Business negotiatons....

[Razorguns]

One of the most successful salespeople/businessmen i have ever met personally trained me on a lot of things. It's actulaly pretty simple.

His philosophy:

[By the time they get to you -- they've probably heard the same madison-avenue, college-trained, default, vanilla sales pitch blah blah a million times already. So take what you learned, and see used by every other salesperson and THROW it out the window].

Meaning:

[LISTEN to your client. Act almost like YOU are part of THEIR group. Act almost like you're a consultant hired by them to put together a SOLUTION that fits THEIR needs, NOT yours].

Example:

*ring*

[them]: Hi, we're interested in blah blah.

[typical sales guy] : "I'm so glad you called Steve! Why we have BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH (10 min default scripted sales pitch)".

[you]: "Yep. We can do all that. That's what we do actually. What would you like in particular?".

[them]: "Well, what we'd like is..."

[okay]: "Okay. When would you like it done? What's your main criteria you're looking for out of this? What's important to you most?"

[them]: "Well cost really, but blah blah blah blah".

*THEN* base your answer, your hidden, implicit sales pitch based upon their answers.

By now, the customer has already opened themselves up to you. Let you into their inner space. Feels comfortable. It's more of a friendly, casual conversation. Plus you've garnered so much info from them, that you know EXACTLY what they want -- and NOW you can give them an answer that fits exactly waht they want.

Heck. I've seen this guy go off on 10 minute conversations about the lakers during sales pitches! I ask him why and he goes "Well, EASIEST way to sell something to someone, is if they're already your friend. When you do HARD SELLS, people put their GUARD up. Even if they don't buy now. At least they're your friends and they may buy from you later".

NEVER EVER underestimate the power of communication and just being damn human sometimes.

 

[strongsmartsexy]

lol...

funny thing is, we are already significantly cheaper than any agency will be....

he seems to think that we should be even cheaper, given that we are just starting up.....

frankly, I think he just has that much of an ego, that he finds it necessary to try to assert control.

When I get people like that I start asking them "since you seem very concerned about costs..." then lead them down the path to reduced services/goods/deliverables in order to reduce the cost.

 

[Apöllo]

When I get people like that I start asking them "since you seem very concerned about costs..." then lead them down the path to reduced services/goods/deliverables in order to reduce the cost.

True. If they want to low ball you then just break out the Mircosoft Publisher or Front Page and and get some clip art ready.

"You want a Business card? Well lets see what kind of templates Publisher has here! What, you want an Online store? Okay, I heard some great things about Yahoo Shopping!"

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

True. If they want to low ball you then just break out the Mircosoft Publisher or Front Page and and get some clip art ready.

"You want a Business card? Well lets see what kind of templates Publisher has here! What, you want an Online store? Okay, I heard some great things about Yahoo Shopping!"

unrelated but Yahoo! shopping is an awesome value.

 

[Razorguns]

>funny thing is, we are already significantly cheaper than any agency will be....

Then tell him that and leave it at that. If price is obviously their main concern, then OBVIOUSLY he'll have to come to you. Why waste any more breath you know what i'm saying. You win by default if price is their only concern.