Let us create a 3D eBook for you!
Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com

 

Focus on a Trade - Not a Discount


Smart buyers will always ask for a better price. Unfortunately, too many sales people and business owners automatically think that reducing their price is the most effective way to respond to this request.

However, negotiating is not always about price. Although price is a factor in virtually every sale it is not usually the primary or motivating factor. Everything you say and do from the first contact with a prospect affects the value of your product or service in their mind. That's why I believe it is important to look at the negotiating process differently in order to achieve better results.

First of all, invest time gathering information about your prospective customer, his needs, situation, and buying motives. The more information you have the more prepared you will be to negotiate later in the sales process. Regardless of what you sell, and to whom, information will help you negotiate more effectively. Many of my clients tell me that their customers care only about price, but upon further exploration, other issues usually arise. Uncovering the key issues your customer is facing is critical to your negotiating success.

The second most important step is to establish the value of your product or service to your customer. Positioning is an important factor and will affect the price your customer is willing to pay. What pain does your product or service eliminate? How does it solve a problem they are experiencing? How do your products and service differ from your competitors? Most of my clients sell premium products at a premium price. In exchange, their customers receive better than average service, faster response times, or higher quality products. What is your leverage and how can you use it to increase the value of what you sell?

You have executed the above steps but price is still an issue for your customer. What do you do now? Instead of conceding to their request and giving them a discount, focus on creating a trade. This means you should ask for something in exchange for making a concession. What can you trade or ask for? Almost anything!

A longer contract, a bigger order, more add-on items, an introduction to another key decision-maker in the company, access to their mailing list or client database, or payment terms. You can negotiate for products and services that the other person or company offers such as consulting, office equipment, computers, furniture, business services, etc. I once worked for an electronics company and my boss offered a big-screen as payment for services to a potential vendor. I was shocked when the vendor eagerly accepted because I always had the impression that business people focused strictly on cash.

Here are a few ways you can effectively position this request.

"If I could do that price for you would you be willing to extend the length of the contract for an additional three months?"

"If I could work that out would you be prepared to give me advertising space?"

"The only way I could give you that is if you add one more line of products."

"Let's put that aside for the time being. Would you be able to give a similar amount of?in exchange for that concession?"

The key here is to think outside the box and explore other options available to you.

I recall speaking to a prospective client about a training workshop and was asked to make a concession that amounted to a fifteen percent discount. I was not comfortable with this so I asked my prospect if he would be willing to give me a comparable amount of his product instead. He did not have the authority to make such a decision but spoke to someone who did. My request was eventually denied so my client conceded to my initial offer.

Another effective approach is to make the concession but take something away from the initial offer. For example, you could say, "I can do that. However, I will have to charge you for?" or "I can do that. Do you want free delivery or after-hours service taken out of the contract?"

Most people will expect you to keep all the conditions "as is" but they will want the lower price. By demonstrating how much the concession is worth you can reduce the effectiveness of their request.

Finally, another strategy is to always ask for something in return for making a concession even if you don't need it. I have been surprised how many times I have gotten something extra simply by asking. Plus, it often prevents the other person from asking for an additional concession because they know you will ask for something in return.

Remember, your ultimate goal is to give away as little as possible in order to close the sale. Every time you discount your product or service you discount yourself and eat away your profits.

© Copyright 2004 Kelley Robertson

About The Author

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, is a professional speaker and trainer on sales and employee motivation. He is also the author of "Stop, Ask & Listen - Proven Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers." Receive a FREE copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. You can also contact Kelley at 905-633-7750.


MORE RESOURCES:

Sales - Google News

What Nintendo's 2011 sales mean for Wii U, third parties - Gamasutra


Gamasutra

What Nintendo's 2011 sales mean for Wii U, third parties
Gamasutra
Regrettably, we have no good idea for the scale of retail sales compared to the online distribution. As the Nintendo DS begins its final descent into obsolescence, the company's new handheld – the 3DS – is just getting started. Its top-selling software ...
Report: Xbox 360 Best Selling Console of 2011TechnoBuffalo

all 15 news articles »

Orchids Paper Products Company Reports Record Quarterly Converted Product ... - Sacramento Bee


