Don t be Afraid to Give

Don't be Afraid to Give

Negotiation for me is a fine balance. I don't want to be a Scrooge and I certainly have no desire whatever to rip people off. Equally, I want to get the best possible deal for my own companies and my own areas of responsibility. And I know that if I don't negotiate, I will never get the best deal. So how do we handle this year on year, particularly when relationships are, rightly, regarded as very important? One answer for me has been to give during the contract period. One ancient proverb says, 'A man's gift makes room for him.'

I do not give at the negotiation phase because, as we have seen together, it will be interpreted as weakness. And incidentally, it can be construed as a bribe.

I have one client who retains me monthly, and commissions me to run public seminars. I wanted to follow this particular piece of advice, so I have just given him two days totally free where I will train some of his clients and charge nothing. This is not a prospecting exercise for me, it is a genuine gift to my client with no strings attached. Why do that? I do it because the relationship with my client is the most important ingredient and this is a clear way of investing in the relationship at a time when it cannot be confused with the negotiation process.



How to Negotiate Effectively
How to Negotiate Effectively (Creating Success)
ISBN: 0749448202
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 111
Authors: David Oliver

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