may not realize it, but they’re making comparisons. About that, you should raise your level of consciousness; because it’s a truism. In some instances, people compare a present situation to the ones that appear related to prior cases. At other times, they compare the current condition to the possibility of future outcomes. And that’s especially true during a negotiation. Regardless of the timeframe, when making comparisons, you’re evaluating the course of action to take. Thus, in your negotiation and other aspects of your life, when making comparisons, be aware of the impact that the following factors have on the outcome.

 

Listening

An intricate part of good communications in a negotiation, and other interactions, is the ability to listen well. To understand someone’s perspective, first, you must listen to what they say about the situation that’s before them. That’ll give you a mental picture of that person’s perception, and the opinion they have about it. That’ll also be the insight source that determines which comparisons to draw from later in the conversation.

If you’re astute, you’ll listen to the words they use to express themselves, the degree of excitement they share while doing so, and the pace at which they speak – word choice gives vision to someone’s thoughts. Thus, by being attentive to their word choices, you’ll gain a more profound sense of their emotional mind. And that’s the reason why you should listen for a deeper meaning than just the conveyance of their words. To do that, you must give that person the time and space they need to let their feelings be known, heard, and shared.

 

Tension/Apprehension

While you’re actively listening, note the comparisons someone makes while they’re speaking. In particular, observe the points about the tensions or apprehensions they’ve encountered. That’ll give you more clues about the pain they’ve experienced. Later, you’ll be able to employ that information as anchoring points of negativity or positivity during the negotiation.

Most people are moved to action by fear of loss, versus gaining something they don’t currently possess. Thus, if you hear someone speak about protecting what they have, catalog it for later use. At the appropriate time, make a comparison to a situation in which they lose something they have. Then, create a worse condition scenario than the first one. After that, offer your solution as the savior of their woes. By initially making comparisons to a bad situation and one that’s worse, your best-case offering will appear more pleasing, and more likely to be accepted.

 

Anchoring

Anchoring occurs when you set someone’s initial point of perspective. Thus, if someone said your price was too high, you might ask, compared to what? In their response would be the answer to what they were comparing your price. And there’d be gold in their reply. Because they will have given you their anchoring point about why they thought your price was high.

At that point, you’ll have a momentary advantage in the negotiation. That advantage will be in the form of thoughts, ideas, and positions from which to find a medium point. You might consider evoking some of the points you gathered while listening to the tensions and apprehensions that individual had in the past. Or, if warranted, you might instead employ something from the positive aspects of which they spoke.

The point is, you should seek to anchor that person’s perspective to the point that will best serve your purpose. In theory, that would be a position that was best for both of you. That would allow the perception of your point to become embraced as being more solvable to the challenge at hand. And that would mean your anchoring point would become accepted as an influencer to the proceeding that follows from there. Anchoring is a powerful tool when it comes to influencing someone’s views. Use it adroitly, and you’ll enhance your negotiation efforts.

 

Storytelling

The stories you tell are another factor that’ll serve as your ally when making comparisons in a negotiation. A well-told story injected into the conversation at the right time, can instantly alter someone’s position and the perspective they have about a situation. To tell a good story, consider the following components.

 

  1. When telling a person how he can acquire a goal that you see as obtainable, the story should have easily recognized components that the person perceives as being real, and not too difficult to achieve. Allow him to see himself bursting with new pride in the imagery of his new acquisition.

 

  1. Paint the mental picture you project with details you gleaned during the listening part of your interaction. Thus, if the person spoke about a dire time when he missed the chance to improve or maintain a situation, due to moving slowly, you might paint the image of someone being overly deliberate and missing an opportunity. Let him draw his conclusion between that situation and the position that he’s currently in.

 

  1. The timing and pace you tell a story will determine its impact. Therefore, to enhance the effect, recite your story’s depiction at a pace that’s easy to follow and consume. While doing so, observe the body language displayed by the person listening to it. In particular, note when they close their eyes, turn or drop their head, or show a momentary frown, as you mention what they may lose if they don’t act fast enough. The body language gestures mentioned will indicate a fear of loss. Cues such as those will announce the impact your story is having on that individual.

