Author name: B-More Consulting

Negotiating is among the most feared and stress-inducing functions for a sales professional, and also among the most important. If you struggle with negotiations, there may be bad habits undermining your success in this role: Viewing negotiations as a battle – Negotiations should be about finding solutions and adding value for all parties, not about winning or losing. As soon as we view the customer as the opponent, we compromise our ability to empathize and get into their “Odds Are” to identify mutually beneficial outcomes. Not asking enough questions – Nowhere is the power of the Exploratory Process more evident than when negotiating! Your responsibility is to ask the right questions to find out what your customer really values. Skilled use of the Exploratory Process will help you guide the discussion and potentially uncover value considerations that the customer was not even aware of. Focusing on price – Sales professionals identify price as the number one objection in the sales process and the most significant barrier in negotiations. Don’t give price more weight than it deserves! Be sure your Exploratory Process and discussion encompass all value considerations, including consultation, quality, service, delivery, customization, response time and payment terms. This practice not only prevents unnecessary price concessions, it actually improves the overall satisfaction of customers via a comprehensive value solution. It is impossible to overstate the importance of your relationship with customers during negotiations. A high level of trust will eliminate emotional barriers, facilitate openness and idea sharing, and pave the way for a productive discussion centered on beneficial outcomes. Great Selling!

It is critical to understand that all customers (and people) are not the same. Responding to their unique needs, values and motivations will allow you to create a strategic advantage. ORIENTATION: Security Avoids risks and controversy Operates methodically Acts deliberately Solicits others\’ opinions Documents everything Is precise and detailed DEALING WITH THIS BUYER: Respond quickly Be expedient Keep well informed When proposing new ideas, minimize the risk and provide ample proof ORIENTATION: Affiliation Is cordial and loyal Confides with/ involves others Enjoys entertainment Avoids conflict Develops relationships Is people-oriented DEALING WITH THIS BUYER: Be a friend to this person Pay attention to non job-related items Set aside ample time for building a strong relationship ORIENTATION: Power Is aggressive and authoritative Results-focused Enjoys problem-solving Focuses on self Takes credit Requires rewards DEALING WITH THIS BUYER: Focus on how you are going to make this person successful in the eyes of their company Listen carefully and incorporate their guidance and direction ORIENTATION: Actualization Takes risks Accepts consequences Shares ideas and credit Is open and honest Gives guidance Creates a positive environment Demands excellence DEALING WITH THIS BUYER: High trust is an important value Be honest and direct Avoid \”over-promising\”and \”under-delivering\” Stress the benefits of your proposal in relation to their company\’s needs Work hard for this person and they will reward your efforts

You\’re doing great on the quest to achieve Preferred Position. You\’ve utilized the techniques introduced in the DPS workshop, including: Exploratory Process – GAP Presentation Process – Diamond JADIK Matrix – Positioning for a Long Term Business Relationship You\’ve closed, but the customer is saying, \”We like what we see. We\’ll get back to you in a few days after we review your offering.\” This is not the time to wait and see if the customer will follow up with you. It\’s the opportunity for you to follow up with the customer. PUT IT IN WRITING If this type of situation occurs, outline all of your presentation items in a report or \”Sales Summary Proposal.\” By detailing all the activities in this manner, you provide the customer with an organized summary and are able to regroup and lay the groundwork for the next call. Once you provide the Sales Summary Proposal, follow up with the customer. This post-call activity will allow you to stay in the customer\’s consciousness by maintaining a presence, eliminating confusion via secondhand delivery of your recommendations, and reaching key people you are not normally able to access. Bottom Line — the Sales Summary Proposal provides the focal point for your follow-up calls. A timely Sales Summary Proposal that works in the customer\’s Operating Reality will expand the relationship and help you achieve Preferred Position. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

As you improve your sales skills, your relationship with the customer will continue to grow, becoming both rewarding and productive.  Why?  Because you are utilizing the Exploratory and Presentation Processes in a balanced manner. JADIK Matrix:  Expand the Common Ground with Sensitivity and Balance You need to increase Common Ground in order to secure Preferred Position and ensure long-term business with the customer. This will help you realize the total potential of the relationship. To do so, use the JADIK Matrix.  Remember, you have the GAP to reduce the Blind Spot, and the Diamond to minimize the Unrevealed and increase Common Ground. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

