Keys to Successful Sales Negotiations

Guest post by: Dave Kurlan
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Sales Leadership Challenges to Having a World Class Sales Force - By Dave Kurlan

In the United States, Major League Baseball's trading deadline passed today with some noteworthy moves by teams other than my Boston Red Sox. Aside from my disappointment that the Red Sox failed to make an impact trade to help the team, I recognized something else...

First-year General Manager Ben Cherington has made some interesting trades this year, most where he seemed to give up more than he received in return. (See Appendix A below for examples.)

In contrast (bad, free-agent signings aside), most of the trades orchestrated by former GM Theo Epstein seemed to yield more in return than whom he gave up. (See Appendix B below for examples.)

Assuming that I'm right, what are the reasons for the differences?

Was Theo dealing from a position of strength while Ben dealt from a position of weakness?
Was Theo a better negotiator?
Was Ben more desperate?
Did Theo hold out for a better deal?
Did Ben concede too quickly?
Was Theo more willing to walk away?
Was Ben afraid of leaving the table with nothing to show for it?

Very often, the final stages of many sales cycles, especially those to large companies with procurement people, are negotiations. Assuming that your salespeople have developed some compelling reasons to buy, and buy from you, then YOU have leverage. They want what you have. However, when your salespeople fail to uncover the compelling reasons to buy from you, then YOUR PROSPECTS have leverage. You want their business.

Your outcome from a negotiation or competitive sales situation is in direct disproportion to how badly you want the business.

Appendix A - Examples of Cherington Trades

He gave up top Sox prospect, Josh Reddick, and in return received Andrew Bailey, who has been on the Disabled List (DL) all year, and Ryan Sweeney, who has been on the disabled list three times already this year.

He gave up 3-time All-Star Kevin Youkilisfor a minor league pitcher and a utility player whom they have already traded away.

He gave up a good hitter, Jed Lowrie, for Mark Melancon, a relief pitcher who has just plain sucked for the Red Sox this year.

As compensation for letting Theo Epstein move to the Cubs, he received an injured minor league pitcher, Chris Carpenter, in return.

Appendix B - Examples of Epstein Trades

He gave up 3 talented minor leaguers and got All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzales in return.

He gave up a talented minor leaguer and got All-Stars Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell in return. Beckett and Lowell, along with Curt Schilling below, helped them win the 2007 World Series.

He gave up 4 young pitchers, none of whom panned out, for Curt Schilling. Schilling helped them win the 2004 World Series.

He traded disgruntled All-Star Nomar Garciaparra for Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz, both who helped them win the 2004 World Series.

He traded clubhouse cancer and multiple performance-enhancing drug offender Manny Ramirez in a three team deal for Jason Bay.

3.0 Global Development Challenges for Africa in 2006: Economic Report on Africa 2007

Getting to Yes

Winning At Negotiations

Just How Important is Preparation to Sales?

Sales Prospecting Techniques

3 Tips to Empower Your Negotiations

How To Avoid Discouragement in Sales

Powerful Negotiation Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

3 Keys to Increased Sales

Find New Customers releases “7 Keys to B2B Marketing Success” - a new free "cheat sheet"

Social Media as a Negotiating Tool

7 Keys to B2B Social Media Success

The Art of Negotiation

3.3 Conclusion: Economic Report on Africa 2007

Reminders Put Your Keys in Your Fridge

4 Great “Cheat Sheets” on B2B demand generation from Find New Customers – no registration needed

Master The Principles of Negotiations and Make Better Deals

Overview VI: Economic Report on Africa 2007

7 mistakes, and 7 keys to successful entreprneuership.

Negotiation Success Step Two Do Your Homework

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Sales Leadership Challenges to Having a World Class Sales Force - By Dave Kurlan

About the Author: Dave Kurlan

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Dave Kurlan is a best-selling author, top-rated speaker and thought leader on sales development. He is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling (Dan Seidman), Stepping Stones (Deepak Chopra and Brian Tracey) and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2 (David Riklan).
Click here to visit Dave's website.

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