 

Reflection

First, realize that during your interactions with other people, you’re negotiating. And in a negotiation, you move someone’s perspective by the comparisons you make and the way you position those comparisons. Therefore, if you wish to win more negotiations when using comparisons, seek to evoke the level of emotions, positive or negative, in which you touch someone’s heart. Following these guidelines will allow you to do just that. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

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Categories
Entrepreneurship Leadership Marketing Personal Development Sales

Speaking is NOT Dead

Too many of my esteemed competitors would tell you that speaking is dead – time to move on.

Here’s what that argument sounds like:

You used to be a speaker, huh?

Gosh – I guess Covid-19 wiped you out.

No events – no meetings – no training.

Bummer – so here’s what you need to do:

  • Set up an elaborate video studio in your house. Buy a ton of gear that you have no idea how to use
  • Start doing $49 webinars instead of your $7,500 keynotes
  • Launch complicated funnels, write these huge sales pages for your $197 online course (you have one of those, right?), and crank out 15-part autoresponder emails to hammer your poor prospects until they buy or die
  • Start doing Facebook ads. The more you spend, the better. Leads, baby, leads – that’s where it’s at

<STOP>

Wrong.

Speaking is just one distribution method for your expert-based business.

We’ve always mentored our clients to diversify their distribution methods:

  • Speakers can consult, coach, and work with corporate sponsors
  • Trainers can create webinars, build online courses, and facilitate
  • Coaches can do group coaching, virtual masterminds, and councils
  • Consultants can sell video series, license their IP, and host CEO roundtables

Any expert who only has 1 profit center is at risk.

That was true before Covid-19.

And, naturally, it’s true now.

You can’t be a one-trick pony in any economy.

The secret?

Diversify while still specializing.

You have a speaking-driven business – NOT a “speaking” business.

You’re in the IDEA business.

And your clients need your ideas now more than ever – online, offline, on video, in person, on webinars, in groups, and privately.

Even if you call yourself a “speaker,” is that the business that you’re really in?

Is the speaking business dead? What do you think?

In this training I help you uncover your 3 critical success factors: Clarity (who you are, what you offer, why it’s different); Focus (who you serve, what problems you solve); Decisions (marketing tools, how to find prospects, get profitable fees) – sign up here <<<

Categories
Entrepreneurship Human Resources Marketing Negotiations Sales Women In Business

“Do You Know How To Avoid Words That Cause Conflict” – Negotiation Insight

“People walking blindly into conflict should not be surprised when they’re greeter is regret.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

Click here to get the book!

 

 

“Do You Know How To Avoid Words That Cause Conflict”

 

“People don’t realize; they’re always negotiating.”

 

Two friends, a man and a woman were talking about an associate’s son. The man stated that the associate’s son had four kids, of which one was not his natural child. The woman said, “you shouldn’t say that’s not his natural child. Instead, you might say, it’s his adopted child.” The man retorted, “you know what I mean when I say it’s not his natural child. And since you know what I mean, you should accept my phraseology with the intent of its meaning.”

From there, their conversation disintegrated into conflict. The two friends had had thousands of discussions in the past. But this time, the two friends would be led to conflict due to the utterance of an objectionable word.

A countless number of people are dragged into conflict every day because of the phrases and words they use. And you’re one of them. If you’d like to know what some of those phrases are and how to avoid the conflicts that are caused by the words you use, implement the following strategies. Doing so will help you avoid the conflict that certain words create.

 

Mindset

You should always be aware of someone’s mindset when conversing with them. If one’s mind is irritated from a prior situation, that irritation might seep into your conversation. And with it may come disruptive emotional baggage. Thus, while you’re engaging that person in an attempt to highlight your points, that individual may be hearing sounds of the prior conversation that wreaked havoc on them.

Remember, past interactions can evoke previous emotions in current situations. If you sense that might be the condition in your case, address it at that moment. Please don’t allow it to fester into what could become an uncontrollable arbitrage. That would serve no one’s purpose.

 

Trigger Words

Words such as, always, you should/must, ridiculous, relax, chill out, etc., can serve as words that trigger someone’s emotions such that they become defensive. And from that position, your initial conversation may become derailed as the result of you discussing that something doesn’t occur all the time. After that, the discussion could further disintegrate. It could evolve into one were people defend their word choice, rather than the topic of their conversation.