You\’ve found an Area of Opportunity or \”GAP\” via skillful use of the Exploratory Process. Now it is time to move on to another Positional Selling® Strategy, which is “Make the Customer Part of the Solution.” Make sure to include the customer\’s ideas, needs, and his/her contributions in this process. What are these contributions? A key portion will include areas of opportunity presented by the customer in the Exploratory Process when he/she revealed a GAP. The best way to make the buyer part of the solution is to follow the model provided in the Presentation Diamond: PRESENT WITH A PURPOSE! POSITIVE CONTACT – Bring the best of your attitude, energy, and appearance to the customer. PROPOSAL – Review the customer\’s needs, state your objectives for the presentation, and verify your understanding. SOLUTION – Present the features and benefits of your product or service solution. SUMMARY – Review the problem, restate the solution, and summarize the benefits. CLOSURE – Ask for the business and enlist the customer\’s support in taking the next step. RESPONSE CHECK – Throughout the presentation, check the customer\’s understanding by using open-ended and close-ended questions. Ask questions that will uncover hidden objections. Handle objections with LAER. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Let\’s recap the Positional Selling® Strategies we have covered thus far: Take the Lead Stop Looking Out for Number One (Operating Reality) Invest in the Relationship (LAER) Bring Your Energy to the Customer Get Organized This week we will focus on another Positional Selling® Strategy which is \”Find the Area of Opportunity.\” The Area of Opportunity is all about working in the customer\’s Operating Reality and getting out of your own. To do so, you must find out what is important to the customer. This is accomplished by use of the Exploratory Process. The key is to make the customer part of the solution by asking the right questions and discovering what he/she needs. Basically, find out or ask them where they are now and what they are trying to accomplish. Use the Exploratory Process and the following model to reveal the Area of Opportunity or the Gap: What are you trying to accomplish? (IDEAL) Where are you now in this regard? (ACTUAL) Once you have uncovered the Gaps and met the customer\’s needs, you have another opportunity to provide an Added Dimension. The Added Dimension is accomplished by adding something unique in addition to the 100% level of satisfaction the customer is already achieving. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Resist the temptation to use the \”shotgun\” approach. Stay focused, plan, and have a concrete objective for each call.  You owe this to the customer and to yourself.  The time you spend planning a call often yields an enormous time savings on the actual sales call or customer engagement. Being recognized as an organized person will help you gain Preferred Position. Be sure to utilize the Strategic Selling Plan provided by Carew at the DPS workshop.  This plan allows you to state the objective, strategies and action steps.  A written plan leads to a desired result, whereas the alternative leads nowhere. When you utilize the Strategic Selling Plan, you are either gathering information to find out what the customer needs OR you\’re delivering information to respond to the needs of the customer. The two primary selling strategies that assist you in obtaining these goals are the Gap and the Diamond. Exploratory process – Find the Area of Opportunity Presentation Process – Make the Customer Part of the Solution We will concentrate on these strategies during the next two weeks. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Establishing Positive Contact with the customer is imperative. Bring your energy to the customer and operate in his/her operating reality, not your own. Your energy is your presence and when you exhibit positive, enthusiastic and caring energy, you position yourself for an extremely successful sales call. The three elements that will win the buyer\’s attention: Attitude Energy Appearance There are key action steps to help bring your energy to the customer: Earn Position – Sometimes a sales professional gains position via virtues of a superior product. This is often not an \”earned position,\” and in today\’s hyper-competitive environment does not last very long. To truly earn position, a sales professional has to work hard to continually create new awareness. Feel Good About the People You\’re Calling On – If you do not feel good about the person you are calling on, it is often visible. Customers deserve a positive attitude from their business partner. \”Touch\” Everyone – Take time and get to know all of the involved people at the company you are calling on – not just the key contact. People like to be recognized and addressed by name. Use All Your Assets – Both you and your company have a lot of unique capabilities – leverage and manage these assets to ensure success. Share Your Excitement – Customers like to deal with energetic, successful people! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

This week we will focus on the third Positional Selling® Strategy, \”Invest in the Relationship.\” Focus on building a unique relationship with the customer where you are viewed as being part of their business. When the customer views your contribution in this way, you are well on the way to achieving Preferred Position. One of the key aspects of the investment process is to make sure the customer knows he/she is being listened to and taken seriously, especially in regard to areas of objection or frustration. Utilize the Bonding Process, or LAER, to ensure you are focusing on the needs of the customer. When you LAER, the following will occur: Anger is diffused Indifference is replaced by interest Impatience is dissipated Preoccupation becomes impossible Listen  to demonstrate your interest in wanting to understand Acknowledge to convey your concern and share your desire to be helpful Explore to develop a complete and accurate understanding of the customer\’s concern Respond to propose a solution that addresses the problem *Remember to repeat L-A-E as many times as needed to uncover the customer\’s real objective before R. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Remember to understand the words \”Operating Reality\” and work in the customer\’s operating reality, not your own. Think about what really matters to the customer. What is important to the customer? What need is he/she trying to satisfy? What result is the customer trying to achieve? When you\’re in it just for yourself and the customer\’s best interests come second, you may be opting for the short-term gain and suffer a long-term loss in the relationship. To understand your customer\’s Operating Reality you will have to: Know your customer Understand his/her values and motivations Use your heart as well as your head Sell or deliver in terms of what\’s important to the customer rather than what\’s in it for you Keep in mind the \”Odds Are\” 2:1 that you will be inwardly focused or have a self-centered reaction versus being outwardly focused or having an \”other-centered\” response KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!