April 24th, 2009
Stressed out and stretched thin. That’s today’s business theme. All kinds of businesses are making tough choices. Customers are cutting back. Some are on the brink of disaster, while others are perfectly fine but act like they are on the verge of collapse. All of this economic uncertainty is creating havoc with many long-standing business relationships.
Read the rest of Stand Up and Stop Rolling Over: Negotiation Tips for Tough Times >>
February 17th, 2009
The Sunday, February 15, 2009 Washington Post ran a fascinating article about truth telling and trust. Researches at MIT’s Media Lab found that body language, vocal pattern and pitch are so critical to human trust that the researchers could predict the success of a sales pitch by reading body language alone. They didn’t even have to hear the content of the pitch.
Read the rest of Body Language Predicts Success or Failure of Sales Pitch >>
February 10th, 2009
I have a confession to make – I listened in on someone else’s conversation at a Starbucks. In fact, I listed as two lawyers, who I am guessing worked as in-house counsel for one of the large Seattle based corporations, complained about a particular negotiation. What’s more, I was so happy to listen to them, that I was delighted to get a text message that my colleague was running late. I listened to them with my negotiation coaches’ hat on. Here was the rhythm. #1 Guy started by asking #2 Guy what their next move should be at the bargaining table. #2 Guy complained about the personality of their counterpart. #1 Guy agreed and added a few words. #2 Guy added that their counterpart’s requests were unreasonable. #1 Guy agreed and complained again about their counterpart’s personality. And on it went for 15 minutes. Then they left.
Read the rest of Negotiation Planning is more than a b.s. session at a local Starbucks. >>
February 3rd, 2009
My pet peeve with the negotiation literature is that all too often authors refer to concessions and tradeoffs interchangeably, meaning they talk about tradeoffs but call them concessions or worse, call concessions tradeoffs. Mixing these terms creates confusion in the literature and during the actual back and forth bartering. Unskilled negotiators don’t distinguish between offering something without an expectation of getting something in return, and offering something with the explicit understanding that the only way their counterpart will benefit is to offer something in return. I see many negotiators make concessions believing that they are making tradeoffs just to become disappointed or upset that they did not get anything in return.
Read the rest of Free Negotiation Tip: The Key to Making Effective Tradeoffs — Define your tradeoff >>
May 2nd, 2008
Two men called me last September with a question: “We’ve been approached by a very large company. They want to acquire our company and they want us to set the price. What do you think we should do?”
Read the rest of Make me an offer I cannot refuse! >>
May 2nd, 2008
Have you been caught off guard by people who don’t seem to want to negotiate with you, but you wanted to negotiate with them?
Read the rest of Why Won’t They Negotiate with Me? >>
May 2nd, 2008
Are you selling to companies doing more than $250 million in revenue? Having trouble closing the sale and seeing actual dollars come through the door? Want to do business with large accounts, but don’t know where to start? Then join us for True Lies: Five Ways to Get Real About Landing Large Accounts. Our panel of experts will debunk the myths of doing business with big organizations and provide insight into how to stop spinning your wheels and start building solid customer relationships with a strategic framework that will deliver real results.
Your collaborators for this free breakfast event include:
- Tracy Corley, Marketing and Creative Strategist, TsuluWerks, Inc. She’ll share how to build lasting relationships by getting noticed and getting in the door.
- Pete McDowell, Sales and Business Development Guru, Performa Business Development. He’ll share how to profit from your customer relationships by having high value conversations.
- Jeanette Nyden, Legal Eagle and Negotiations Guru, J. Nyden and Company/ Rodger I. Kohn P.S. She’ll share how to level the playing field and negotiate on your terms.
Read the rest of True Lies: Five Ways to Get Real About Landing Large Accounts >>
May 2nd, 2008
Cash today is better than the promise of more cash tomorrow. This was my motto as a bankruptcy litigator in Chicago, Illinois representing corporate debtors. I would get outstanding deals for my clients with that one line. In an economic downturn everyone wants the real deal – cash today. Tomorrow is a long way off and you might not get there.
Read the rest of Cash Flow Tight? Consider Re-Negotiating Some Contracts >>
September 6th, 2007
I was reading the Wall Street Journal last night when an article caught my eye. NBC Starts an Apple iDuel (Weekend edition, Saturday/Sunday, September 1-2, 2007, Section B, page 14) Apparently, GE, through its subsidiary NBC, is in a dispute with Apple concerning the cost of NBC’s video downloads and the “antipiracy” protections Apple offers.
Read the rest of Just a Bit of Brinkmanship >>