Trigger words can lead to unwanted circumstances and outcomes, which is why you should be mindful of how and when you use them. If you know certain words will trigger someone to adopt a particular mindset, and you wish to avoid it, don’t trigger them. On the other hand, if you’re aware of that fact and you intend to do so, be cautious with your efforts. Once triggered, you never know to what degree your effects may have on someone. Thus, you run the risk of losing control if things get too far out of hand.

 

Baiting

Be mindful of when someone uses certain words. They may be attempting to bait you. It’s one way someone can alter your emotions and thought process.

Baiting occurs when a person uses a word that triggers a particular emotion or reaction. Someone can do it intentionally or unintentionally. When done intentionally, there may be a hidden agenda to rile you up, or done to evoke a mindset of compliance within you. In either case, you should be aware of how someone might be triggered to act based on the word choices you invoke during an interaction with them. That’ll be the source that determines the degree that the communication is amiable or fraught with disgruntlement.

Verbal Signs

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, – I got all of that.” I’m sure you’ve heard such phrases in your conversations. They’re either signals that the listener is becoming tired of your pontifications or she’d like to speak. In either case, let her have the floor. And when you do, engage in active listening.

People make utterances to let you know that it’s time for you to move on. Pay attention to those signs. They can help you avoid the road of conflicts that come from speaking too long or using the wrong words.

Control

Depending on the environment, you can control the conflict that stems from the choice of words someone uses when they’re engaging you. If you’re in person or talking on the phone, you can abstain from participating in the conversation by leaving the environment; that would entail concluding the discussion at the point when things began to become uncontrollable. If you’re communicating via email, text messages, etc., you can respond after you’ve considered what the appropriate response should be and what reply might come from that.

The point is, realize that you have some control when conversations begin to turn sour, based on your ability to control the words that lead to conflict. Thus, be aware of your rising emotions, and those of the party with whom you’re communicating before you enact such control. But by all means, make sure you exercise restraint in such situations. The future of your relationship with the other party hangs in the balance.

Empathy

Some people think displaying empathy is a form of control. That may be true based on how someone perceives it. When attempting to alter the negative course that conflict has inflicted, empathy may be the salve that quickens the closing of that wound. But, I suggest you apply its use at the appropriate time. Because if you attempt to employ it close to an altercation, the bruised feelings that came from it may be too bear to stunt the emotional pain. Thus, if you let time elapse, the wound may be more receptive to the application of empathy. And of course, the timing depends on the situation and those involved.

Reflection

People stumble into conflicts by being unaware of the words they use and the disruptive cause their statements can have on someone’s mind. If you become more astute about your word choices, you’ll avoid the cause that ignites conflicts. And everything will be right with the world.

 

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

#words #cause #conflict #csuitenetwork #thoughtcouncil #Bodylanguage #readingbodylanguage #Negotiation #NegotiationStrategies #NegotiationProcess #NegotiationSkillsTraining #NegotiationExamples #NegotiationTypes #negotiationPsychology #HowToNegotiateBetter #ReadingBodyLanguage #BodyLanguage #Nonverbal #Negotiate #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #Negotiator #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #BodyLanguageExpert #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #GregWilliams #success #Howtowinmore #self-improvement #howtodealwithdifficultpeople #Self-development #Control #Conversations #Howtocontrolanegotiation #howtobesuccessful #HowToImproveyourself

 

Categories
Personal Development Sales

2 of 7: How are you? Center During Your Meet & Greet

The pace of life today is constructed in such a way that many of us feel compelled to stay in motion.  As sales professionals, often the perception is that the faster we move, the more we will be rewarded.  A Mindful Sales professional has control and understands the power of when to sit still and listen.  It is said: “Be still and know.”  Centering is the process of bringing your awareness back into your body. 

Start by shifting your belief that it is possible to have a centered, mindful meeting with a customer. This shift sets the foundation for your positive sales experience.  A professional greeting is simple and positive.  This is an opportunity to spend time talking about anything other than your product or service.  Meet the customer where they are.  Did they travel a far distance to meet with you?  Are they in the middle of a busy project at work?  What is happening in their personal life?  If you just met a person, it may be difficult to get past pleasantries; however, many times the best question to ask someone when you see them is, “How are you?”

