Throughout the first five steps of the buy-learning process, your prospects’ focus has been on achieving value. They have examined their problems, determined the problems’ seriousness, and examined the alternatives. They have a well-defined expectation of value because their attention has been on the benefits they will enjoy by purchasing. Now, in Step 6, Commitment, the focus changes from the value of your solution to its cost.

If your negotiation is occurring at the proper time, that is, after the two of you have completed the first five steps in the sales training process, then there is good news: your prospect wants to buy from you! However, don’t start computing your commission. The prospect will usually want more concessions. This is when real negotiating begins. Customers negotiate because they know that getting a lower price or other concession is likely at this stage. They do it because it works! But there are other reasons prospects negotiate. If you wish to negotiate successfully, you will want to understand the motivations of the other party. And, this will help you a lot in you sales management role.

People negotiate hard when their jobs are on the line.
Buyers are often (always?!) evaluated by their ability to save the company money.
CEOs and Core-level decisionmakers are evaluated on much more than price.
Example: efficiency of operations and return on investment. Consequently they negotiate differently, focusing on a variety of items.
Some buyers negotiate vigorously if:
They want to be admired.
They enjoy being tough.

It is strongly recommended that any negotiating you engage be done in good faith, with the objective of achieving a win-win, even if you are negotiating with Attila the Hun. You can learn lots of “tricks” from negotiating books or attending sales manager training classes and seminars. They may work short-term. But in the long run they work against you.

Obtaining commitment from your prospect is a matter of working through the negotiating process so that everyone wins. The buying process unfolds in a series of eight predictable steps that your salespeople can anticipate. Our sales training programs teach your salespeople eight easily understood sales roles that correspond directly to the steps of the buying process. Our sales roles: Student, Doctor, Architect, Coach, Therapist, Negotiator, Teacher and Farmer, provide a disciplined, repeatable method for closing more sales, faster, while your competition wonders why they lost out.

A sophisticated sales approach made simple.

Many of our clients are looking for a common language, a consistent and measureable process for solution selling. Without a common language salespeople tend to sell on their instincts, and some wander aimlessly through a sales process without a plan, missing many opportunities during the buying process to intensify the customers’ needs and differentiate your solution.

Understanding what it takes to improve your team’s closing ratio – a thoughtful sales strategy combined with effective sales tactics on each and every sales call. Sales training programs will show your salespeople how to add more value, sooner, to your prospects and customers.

For years, the focus of sales training has been on the selling process – while ignoring customer buying behavior. But tomorrow’s big winners in sales will be those who learn to join customers in their buying process.