Beyond Marketers

Whether they realize it or not, most people negotiate all the time. They negotiate with their coworkers over which projects to prioritize, their employer over salary, their friends over what restaurant they should visit, their supplier over their contract, and so on. Knowing the six essential negotiation skills -- and practicing the ones you’re weaker in -- will give you a leg up in every area of your life. The 6 Most Important Negotiation Skills. 1) Rapport-building If you form a human connection with the other party, they’re less likely to view you as the enemy. You’ll have an easier time reaching an agreement that makes you both satisfied. They’ll also be more receptive to your initial offer. Quick tips: Show up with coffee and/or snacks to share. Spend a few minutes beforehand on lighter topics. Sit on the same side of the table as the other negotiator(s). 2) Active listening The quickest way to lose a deal? Monopolize the conversation and ignore the other p...

How do you feel when your phone rings and you realize you’re receiving a call from a salesperson? For most business people, it’s interruptive, annoying, and distracting. But if it’s your job to  call prospects , you don’t have to fall into the category of “pesky sales rep.” To kickstart a productive, professional conversation, you need a strong opening. Your opening should do two things: Get the prospect into a receptive frame of mind Make it easy for them to make a positive decision Here are eight call openings will engage the prospect so they don’t immediately hang up. 1) “My research shows that your company is in the process of ... ” This shows you are interested in them and you’ve spent some time finding a reason for calling.  It also shows you aren’t trying to sell them something right away. 2) “One of my clients, [name] at [company], mentioned to me you are [looking for, might be a good fit for] … ” Talking about a mutual connection gives you ins...

I recently received this disturbing chat: "Is it time to eat Niti?" Um, I'm sorry ... w hat?  You want to eat me? Should I drop everything and run? You see, by forgetting something as simple as a comma, my coworker went from courteous to cannibalistic. That's right, folks: Poor grammar can cause serious miscommunication -- and hurt your chance of making a sale. When your emails to prospects are riddled with typos and grammatical errors, you're essentially telling them you're careless. Your emails are a reflection of your professionalism and ability, and if you can't handle proofreading an email, why should a prospect give you the time of day? Here are seven common mistakes you should ensure don't get through in your emails to leads so you can avoid looking silly. 1) Its vs. It's This is a common mistake that makes me (and likely your prospects) cringe. "Its" is a possessive pronoun, while "it's" is a contrac...

Today, the world is unimaginable without the internet. We buy products, file our taxes, pay bills, apply for jobs, conduct research, stream entertainment, and communicate with people around the world over it. But this isn’t always how things were. Imagine for a moment what it was like to buy a product before the internet existed. Buyers actually needed salespeople in order to make a decision -- salespeople who held all the cards. Why? Because they were the only ones with answers to buyers’ key questions. Questions like: What is included in your offering? What does it cost? How does it compare to your competitors? Who else is using your offering? Do they like it? The internet changed everything. And it turned the buyer-seller relationship completely upside down. Today, the information that buyers need to make a purchase decision is just a click away. The power in the buying and selling process has shifted from the seller to the buyer. The buying process is transforme...