Salespeople Must Embrace the Negotiation Conversation with Nicole Soames, Ep #199
Release Date: 06/24/2020
Build Your Cold-Calling Courage with Nancy Calabrese, Ep #401
Sales Reinvented
According to Nancy Calabrese, cold-calling is just networking by phone. It’s relevant because many people don’t do it anymore. It will help you stand out. People feel it doesn’t work because they don’t do it enough. If you’re not practicing daily, you’ll get rusty. It all starts with your mindset. You’re just having a non-salesy conversation with a decision-maker to decide if you’re a good fit for each other. You have to build your cold-calling courage muscles. Nancy shares her successful cold-calling strategies in this episode of Sales Reinvented! Outline of This Episode...
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Master the Art and Science of Cold-Calling with Zoya Segelbacher, Ep #400
Sales Reinvented
The “Science” of cold-calling encompasses the things that almost anyone could implement in a few minutes of training or by using a script. You use an opener, deliver a pitch, talk next steps, and close—all while keeping it short and sweet. Zoya believes that there are best practices that fall between the art and the science. They’re concrete things that you can implement, such as keeping the conversation focused on your prospect—not the product. The “Art” of cold-calling encompasses the things that are difficult to teach, such as tone, tact, confidence, and sales and...
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Mark Sellers Shares a Respectful Cold-Calling Method, Ep #399
Sales Reinvented
Between people not answering calls from phone numbers they don’t recognize, to spam filters, to people silencing their phones—it’s become harder and harder to connect when making cold calls. What is a salesperson supposed to do? Mark Sellers joins me in this episode of Sales Reinvented to share how he navigates making cold calls (or sending cold emails) in a way that captures his prospect’s interest—and respects their time. Outline of This Episode [1:17] Is cold-calling still relevant? [3:04] Is cold-calling an art and science? [3:38] How Mark prepares for cold-calling [5:51]...
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Boost Your Cold-Calling Effectiveness with Kristie Jones, Ep #398
Sales Reinvented
In its simplest sense, cold-calling is reaching out to someone by phone who may not know who you are. Is it still relevant in today’s sales world? According to Kristie Jones, yes, cold-calling still has a place. It still gives you the ability to create a human connection. But how do you master cold-calling? Kristie shares the art and science of cold-calling to kick off our newest series. Outline of This Episode [0:58] Kristie’s definition of cold-calling [1:25] The art and science of cold-calling [2:34] How Kristie prepares for cold-calling [5:10] The most effective way to...
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Leverage Your LinkedIn Profile as a Pre-Sales Tool per Mark White, Ep #397
Sales Reinvented
Until you meet someone, the only thing(s) you have to go off of is what you’ve learned about them online. When you create a LinkedIn profile, it’s indexed by search engines. It’s usually the first result when you Google someone’s name. It’s also a great place to learn about someone. You want your profile to give them the right information. Learn how to leverage your LinkedIn profile as a pre-sales tool in this episode of Sales Reinvented with special guest Mark White. Outline of This Episode [1:26] Why a compelling LinkedIn profile is key [2:55] The elements that have the...
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Your LinkedIn Profile Should Make You Sellable per Kevin Turner, Ep #396
Sales Reinvented
LinkedIn is a professional site built for business and networking—why not make it the best you can? Optimizing your profile photo, banner, and headline is a great place to start. But what can you do to make yourself sellable? How can you adjust things so that LinkedIn (and search engines ) prioritize you in search results? Kevin Turner shares some incredible tips in this episode of Sales Reinvented. Outline of This Episode [1:35] Why a compelling LinkedIn profile is important [2:27] The elements with the greatest impact on sales [4:14] How to tell your professional story on LinkedIn...
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Create a LinkedIn Profile that Serves Your Prospects with Karen Tisdell, Ep #395
Sales Reinvented
Everyone needs a LinkedIn profile. Why? People want to assess whether or not they can like you. They want to determine if you’re credible and trustworthy. Most people want to do this before meeting you or having a conversation so they don’t feel like they’re wasting their time. You have to show up in service to your prospects. How? Karen Tisdell shares her process in this episode of Sales Reinvented. Outline of This Episode [1:31] Why a compelling LinkedIn profile is important [3:02] Your headline follows you everywhere—prioritize it [4:15] How to tell your professional story on...
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Angela Dunz: Be Passionate on Your LinkedIn Profile, Ep #394
Sales Reinvented
When someone searches for your name in Google, LinkedIn is usually the first result. Take advantage of that opportunity. If you don’t provide someone with a great LinkedIn profile, why would they waste their time on you? Angela Dunz primarily works with attorneys. And according to the research, 94% of people look at an attorney’s LinkedIn profile before their website. Learn how to make good use of that real estate in this episode of Sales Reinvented. Outline of This Episode [1:11] Why a compelling LinkedIn profile is important [3:12] Above-the-fold curb appeal is...
