1st commandment: Your negotiation you will prepare
A successful negotiation is first of all a well-prepared negotiation. Let’s imagine that you go to an exam having learned half of your program… you obviously won’t be comfortable… whereas if you know your program like the back of your hand, it will be easier. To do this: list the points likely to be negotiated, define the objectives (minimum, ideal, high), prepare an appropriate argument.
2nd commandment: Your prize you will defend
Your interlocutor asks you for a 15% discount. So, we will have to try to understand why and what he wants exactly:
– It’s a question of budget, he doesn’t have enough credit; the negotiation will therefore focus more on the quality or quantity of the order;
– He wants to play at negotiating, he is afraid that people will laugh at him if he immediately accepts your price; you can get interesting rewards! He resells your product, and does not think he will make his margin with the price you offer him; it may be necessary to think about the arguments for him to raise his prices himself…
Anyway, you shouldn’t haggle over your price, it wouldn’t be serious! If you haggle, the prospect will doubt – with good reason – and will think that you tried to deceive him. Also, even though you have inflated your initial offer, when you are asked for a discount, you must of course look amazed!!! and disappointed…
You will then have to put forward all your arguments to defend your price, to justify them in some way. The more one is ready to let go, the more one will have to argue to remain credible.
3rd commandment: You will be demanding of yourself!
A negotiation always ends with a compromise, so don’t start with a compromise! Customers are never happy with the fair price offered to them. In some professions, negotiation is part of the game and today, almost all sectors negotiate prices… An agreement, a compromise must be found between the two partners, which implies an effort on both sides.
To start a negotiation, it is therefore better from a high price. The difficulty is of course to propose a high price, but which is acceptable to start a negotiation.
Dare to have several points of disagreement! The customer is blocked on the price: another area of disagreement must be found. When we disagree on two points, everything becomes possible! Before presenting yourself to your interlocutor to start the negotiation, it must have been prepared beforehand. This reflection can be formalized in the form of a table, for example, which will make it possible to understand a certain number of essential points before the negotiation:
1. What are the points likely to be negotiated: price, deadlines, terms of payment, specification of quality, volume, etc. Above all, you should not be stuck solely on price!
2. What is the objective to be achieved, that is to say the compromise we want to achieve? Be careful, you have to be realistic!
3. What are the limits not to cross? It is imperative to have thought about it before finding yourself in front of your client during the negotiation. Not having thought about it would be a very important stress factor because of the fear of committing the irreparable, a proposition that would cost you money!
4. What is the initial offer that we will make?
5.What arguments to defend its price?
4th commandment: Give and take you will practice!
Without compensation, we have the impression that we tried to trick the customer from the start. When the customer asks us for a discount, you have to think that he is asking us for something, that is to say that he is leaving us a choice, that is to say a little power, that of saying no. Take the opportunity to ask something before answering.
You can request a larger volume, an advance, the payment of ancillary costs, a long-term contract, other contracts with other customers of the customer, less time devoted to this contract, to reduce the service, etc.
Better to take advantage of it, of course, to get something interesting. “I would like to help you… but you don’t give me many arguments! “You only buy 30 pieces from me, whereas normally I always sell them by 100…” “Normally these costs are borne by the customer…” “I want to help you, but you have to help me…”
A trick for the more experienced is first to ask for a concession. It’s the same during a commercial negotiation: “You can’t double the volume of your order, but at least you’ll pay me half in advance, and that’s quite normal, since it’s always done like that with my other clients »
5th commandment: Little by little you will put it back!
We will try to reduce the weight of each concession. We can negotiate half-points of reduction, on the first delivery, but not on the following one. Better to concede something that does not commit over time. If we lower our hourly rate, we will never be able to raise it!
We can offer a small gesture in addition, a small free additional service: “this time I offer you the preparation”. “On this point, really, I can’t do anything! “.
You don’t have to not close the door following the negotiation. The client must do something for you, and you will do something for him.
6th commandment: Towards the conclusion your buyer you will bring
He shouldn’t accept the deal reluctantly or feeling like he’s been cheated. It is necessary to validate that it is ok on the rest. “Apart from this point, we are in agreement on everything else”
Jean-Pascal Mollet is the author of the book “Buy me! How to sell EVERYTHING and sell yourself” published in April 2022 by Editions du Coach.
The author:
Coach, consultant, trainer and speaker, Jean-Pascal Mollet has 25 years of commercial and managerial experience ranging from distribution to Key Accounts (Darty, L’Oréal, Kenwood Electronic, Groupe Vivarte). He specializes in commercial efficiency, customer relations, communication and management. This text is taken from his book “Buy Me! How to sell EVERYTHING and sell yourself” published in April 2022 by Editions du Coach, 171 pages, 19.99 euros.
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