When you invest time in meeting and greeting a customer, you will learn something that will allow you to connect in a more meaningful and substantive way.

Every relationship has a beginning. Choose your greeting carefully and start with something like, “Hello, my name is…”   This is not the time or place for cheesy pick-up lines. The best greeting is simple and establishes respect and professionalism. 

When you integrate mindfulness and sales you become more effective and profitable.  As you become more mindful you will increase sales by:

  • Creating Focus & Deepening Connection 
  • Reducing Overwhelm over the Sales Process
  • Increasing Memory of Customer Facts
  • Improving Health & Happiness

Eric Szymanski is a C-Suite Network Advisor and an award-winning co-author of Sell More, Stress Less: 52 Tips to Become a Mindful Sales Professional.  Learn more about his work at www.MindfulSalesTraining.com. He is an American hospitality industry professional with extensive sales & marketing leadership experience. Eric has demonstrated success in leading high-performing sales teams through planning, implementing and monitoring actionable sales and marketing plans at hotels and resorts of all sizes, including city-center, convention district, airport, and attractions areas. He has a proven track record of success at all levels through the achievement of both individual and team goals for several 1st tiers, globally recognized brands such as Disney, Marriott, Hilton & Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Throughout his career, Eric has created authentic, world-class experiences while volunteering at all levels in several meetings industry associations. In 2018, Eric was recognized with the top individual sales award in the convention sales division at The Walt Disney Company. In 2002, he was recognized as Caterer of the Year by the Orlando, Florida Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives. He is an avid runner, choral music performer & father of twin daughters who entered college in the fall of 2019.

Categories
Personal Development Sales

1 of 7: What’s your Sales Intention?

There are good days in sales and there are challenging days. It’s an everyday journey. The stress of living and selling yourself as a sales professional today requires us to have focus and stress reduction techniques that may be used throughout the day during every buying and selling encounter.  We all must look at our business mindset and the sales process in a different way.

When you integrate mindfulness and sales you become more effective and profitable.  Mindfulness is being present in the moment, without judgment.  Use mindfulness to increase sales by:

  • Reducing Stress and Anxiety
  • Creating Focus
  • Reducing Overwhelm
  • Increasing Memory
  • Improving Health & Happiness

Set Your Intention: Mindful Sales Practice 1 of 7

A Mindful Sales Professional has many tools available.  When used effectively, these tools create exceptional results.  Start by setting a positive intention to create more good sales days than bad. An intention is one word.  How will you be doing?   It’s a choice you can make to be in the moment and look at business positively, in any economic environment. Reframe the challenging days and know things do not have to be “bad” or “negative.”  Make a commitment to being your most empowered and confident self while selling your unique product or service.  

Here are a few sample intention words that I use:

  • Open
  • Receptive
  • Excited
  • Happy
  • Focused
  • Connecting

As you approach a sales call surround yourself in the energy of how you intend for the interaction to go.  Feel happy, focused, excited.  Notice if the energy is negative. If you sense anxiety or any negative emotion for an upcoming meeting or call with a customer, ask yourself, “why am I anxious or being negative?”  Rest assured – It doesn’t have to be that way.  Make a choice to stay positive throughout the experience.  Your attitude is very powerful – and your intention is just as powerful.  Choose wisely, chose positive, everyone you encounter will be affected.  This includes your customers.

 

Eric Szymanski is a C-Suite Network Advisor, co-founder of the Mindful Leadership Council and co-author of the award-winning book Sell More, Stress Less: 52 Tips to Become a Mindful Sales Professional.  Learn more about his work at www.MindfulSalesTraining.com. He is an American hospitality industry professional with extensive sales & marketing leadership experience. Eric has demonstrated success in leading high-performing sales teams through planning, implementing, and monitoring actionable sales and marketing plans at hotels and resorts of all sizes, including city-center, convention district, airport, and attractions areas. He has a proven track record of success at all levels through the achievement of both individual and team goals for several 1st tier, globally recognized brands such as Disney, Marriott, Hilton & Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Throughout his career, Eric has created authentic, world-class experiences while volunteering at all levels in several meetings industry associations. In 2018, Eric was recognized with the top individual sales award in the convention sales division at The Walt Disney Company. In 2002, he was recognized as Caterer of the Year by the Orlando, Florida Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives. He is an avid runner, choral music performer & father of twin daughters who entered college in the fall of 2019.

