Before one learns to walk, they have already witnessed many forms of negotiation. And, as we grow up we develop our own level of this skill called negotiating. What do you think of when you think of the word? Something like this? 

That video, albeit cute and funny, is a pretty straightforward demonstration of the definition, "a mutual discussion and arrangement of the terms of a transaction of agreement."

The interesting part about what we see everyday as we work with sales people is that very few have developed the skills that it takes to successfully move through a true negotiation. The sales manager will in fact negotiate, but with little or no direction or outcome in mind. Qualifying is the fundamental key to negotiation. If you don't qualify, you have no idea what is important to the customer and what you can leverage to close the deal. It's like shooting in the dark- you will eventually hit something, but you will most likely miss. Without this key information there is a good chance that you might offer too much or too little. To successfully move through a polished negotiaiton there needs to be advanced planning. Each step takes time and consideration, so to help your sales people learn some best practices, we have developed for you Tips for Negotiating for the WIN-WIN. Here is a quick look, but at the end of the blog you can download a copy for your team.

The only way to gain confidence in negotiation is to do negotiations, so practice. Mastering these tips will not only help you to feel more confident as a sales person, but will capitalize on getting the most out of your business exchanges. The overall goal will always be to reach a win-win scenario, and that will always be the recipe to loyal customers. So download now!