Orchids Paper Products Company Reports Record Quarterly Converted Product ...
Sacramento Bee
The increase in converted product sales resulted from a 46% increase in converted product tonnage shipped and a 2% decrease in net selling price per ton. The increase in shipments was due to a combination of new product sales which were primarily in ...

and more »

Apotex pays Bristol, Sanofi damages over Plavix - Wall Street Journal


Apotex pays Bristol, Sanofi damages over Plavix
Wall Street Journal
Apotex Corp., Canada's biggest drugmaker, has paid Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi SA, the two brand-name drugmakers that jointly sell Plavix, $442.2 million in damages ordered over its improper sales of a generic version of Plavix in 2006.

and more »

Beer sales could be boon for Arizona's universities - AZ Central.com


Beer sales could be boon for Arizona's universities
AZ Central.com
Several Arizona representatives have proposed a bill that would open the door to selling beer and wine to the general public at state university sporting events. My gut reaction was "never" as I envisioned stadium students sections turning into a ...

and more »

Fed Sells $6.2 Billion of Bonds From AIG Rescue to Goldman - San Francisco Chronicle


Bloomberg

Fed Sells $6.2 Billion of Bonds From AIG Rescue to Goldman
San Francisco Chronicle
The New York Fed in June ended its earlier plan to sell Maiden Lane II assets through regular auctions, following sales of about $10 billion. The face value of the assets had dwindled to about $21 billion when the auctions were halted.
Goldman in $6.2bn toxic asset dealFinancial Times

all 40 news articles »

iPhone on Sprint: Great for sales, terrible for profits - Christian Science Monitor


Christian Science Monitor

iPhone on Sprint: Great for sales, terrible for profits
Christian Science Monitor
The Apple iPhone was the top-selling smartphone of the last quarter, according to a new report from the International Data Corporation – the king of a smartphone market that has expanded by as much as 55 percent over the past year.
Sprint's iPhone sales can't stem lossesSan Francisco Chronicle
Sprint's First iPhone Sales Add to Wider LossWall Street Journal
You can lose money selling iPhone, just ask SprintBetaNews
Slate Magazine (blog) -Fox News -Seeking Alpha
all 548 news articles »

Wells Fargo's Carroll eyes cross-selling by brokers - Reuters


Wells Fargo's Carroll eyes cross-selling by brokers
Reuters
Wells Fargo is known to carefully track sales of credit cards, insurance and other products to its bank customers. And executives have embraced the idea of cross-selling. The firm does not have any mandatory cross-selling sales goals for its brokers, ...

and more »

Las Vegas Still Selling More Homes in January, Yet Prices Still Declining - World Property Channel


Las Vegas Still Selling More Homes in January, Yet Prices Still Declining
World Property Channel
The local housing market began 2012 in much the same way it ended 2011, local home sales increased compared to the same month last year while prices dipped. "We continue to sell existing homes at a record pace and at bargain prices," said greater Los ...

and more »

Newsstand Report: Sales Down Across the Board, Elle Plumets 18%, and ... - Fashionista


Globe and Mail

Newsstand Report: Sales Down Across the Board, <em>Elle</em> Plumets 18%, and ...
Fashionista
Glamour was at the industry average, selling an average of 469544 copies. Marie Claire wasn't far behind, falling 8.9 percent to 231054 and W's newsstand was down 7.4 percent to 20426. Harper's Bazaar's single-copy sales fell 7.3 percent to 147194.
Canadian magazine sales slip in 2nd half of 2011Globe and Mail
Newsstand magazine sales down 10% in USChina Post

all 106 news articles »

Average Salespeople “Fly By The Seat Of Their Pants” - Utah Pulse


Average Salespeople “Fly By The Seat Of Their Pants”
Utah Pulse
If you feel that selling isn't hard work you probably aren't as successful as you could be. 2. Salespeople don't think through the sale as they should. If you don't know the who, what, where, when, why and how of the sales opportunity, you are missing ...
The Forum Corporation: New Survey Finds That Traditional Relationship Selling ...MarketWatch (press release)

all 5 news articles »

Click here for Best Buy In-Store Pickup

StreetSideAuto.com

Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?

My Life Through The Lens

List4Sale Domain Is For Sale - $10,000 For Enquiries eMail Us

© www.List4Sale.biz 2011

home | site map | links

eXTReMe Tracker