Sales expert Anne Miller shows salespeople how to use their words to get what they want - and in today's post cautions against words that can keep you from getting what you want. Read on for her expert advice!
After spending millions of her own money to win the GOP senate nomination in California, Carly Fiorina may have permanently hurt her chances of winning in 2010 by her thoughtless comment on incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer's hair: "God, what is that?...Sooo yesterday." A slip of the tongue can be fatal not only in politics but in negotiating as well.
Think about what you say when you open a negotiation discussion. Is it something like, "I am delighted that you want to do business with us. What do we need to do to get a final agreement"? OR, is it something like, "I am delighted that you want to do business with us and am happy to work out an agreement that works for both of us."?
If it is the former, you may not be risking millions of dollars on the deal, but you are definitely going to get less attractive terms than you would otherwise get with the latter statement. The first statement immediately puts you in a subordinate power position. It makes you sound desperate. It invites being taken advantage of and says, "Go ahead, walk all over me."
The second statement immediately communicates equality in power positions. It suggests that the deal could fail if it is not beneficial to you as well as to the buyer. It invites a collaborative business discussion likely to lead to a fair deal for you both. It says, "Yes, we want your business, but we have pride in the value of our services and will accept an agreement only if it recognizes that value."
Anne Miller is the author of Metaphorically Selling. Check out her site at www.annemiller.com.
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