To Win at Sales Negotiations, Change It Up

Sales negotiations that end up as a tug of war rarely have satisfactory conclusions. Neither do the negotiations where the two sides become combative. Both result in lopsided agreements that are doomed to fail in the end. Experts in sales negotiation training advocate for another way to handle the stalemates that put deals at risk. Change it up!

The best baseball pitchers are adept at delivering a pitch that is unexpected and throws off the batter’s timing and balance. Changeups may look like a fastball but arrive much more slowly. The batter expects a fastball by observing the pitcher’s windup. When the ball finally gets to the plate, the batter’s timing is off. The advantage goes to the defense.

In complex and important sales negotiations, there is little to be gained by trying to be more aggressive than your opponent. Just think of the recent Republican Primary Debates. In early debates, the candidates attacked one another personally and viciously. Their reputations were suffering because of the unbridled antagonism and un-Presidential behavior. Apparently, public outcry at their unprofessionalism reached them. The March 10th debate was almost “civil” in Donald Trump’s words. Now the issues can be discussed and the voting public has a chance to evaluate the candidates and make a more informed choice.

Instead of trying to dominate at the same time as your opponent is trying to dominate, sales negotiation experts recommend that you change it up.  When one advances, the other can retreat. When your opponent comes on strong, don’t give in but be respectful. If you can lessen the heat, you can both work more on important issues than on personalities. After all, the goal is not unilateral victory but to bring two sides to an agreement that works for both in the long-term. 

You don’t need to end up as buddies, but you owe it to your stakeholders to do your best to resolve problems and make workable and mutually beneficial deals. Try changing it up to put your opponent off balance and re-visit the negotiating points in a less confrontational way.

For more information, please visit: http://www.lsaglobal.com/sales-negotiation-training/