 

Categories
Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Negotiations Sales Women In Business

“This Is How To Bargain With Scary Negotiators” – Negotiation Tip of the Week

“Don’t become frightened by scary situations without knowing the source of your fear, less you be one from whom you’re hiding.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

 

 

Click here to get the book!

 

 

“This Is How To Bargain With Scary Negotiators”

 

People don’t realize; they’re always negotiating!

 

As soon as I saw him, I knew he’d be trouble. He looked like someone that could start an argument just by entering a room. He appeared smug and deadly. Without opening his mouth, I could tell he would be doubtful, degrading, demeaning, demanding, and would most likely attempt to leave me dumbfounded, and deflated. I thought, “he’s going to destroy me in the negotiation and leave me devastated.” He did appear to be devoted to being one scary negotiator. In my mind, he covered all the negative “D’s” in the dictionary. And he’d done all of that before our bargaining had begun. Have you ever had thoughts like that?

What makes a negotiator scary? To be more specific, what characteristics does he display that cause you to become afraid? And, when are you most frightened of a scary negotiator? Before you enter a negotiation, you should have those answers well in hand and dealt with effectively, so they don’t trouble you.

The following are characteristics of negotiators that you may view as scary in your negotiations. In some cases, their persona is nothing more than a façade to manipulate you into falling under their negotiation spell. Thus, when you negotiate, be prepared to deal with negotiators displaying the following traits:

 

Cheap

Some people may perceive the strict negotiator attempting to maximize his outcome as cheap, hard, or challenging. That may be due to his mannerisms, his façade, and his style of bargaining. Thus, when he haggles over the minutest of points to achieve his goal, you might be tempted to brand him as being scary. I would suggest you not apply that label because the name you assign to a person or situation classifies that entity. And that’ll influence how you act, react, and the frame of mind you place yourself in when doing so.

Instead of branding a negotiator with the moniker of cheap, view him as a person that wants the best deal he can get. Acknowledging his real trait will allow you to adopt better strategies from which to interact. Such stratagems as when you engage, to what degree you challenge him, and when you let him experience a win to feed his ego, are points you might consider. Adopting this mindset will also allow you to possess a clearer perception of the negotiator type you’re dealing with, which should reduce the impression of him being scary.

 

Lying

A lying negotiator can be one of the most challenging types of negotiators. Part of that is due to not knowing when, or if, he’ll abide by an agreement. And the other aspects of concern are his claims and the points of truthfulness he attributes to them. To that end, you may be right in your subscription to him being scary. An old cliché states, “if you lie, you’ll cheat. And if you cheat, you’ll steal.” Be mindful when dealing with this negotiator type. Even when he appears to be abiding by the covenants of an agreed negotiation, he may be scheming behind your back to take from one pocket what he’s allowed you to put into the other.

To offset this type of negotiator’s fiendish mannerisms, negotiate slowly. Insert gaps into the negotiation whereby he has to bring forth what you agreed to in the session that just ended. Only then should you proceed to the next phase of the talks. And maintain a tight rein to prevent him from wreaking havoc.

 

Lunacy

“Crazy is, as crazy does,” is a longtime phrase used to denote the actions of someone that appears mentally misaligned. That’s a long way of saying, some negotiators feign characteristics of lunacy to exact sympathy as an emotional toll. He’s trying to use empathy as a way to get you to bond with him.

Once, I was riding a subway in NY City when a disheveled man came up to me and began behaving erratically. I wasn’t sure of his intent, so I adopted his mannerisms and projected them back to him. Since I read body language, I could tell he became puzzled. He looked at me for a moment and then moved on to other people.

