How to Reduce the Power of Difficult People During Sales Negotiations

Would You Like to Reduce the Power of Difficult People During Sales Negotiations?
Because high stakes sales negotiations can quickly get personal, the most successful solution sellers learn how to reduce the power of difficult people during sales negotiations.

High stakes Negotiations Are Rarely Easy of Straightforward
In our experience, it is not always easy to quiet the noisy critic or recapture the attention of a chronically rude negotiator when an important deal is on the line.  Even worse, some negotiators can be aggressive, intimidating, demanding, or even hostile. Yet some sales negotiators are able to turn confrontation into cooperation and even mutual respect.

3 Sales Negotiation Tactics to Reduce the Power of Difficult People During Sales Negotiations
When it comes to difficult people, here are three tactics from high stakes sales negotiation training best practices that help to reduce the power of difficult people during sales negotiations:

1. Use an “I” Message When Negotiating
   Rather than place blame with a statement that begins with “you,” state your own feelings in a statement beginning with “I.” To be effective, the focus needs to be on what you feel about someone’s behavior, not on how terrible the other person is for causing it.

   Communicating your anger or frustration in this more controlled way is far more likely to defuse the situation and get your sales negotiation back on track.

2. Ask a Question, Simply and Sincerely
   If, as an example, in the middle of your sales negotiation, your counterpart brings up a new objection or request, ask something like, “Is there something that I have missed?”

   A thoughtful sales question can often make others aware of their irrational behavior and stop it on their own — especially if you can steer the conversation back to what matters most to them and finding common ground.

3. Meet Privately Whenever Possible
   When it comes to difficult people and difficult conversations, it is often best to avoid disagreements with them in front of others, where they may be afraid of losing face.  Create the conditions for the best possible outcome.

The Bottom Line
You never know when you will encounter difficult people during sales negotiations, but now you have three ways backed by sales management training research to reduce their power so they do not take advantage of you or the situation.

Want to know the two sales negotiation tactics your buyers will use 97% of the time to get concessions?  Download The Top 2 Sales Negotiation Tactics to Prepare For Now.