Time, Trust, and Tactics are the three elements of any negotiation. The more time you have invested and trust you have established, the less need there will be for tactics.
I always am amazed at the number of “sales professionals” who tout the use of a wide range of strong-arm tactics whenever they’re negotiating. Yes, it’s important to know all of these strategies and how they can be used, but I firmly believe that the best two tactics are “time” and “trust.” When there is a bond of trust between the parties, the negotiation process is so much easier. When you add enough time to the equation, there isn’t anything that can’t be negotiated successfully. I’m not going to kid anybody by saying we should never enter into a negotiation unless we have both of these. Many times we simply don’t have the luxury of time and trust. That’s why it’s important to know how to use various negotiating tactics.
I have several new podcasts on the subject of negotiating out on iTunes. Take a few minutes and listen to them. I am sure you’ll come away with some new information on how to be successful on your next sales call. Follow the link below.
Negotiation podcasts