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Leslie Hughes: Why You Need to Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Prospects, Ep #393
Sales Reinvented
How do you want the reader to feel once they’ve looked over your profile? What action are you hoping they’ll take? Writing for the reader is essential because it dictates what happens next. When someone feels like you’ve built trust, they’re more likely to take the next step. Leslie shares how to write your LinkedIn profile for your prospects in this episode of Sales Reinvented. Outline of This Episode [0:45] Why a compelling LinkedIn profile is important [1:21] Why your photo, banner, and headline are key [2:36] How to tell your professional story on LinkedIn [5:45]...
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How to Tell Your Professional Story on LinkedIn per Rhonda Sher, Ep #392
Sales Reinvented
70–80% of the time you Google someone, their LinkedIn profile will show up on the first page of results. And people are 2x more likely to believe what’s on LinkedIn than anyplace else. A stellar profile is absolutely essential, regardless of industry. So how do you tell your professional story on LinkedIn in a way that speaks to your ideal client? Rhonda Sher shares some great ideas in this episode of Sales Reinvented. Outline of This Episode [1:00] Why a compelling LinkedIn profile is important [1:42] Why your photo, headline, and banner are key [2:36] How to tell your professional...
info_outlineDo you view negotiation as a conversation? Or a battle with clear winners and losers? Nicole Soames joins me in this episode of @SalesReinvented to start the conversation surrounding negotiation—and reveal why so many of the mindsets salespeople have regarding negotiation are faulty. She shares common misunderstandings, how to prepare for a negotiation, and much more.
Nicole Soames is the CEO & Founder of Diadem Performance, a commercial skills training and coaching company. She is passionate about applying emotional intelligence to negotiation conversations. Nicole is a best-selling author and sought after coach whose savvy advice is revealed in this episode of Sales Reinvented. Be sure to listen!
Outline of This Episode
- [0:49] Nicole’s definition of negotiation
- [1:07] Negotiation is a conversation
- [2:52] Why salespeople don’t like to negotiate
- [5:46] Negotiation isn’t a process—but a conversation
- [8:04] Emotional intelligence is the #1 attribute you must possess
- [9:56] There are no shortcuts: negotiation preparation is key
- [11:43] Nicole’s top 3 negotiation dos and don’ts
- [13:24] Don’t engage in negative internal conversations
- [14:35] How children are powerful negotiators
Common misunderstandings about negotiation
Many salespeople mistake negotiation for haggling or bartering. If you shift your viewpoint to negotiation as a conversation, you’re better equipped to build a long-lasting relationship. People are only as powerful as the conversations they have. Nicole believes we achieve results based on the conversations we have with others. Everything is negotiable—but you can only receive if you first ask.
Another faulty misconception is that salespeople are schooled in the philosophy that the customer is always right. So when they enter a negotiation conversation, they have placed the customer on a pedestal. By doing so, they cede control and power to the prospect and end up paying dearly for those relationships.
Salespeople are usually engaged with a procurement person—who is well-versed in negotiation tactics. Because each of these people are leaning on their learned skills, a negotiation conversation often ends in disagreement, deadlock, and disappointment. What is the easiest way to avoid that? Keep listening to find out!
Negotiation needs to be a conversation
Most people who have received negotiation training are taught that it’s a process—it’s linear and theoretical. Nicole is quick to point out that it shouldn’t be viewed as a process but as a negotiation conversation. Thinking about it as a conversation changes the way you engage in the negotiation. You should approach your conversation by contemplating answers to these questions:
Why should I feel confident? What will their challenges be? How will I handle them? Am I exhibiting an appropriate level of ambition? How will I break the deadlock?
Approaching your conversation with emotional intelligence is the largest differentiator and competitive advantage that Nicole can see. You must remember that you’re negotiating with a human. There is a real person on the other side of this conversation. It’s why Nicole advocates for face-to-face communication whenever possible (versus email).
How to prepare for your negotiation conversation
There are no shortcuts. Preparation for a negotiation is paramount to its success. One unique tactic that Nicole recommends is to “big yourself up”: write down all the reasons you should feel confident in the negotiation conversation. Build yourself up and read it to yourself. Don’t allow yourself to fall trap to inner conversations that say things like “They won’t say yes” or “Everyone is having a difficult time right now”.
Secondly, you must prepare for any curveballs that may come your way. Nicole emphasizes that forewarned is forearmed. And while you want to prepare for variables, she believes that you should NOT prepare a walkaway point. Doing so is admitting defeat and claiming that it’s okay to fail. Nicole believes that you get the best results when you’re challenged and under some pressure. To hear Nicole’s top negotiation 3 dos and don’ts and her ‘ABC method’ keep listening!
Learn the art of the negotiation conversation from your children
Nicole admits that children are expert negotiators. What makes our children SO good at negotiation? Think about it—children are relentlessly ambitious. They use every overt tactic in the book and wind parents down until they get what they want. “All of my friends have this” or “All of their parents allow that” is a very effective strategy. Nicole admits she smiles every time she sees her children negotiating with her. They are ace negotiators and we can learn a lot from them.
Talk about some unique insight. To hear the rest of Nicole’s thoughts on viewing negotiation as a conversation, be sure to listen to the whole episode!
Connect with Nicole Soames
- Follow on Twitter
- Connect on LinkedIn
- Diadem Performance
- Nicole’s Books
Connect With Paul Watts
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