When dealing with negotiators portraying lunacy traits, you can act like them to see how they respond. If you sincerely believe they may not be using such mannerisms as a ploy, negotiate with a different negotiator. If that’s not an option, get them to document every aspect upon which you agree. Don’t leave any wiggle-room for future confusion.

 

Threatening

Okay, now it’s time to get scary. Some negotiators, usually bullies, will attempt to use intimidation as their tool of choice. They may imply some form of bodily discomfort will befall you. They may even suggest that a blemish may occur to your reputation or others with whom you’re involved.

Be prepared to adopt one of three possibilities when dealing with this individual.

  1. Seek to avoid him – deal with someone else.
  2. If you must engage, project a tough-guy persona – don’t appear as someone that he can easily manipulate.
  3. Call in your tough-guy group of negotiators to offset his persona. If he knows you have a crew to protect you, he’ll most likely drop his routine.

 

Vengeful

The vengeful negotiator is someone that can also be scary in your bargainings. He may attempt to sully your reputation as his way of claiming recompense for whatever purpose that motivates him. The scariest aspect of dealing with this person is, you never know when his ill deeds will haunt you.

To best deal with this individual, stay away from his wrong side. Do that by being fair, which is something you should practice in all of your negotiations. If you end up on his ‘bad list,’ seek his understanding of how you wronged him. If possible, make amends. If not, keep an eye out for the misdeeds he may attribute to you as his way of evening the score.

 

Reflection

When you bargain with a negotiator, it can be scary. But that’s true in any situation when you don’t know what motivates someone’s actions. Once you identify the source of a scary negotiator’s motivation, you can adopt strategies to best bargain with him. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

Categories
Entrepreneurship Negotiations Operations Sales Skills Women In Business

“How To Avoid These Deadly Negotiation Mistakes” – Negotiation Tip of the Week

“Do errant actions derive from mistaken thoughts, or does a lack of thought feed thoughtless actions? Think about the way you think.” – Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert  (Click to Tweet)

Click here to get the book!

 

“How To Avoid These Deadly Negotiation Mistakes”

 

 

“People don’t realize; they’re always negotiating!”

 

The plan was to have one team member open the negotiation, and wear down its opposition. At some point, a hand signal would indicate when a different member would assume the leading role. This group of negotiators was going to play a version of good-cop, bad-cop. Because they’d negotiated with their counterparts in the past, and the negotiations had always been contentious. So when they planned the talks, they considered mistakes they might make, and developed alternative actions to control their concessions. They felt very confident as they entered the negotiation.

And then it happened! It occurred at the 37-minute mark in the negotiation. Their lead negotiator made a colossal mistake! He lost his composure, became irate, and missed the hand signal that was supposed to indicate a change in negotiators. Both sets of negotiators engaged in verbal altercations, which almost led to physical clashes.

It’s easy to make mistakes in a negotiation. They can occur for a multitude of reasons. Some stem from misperceived actions. But a lot emanate from what someone did not do. And those can be the trickiest of mistakes to address in a negotiation.

Guard against your negotiation from being knotted-up, by observing the following ‘nots’ – they’re not in any order of priority.


Not Realizing You’re Always Negotiating

Good negotiators know they’re always negotiating. That means they position themselves correctly to be perceived in a particular manner before the official negotiation begins. You’ll lose positioning perception if you don’t realize you’re always negotiating.


Not Planning Sufficiently For Pitfalls And Diversions

You should prepare for a negotiation to the degree you’re committed to its outcome. Thus, by not planning effectively, you’ll expose yourself to the whims of chance and luck. And that’s a recipe for a less-than-stellar result.


Not Checking/Managing Egos

Many negotiations have met their demise due to the egos of the competing negotiators. And, in some cases, the negotiators were on the same team. To safeguard your negotiation, remind everyone to keep their egos in check. And be prepared to bring them back in line before someone’s ego gets out of hand and wreaks havoc on the negotiation.


Not Knowing The Value Proposition

The value proposition a negotiator has is the perspective he brings to the table about the value of what he’s negotiating.

 

  • Not knowing your value – No matter your offerings, you should recognize how the other negotiator perceives value. Because if he’s negotiating with you, there’s a reason he’s doing so, and you should know that reason.

