to thewords she uses, will be designed to lead you to believe thatunless she gets an extra 10% off, she's going with thecompetition. Be skeptical. Be suspicious. Test, probe, and seewhat happens.
Don't Offer Your Bottom Line Early in the Negotiation
How many times have you been asked to "give me your best price"?Have you ever given your best price only to discover that thebuyer still wanted more? You have to play the game. It'sexpected. If you could drop your price by 10%, start out with0%, or 2%, or 4%. Leave yourself room to negotiate some more.Who knows - you may get it for a 2% reduction. You might have togo all the way to 10%, but often you won't. A littlestubbornness pays big dividends.
Get Something in Return for Your Added Value
What if you discover that the buyer wants to be able to trackhis expenditures for your products or services in a way that isfar more detailed and complex than is standard for yourindustry? What if your account tracking system is set up in away that you can provide that information at essentially no costto you? Often the salesperson's overwhelming temptation is tojump in and say, "Oh, we can do that. That's no problem." Beforeyou do, however, think about your options. You could throw it inas part of the package and try to build good will. Or you couldtake a deep breath and try something like, "That's a difficultproblem that will require some effort on our part, but it'sdoable." In the second case, without committing, you've told thebuyer it is possible. You may not be able to get him to payextra for it but you may be able to use it as a bargaining chipin resisting price concessions. Which way you choose to go willdepend on who your customer is and on the situation. However,you do have options.
Sell and Negotiate Simultaneously
Think of selling and negotiating as two sides of the same coin.Sometimes one side is face up, and sometimes the other side, butthey are always both there. This is particularly true in yourearliest contacts with the buyer. The face the buyer sees isthat of a salesperson demonstrating features and benefits. Thehidden face is that of a negotiator probing and seeking outinformation that may be invaluable later should issues likeprice, terms, quality, delivery, etc. have to be negotiated.
Be Patient
Finally, and most important, be patient. Sales is a high energy,fast moving business. Patience is one commodity that is inrelatively short supply, but if you're impatient in anegotiation, you'll lose your shirt. If I'm negotiating with youand I know that you're impatient, I will hold out just a littlelonger, no matter how desperate I am to make a deal with you. Aslong as I know you're in a hurry, I'll wait. So be patient. Takethe time that you need, don't rush to give in, don't show youranxiety, stay cool and don't panic. Negotiation is a process anda game. Use the process and play the game. You'll be astonishedat the difference that it makes!
(c) Michael Schatzki - 2004. All rights reserved.
About the author:Michael Schatzki is a master negotiator who has provided salesnegotiation training and coaching for thousands of people in theU.S. and globally. Check out all of Mike's articles at http://www.NegotiationDynamics.com Mike can bereached at (888) 766-3530.
