Sell and Negotiate Simultaneously

Think of selling and negotiating as two sides of same coin. Sometimes one side is face up, and sometimes other side, but they are always both there. This is particularly true in your earliest contacts with buyer. The face buyer sees is that of a salesperson demonstrating features and benefits. The hidden face is that of a negotiator probing and seeking out information that may be invaluable later should issues like price, terms, quality, delivery, etc. have to be negotiated.

Be Patient

Finally, and most important, be patient. Sales is a high energy, fast moving business. Patience is one commodity that is in relatively short supply, but if you're impatient in a negotiation, you'll lose your shirt. If I'm negotiating with you and I know that you're impatient, I will hold out just a little longer, no matter how desperate I am to make a deal with you. As long as I know you're in a hurry, I'll wait. So be patient. Take time that you need, don't rush to give in, don't show your anxiety, stay cool and don't panic. Negotiation is a process and a game. Use process and play game. You'll be astonished at difference that it makes!

(c) Michael Schatzki - 2004. All rights reserved.

Mistake #4 – The message does not compel me to return call. “Hi, it’s Bob from Human Resources Plus and I’d like to talk to you about your recent merger. We specialize in helping businesses like yours manage process more effectively.” A message like this does not compel me to call you back.

To stand out from your competition, leave a message that offers some form of benefit to your prospect or customer. For example, “Hi Mrs. Smith, it’s Bob Jones from Human Resources Plus calling. Most companies who undertake a merger experience a significant reduction in employee morale. One way to improve this is to communicate regularly with your team and keep them updated on progress of merger. Learn additional strategies by calling me at…” I recommend crafting a variety of different messages and offering a different benefit each time you call. Use case studies and tell your prospect about specific results some of your clients have achieved. Make your prospect want to return your call.

Mistake #5 – The message is too generic. Too many sales people try to sell their product or service to anyone who will buy it. Personalize your message by indicating that you know something about your prospect’s business and/or industry. Make references to specific challenges they face and give an example of how your product or service can help them. Remember to use your prospect’s name, particularly at beginning and at end of message.

Voice mail is a vital tool in today’s business world. How you utilize this tool greatly affects your sales results and, in my experience, majority of people fail to use it properly. Make sure your message is easy to understand and keep it brief. Enunciate your words clearly and spell out your name if necessary. Slow down your rate of speech. State your telephone number slowly so I can write it down without listening to your message three or four times. Give me a compelling reason to call you back. Lastly, adapt your message to my specific business. Personalize it and use my name.

If you want to cut through clutter and stand out from your competition you must make your voice mail messages work for you.

© Copyright 2004, Kelley Robertson. All rights reserved.