 

  • Not knowing the worth of your offering – Value is worth, and the perception someone assigns to worth is its value. If you don’t understand how valuable your offering is to the opposing negotiator, you could be setting yourself up for a significant loss – you’d do that by leaving more value on the table than you receive. Not only should you know the importance of what you have, but you should also be careful about who sets that value because that’ll determine its worth.

    Not Getting Researched Proof About Assumptions

An assumption is nothing more than a guess. To improve your outcomes, research your ideas. Seek to verify to what degree they’re valid. Doing so will give you leverage to refute some claims and reinforce others.


Not Considering Phases Of The Negotiation

Hopefully, you wouldn’t walk in dangerous environments without protection or support. And yet, by not considering where one phase of the negotiation leads, you could be moving into dangerous territory without protecting yourself. Moving without intent can leave you vulnerable to your negotiation counterpart. Always know the purpose of your actions, and where they may lead, when making offers and concessions during your negotiation.


Not Closing Correctly To Prevent Backdoor Escapes

Depending on its outcome, a negotiator may not like the deal. If so, he may seek ways to improve it later. That’s why you must confirm the covenants of the negotiation at its conclusion. You should also be aware of how the other negotiator appears as he’s responding to his understanding of what he and you will do next. If you sense any apprehension, address it sooner than later.


Not Recognizing Others You’re Negotiating Against

Some negotiators fall prey to the ploy of thinking they have a deal, and later discovering someone else has to make the final approval. At the beginning of your negotiation, verify that the other negotiator has the authority to conclude a deal. And inquire about those that are not at the negotiation table on whose behalf he may be negotiating. Don’t be blindsided by, ‘Oh, I forgot to tell you that I have to get approval from Miss Jones.’


Not Using Leverage Properly

Leverage gives you the ability to exact more influence in a negotiation than the capacity you possess alone. The opportunity to use it always exists. Once you identify it, to give it more potency, apply leverage when it gives you the highest return. To do otherwise is to weaken its value.


Not Projecting The Right Demeanor

When you’re negotiating, you’re role-playing. That means you should cast an effect that affects the behavior best suited for the talks. Doing so correctly enhances your negotiation efforts. To project the correct attitude, don’t under or over position yourself. Thus, the best persona should be one that assists you in reaching the goals you have for the negotiation.


Accepting A Statement/Offer And Not Assessing Its Premise

If I tell you a story, will you believe it? Your answer depends on the narrative, your belief system, and whatever additional information you choose to make your assessment. And that same thought process is what you should undergo before accepting someone’s premise as a truth. By not challenging someone’s statement, you exclude the possibility of other thoughts, offers, or solutions to a problem. Be careful of what you accept as the truth. Everything that glitters is not gold.

 

Reflection

So many mistakes can take a negotiation in the wrong direction. By observing the ‘nots’ mentioned, you can keep your negotiations from knotting up. In so doing, you’ll avoid the traps that ensnare most talks. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

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Categories
Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

“Beware Of The Ultimate Authority You Give To Authority” – Negotiation Insight

“Beware of the person that claims authority. For what they claim is only theirs if you grant it.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert    (Click to Tweet)

Click here to get the book!

Beware Of The Ultimate Authority You Give To Authority”

 

 

People don’t realize; they’re always negotiating!

 

When does someone have power? Answer – when others relinquish it or have it taken from them.

 

I can’t ask him to increase his rate; he’s a lawyer. The doctor cast a stern look at the nurse, and the nurse sheepishly slinked away. The nurse had a humiliating feeling of belittlement, which led him to think, “I better not question the doctor again. That was very discomforting.”

How many times has someone with authority caused you discomfort? If the event envokes terrible memories, do you still have challenging times when dealing with authority figures? If so, you need to be mindful of how you interact with such people. One way to do that is to realize you have authority too. And there’s power in it.

When dealing with those that have authority, remember the following.

 

Setting The Stage

Every interaction you have with someone assists in creating the environment of your next encounter. And the more interactions you have with people possessing traits of authority, the more you’ll act the same with other individuals with similar characteristics. That’s why you should be cautious about your response to such individuals, especially if you supplicate yourself to them when negotiating.

