Win First, Then Negotiate
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:37 am
Enterprise level and long-cycle complex sales negotiation is much different from transactional, one-call-close haggling.
Negotiation with a stakeholder who works for a business is different from negotiation with a business owner.
Negotiation with C-level and senior executives is far different from working out a deal with a middle manager.
Negotiating with procurement is vastly different from negotiating with an engaged stakeholder.
B2B negotiation is different from negotiating with individual consumers in B2C sales.
Negotiating over physical products is different from negotiating for intangible services and software.
Yet, as a sales professional, no matter your industry, product, service, or the complexity of your sale, you are going to have to negotiate with stakeholders.
Though context matters, there are seven rules of sales oman telegram data negotiation common to all sales situations that will guide you on your journey to mastering sales negotiation skills. These rules are the foundation for the lessons in my new book, INKED.
I promise that when you internalize these rules and play by them, you will become a more effective negotiator, you will bring home more profitable accounts for your company, and your income will grow.
This is rule one in sales negotiation. It’s also the rule that most salespeople consistently violate. Getting the timing wrong with negotiation causes you to give your leverage away early and for free.
Do not negotiate until your stakeholders have named you the vendor of choice (VOC)—either explicitly or implicitly.
Before that point, you are not negotiating.
You may be dealing with price objections, bidding against your competitors, using price concessions as a differentiation tool, or negotiating with yourself, but you are not in a sales negotiation with the buyer.
Negotiation with a stakeholder who works for a business is different from negotiation with a business owner.
Negotiation with C-level and senior executives is far different from working out a deal with a middle manager.
Negotiating with procurement is vastly different from negotiating with an engaged stakeholder.
B2B negotiation is different from negotiating with individual consumers in B2C sales.
Negotiating over physical products is different from negotiating for intangible services and software.
Yet, as a sales professional, no matter your industry, product, service, or the complexity of your sale, you are going to have to negotiate with stakeholders.
Though context matters, there are seven rules of sales oman telegram data negotiation common to all sales situations that will guide you on your journey to mastering sales negotiation skills. These rules are the foundation for the lessons in my new book, INKED.
I promise that when you internalize these rules and play by them, you will become a more effective negotiator, you will bring home more profitable accounts for your company, and your income will grow.
This is rule one in sales negotiation. It’s also the rule that most salespeople consistently violate. Getting the timing wrong with negotiation causes you to give your leverage away early and for free.
Do not negotiate until your stakeholders have named you the vendor of choice (VOC)—either explicitly or implicitly.
Before that point, you are not negotiating.
You may be dealing with price objections, bidding against your competitors, using price concessions as a differentiation tool, or negotiating with yourself, but you are not in a sales negotiation with the buyer.