Step 4 – Successfully negotiating the first few steps in the buy/sell cycle – Negotiating to a win/win in B2B Sales

In the April 2012 article on negotiating we discussed having a ‘roadmap’ in your mind about what the next steps in a buy/sell cycle should/could be after an initial 45 minute to 1 hour conversation with a key buyer at a prospect company. Our recommendation for a next step as we discussed last month is to gain agreement that the buyer has a “VISION” of a solution and wants to continue to evaluate your company and that you want to document this conversation in a letter and suggest some next steps.

This may be best illustrated by telling you a brief story about a real opportunity I worked on in the past. Continue reading

Step 3 – Gain Agreement on a Summary Letter and a meeting to discuss it – Negotiating to a win/win in B2B Sales

This month’s article is about gaining agreement on what the next steps would be after a 45-60 minute meeting has occurred between you and a buyer. Remember, in all of these steps we’ll be discussing, use the concepts of ‘quid pro quo’ and ABC (Always be closing – for the next step!).

A reminder to the readers! This is a buy/sell cycle which is considered a complex sale. That means that more than one buyer will be involved in making a decision to buy from your company. The strategy and tactics we are pursuing in these articles is HOW to successfully work with a company that will ask multiple key buyers to be involved in making a buying decision. Our negotiating strategies and tactics are designed to include ALL relevant buyers in the buying process.

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Step 2 – Gain Agreement on Next Steps – Negotiating to a win/win in B2B Sales

As we discussed in the article in August 2011, “Negotiating to a win/win in B2B”, we will be providing some ‘HOW TO’ thoughts for the nine steps mentioned in that article.

This month’s article is about gaining agreement on what the next steps would be after an initial conversation has occurred. Remember, in all of these steps we’ll be discussing, use the concepts of ‘quid pro quo’ and ABC (Always be closing – for the next step!). Continue reading

An Article from the Economist I thought you might find interesting!

I recently read this article by the Economist “The Art of Selling” (The death of the salesman has been greatly exaggerated), and thought you might find it of interest.

A couple of thoughts! If you sell, manage, or market products and services in a B2B (Business to Business environment) that require the following, I would maintain that “Selling by ‘Human Being’ is alive and well”! Continue reading

Step 1 is the Initial Meeting – Negotiating a Win/Win in B2B Sales

As I discussed in the article in August 2011, “Negotiating to a win/win in B2B”, I will be providing some ‘HOW TO’ thoughts for the nine steps mentioned in that article.

This month’s article is about negotiating the first ‘substantive’ telephone or in person meeting with a curious or interested buyer. The first of 9 steps in our ABC’s, always be closing, for the next tep.

negotiating-win-win Continue reading

Negotiating a Win-Win in B2B Sales – The 9 Main Steps

If you search “negotiating” in Google, there are over 52 million possible items to read.  Next, enter “The art of negotiating in business to business sales”, and there are still ~5 million items.

What’s the point!? You can spin your head when trying to understand strategy and tactics to negotiating in a business to business situation.

This is the first in a series of articles on negotiating at the beginning, throughout a buying cycle and the end of a buy/sell cycle. Before reading this article and future articles it is worth reviewing the definition of negotiating and negotiating to a win-win. Continue reading

How to Align Sales and Marketing Around a 3 Legged Stool

The best of breed are aligning sales and marketing in 3 main areas.

  • A common language
  • How customers make buying decisions, (the buying process)
  • A common sales method

These 3 areas provide the best stability in the alignment of sales and marketing based on a recent study by Aberdeen and were found to lead to 20% sales increases within the best of breed. Continue reading

Buying Evaluation Plans Help Win More Opportunities

Last month we discussed the usage of a transition plan to gain consensus with the buying committee to move forward with the products and services offered. Let’s circle back to the beginning of the Evaluation Phase and discuss more around how to increase sales with the use of a Buying Evaluation Plan.How to Evaluate

Most buyers are trained how to negotiate, however, many are not trained and educated on how to properly evaluate buying complex or difficult to understand products and services. Continue reading