Negotiation sales skills for events

Negotiation can be an emotional business. The actual principles of negotiation are relatively straightforward, but where a deal often breaks down is when the benefits to each organisation are overshadowed by a worsening relationship between parties during the critical negotiation phase. Instead, a successfully negotiated solution which has clear benefits for all parties, will lead to the type of strong, long-term business relationship which underpins an organisation’s growth.

During this one-day course on negotiation sales we ensure that course participants have a very clear understanding of the skills of a good negotiator. We then concentrate on preparing people to deal with the myriad of obstacles which can get in the way of a profitable deal for all involved, particularly those arising when egos get in the way, and how to counter the tactics used by skilled negotiators — and the sometimes baffling behaviours exhibited by people who don’t follow the rules.

It only needs a small improvement in negotiation performance to add considerable sums of money to the bottom line!

Outline

The key principles of profitable negotiation

• Where does selling end and negotiation start?
• The main variables present in a negotiation
• Competitive v co-operative negotiation
• Preparation

Behaviours of successful negotiators

• How people learn to negotiate
• Negotiating states of mind and natural instincts
• Dealing with various personalities and combating extreme behaviours
• The importance of trust and how to build it
• Persuasion through excellent communication

The negotiation in practice

• Researching a potential sponsor, its market and its customers
• Developing sales angles
• Identifying the decision makers and influencers

Case study

• The critical opening period and how to make it mutually rewarding
• Bargaining strategies and the concept of trading
• Perceptions of win-win
• The impasse and how to break it without conceding

Tactics

• How to use them and deal with them
• Recognising the signs of being outmanoeuvred