To break a spiraling downward cycle of self-degrading, when dealing with people of authority, consider:

 

  • not supplicating yourself because of their perceived status

 

  • establish new relationships on mutual respect based on your value

 

  • Re-establish prior relations on the amount of value you’ve added to it; if need be, discuss how you may have received the low end of past deals.

 

  • highlight the benefit of longterm relations based on mutual respect

 

  • talk about the ‘value-add’ you bring to engagements and how that person’s influence will become enhanced by the outcome you assist in achieving

 

Remember, if you think you can’t challenge people with authority, you’re permitting them to continue their behavior. Thus, if you want them to alter their behavior towards you, you have to initiate that change in them. And the way you do that is by standing up for yourself.

 

Know Your Value

Before a negotiation begins, who determines the value of what the negotiation entails? And, what variables do you consider to determine an item’s value?  Do you ponder the authority someone possesses based on their credentials – the status conveyed by the letters behind their name, their degrees? If you give weight to your assessment, based on those variables, you may be needlessly heightening their credibility. Your perspective becomes worse when seeing yourself, as being incapable of refuting such individuals when negotiating.

When speaking with someone about your services or product, as long as they’re talking, they sense value. If you think, because they’re a lawyer, a doctor, or whatever, that you don’t have power in the engagement, you’re giving away power, which is a form of control. And the more control you relinquish, the higher the probability the other person will control you.

Before entering a negotiation, know the value of what you possess. If need be, be prepared to discuss how you arrived at your value proposition. But only do so, when a client or prospect is committed to addressing your value in good faith. That’s to say, don’t answer questions about how you arrived at it until the other person is committed to genuine engagement.

The point is, negotiations are about control. And the person in control is the one asking questions; that’s because receiving information can be more beneficial than giving it, depending on how you use it. Thus, you must be cautious about the information you provide, when you give it, and the timing of its release. If done too hastily, your response might become perceived as being flippant. If done with deliberation, the other person might view that as you not having much thought about it before he asked the question. Always be mindful of the degree of control you have in a negotiation. And that’s displayed through your mannerisms when asking or answering questions, along with the timing of those questions.

 

Positional Power

During a negotiation, power flows back and forth between negotiators. That means you have more power than your counterpart at certain times. It’s during those times when your influence is most substantial that you should press the other negotiator. Those opportunities may occur due to the positional power you have. And that may stem from your leverage during specific periods.

Therefore, assemble points of leverage to use during the negotiation before the talks begin. To do that, gather information about the party with whom you’ll be negotiating from your associates and his. You should look for points of information that will cause the other party angst or relief, depending on what’s called for in a situation.

An example of causing angst with a lawyer who’d reach out to you to solicit your business might be reminding him of the less-than-stellar reputation he has for not paying his invoices on time. After issuing that reminder, pause. Don’t be the first to speak. Let him experience the angst you just placed upon him. If you observe him becoming somewhat deflated, that’ll signal the momentary control he’s given you. And that will also be a point in which you’ll have authority in the negotiation. That’s the time to suggest an up-front payment for him to engage your services, which could be his beginning stage of relief.

 

Reflection

As you engage anyone with whom you initiate business opportunities, be it attorney clients, doctors, or whomever, never give unfounded authority to their status or station simply because of their perceived status. If you do, you’ll place yourself in a weak negotiation position. Always remember that you possess value when negotiating. Instead of supplicating yourself to someone with perceived authority, highlight the value-add you bring to the environment. That will strengthen your position. And everything will be right with the world.

 

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

 

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Negotiation Insight” click here https://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

 

 

#Authority #csuitenetwork #thoughtcouncil #Bodylanguage #readingbodylanguage #Negotiation #NegotiationStrategies #NegotiationProcess #NegotiationSkillsTraining #NegotiationExamples #NegotiationTypes #negotiationPsychology #HowToNegotiateBetter #ReadingBodyLanguage #BodyLanguage #Nonverbal #Negotiate #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #Negotiator #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #BodyLanguageExpert #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions #GregWilliams #success #Howtowinmore #self-improvement #howtodealwithdifficultpeople #Self-development #Control #Conversations #Howtocontrolanegotiation #howtobesuccessful #HowToImproveyourself