The Three Kinds of Negotiations

Are you a trusting and cooperative person? What about your customers? Research from the Thunderbird School of Global Management reveals that 40% of people tend to believe they’re cooperative and trusting. But when asked about their counterparts, people tend to believe that the other party is just looking to win. This is a big problem. This mindset, I’m cooperative but they’re not, is what causes negotiators to take a defensive strategy, and that leaves lots of value on the table. ‘Cause you see, it’s a truism of human nature and is carried in different forms of negotiations.

 

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We judge ourselves by our intentions, but we tend to judge other by their actions, and when in doubt, we judge on the side of negative. So there are three types of negotiators, the churn and burn, the in it to win it, and the lasting value. And when we talk to buyers, they’re pretty clear. They get a beeline on who’s who very early in a conversation. So as I describe these three types of negotiators, think about behaviors that you might be exhibiting, and think about what your buyers might be thinking about you.

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The churn and burn negotiator

This person will do anything for the sales close. They’ll make empty promises. They’ll even give away the store just to get the close. They’ll do anything to get the customer to agree. The churn and burn negotiator says things like, “When can we get this contract signed?” “Urgency is really important.” And see, this style of negotiation is so obvious to buyers. It sends the buyer the message that your needs don’t matter. What matters here is urgency for me. So urgency and efficiency are important aspects, but when you overuse them, when you try and push too fast, too hard, it can be detrimental to a great deal.

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What about the in it to win it type of negotiator?

There’re some subtle differences here, because this type of negotiator is a little more suave, little more smooth. They try and win the buyers over with lots of testimonials and big feature descriptions, and this is how great it’s gonna be for you. But the problem with this type of negotiator is just the same as the other one. They don’t invest any time and listen to the buyer. It’s still about closing the deal, even they’re trying to be a little more slick when they do it. With this type of negotiator, once the deal is signed, they’re on to the next one.

Now you’ve probably guessed. The biggest success for sellers lies in being a negotiator who negotiates for lasting value. So why is this so much more successful? Because this negotiator listens carefully to the buyer and builds value. When you say something like, “I want to make sure this is a win for you, “so let’s write down your goals “to make sure we address them,” when you say that to your buyer, you’re demonstrating your true intentions and you’re giving voice to them. But here’s a little bit of the problem. You may want to be a lasting value win-win negotiator, but your buyer may assume you’re one of the other kinds, and your buyer may act accordingly, because keep in mind, they’ve seen a lot of people come through their door. So remember that disconnect? We think we’re trusting, but we often assume the opposite of others? That’s why your actions need to reflect your positive intent early on, and you need to do it often.

Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties intended to reach a beneficial outcome.

Remember! This beneficial outcome can be for all of the parties involved, or just for one or some of them, in situations in which a good outcome for one/some, excludes the possibility of a desired result for the other/others. Don’t just think I’m here to make this a win for the buyer. Say it. Say it out loud and mean it. One of the things I like to say in all authenticity to our clients is, “Nothing gets me more excited than when my clients have a success”.  When you say that to a buyer, they start to make different judgments about you. Personally, I believe in transparency. If your buyer starts acting like a churn and burn negotiator, it’s okay to say, “It seems like you’re viewing us as adversaries”.

Related: Negotiating You Needs

That’s kind of confusing to me, “because my job is to make you successful.” Again, just be honest. If you say it, you should mean it. Research reveals that the willingness to trust others is actually built into our DNA. Working together has always been the key to the survival of our species. Having faith in one another is in the best interest of the individual and the collective, especially in times of risk and uncertainty. You need to capitalize on that with your buyer.

A good negotiation is built on trust and understanding. It should enhance your relationship with your buyer, not detract from it.

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