Creating the perfect sales pitch is no easy feat.  An effective sales pitch takes a lot of thought and preparation.  The art of persuasion is something that takes practice and is perfected over time.  The good news is that even if you are new to the sales world, there are plenty of helpful tips that can aid you in crafting a convincing sales pitch.  Let’s take a look at a few tips that can help you create a sales presentation that will win over your audience.

Make a Memorable First Impression

We have all heard the old adage “You only get one chance to make a good first impression.”  This is certainly true when it comes to giving a sales presentation.  A good sales pitch begins the moment you start talking.  You want to make a memorable and positive impact by creating an opening line that is catchy and creative.

Capture Audience Attention

You want to give a presentation that will hold your audience’s attention.  The longer you are able to keep their attention the greater your chances of winning them over.  Captivate your audience with meaningful visual aids, powerful stories, humor, and even props.  The more interesting you speech is the more likely it is to be remembered.

Understand Your Buyer

The whole point of a sales pitch is because your product isn’t going to sell itself.  In order to connect with your buyer you must first understand their needs.  Once you know what your buyer is looking for, you can convince them of why your product will provide the best solution.  Conduct thorough research on your buyer before the presentation so that your sales pitch will be aligned with their specific needs.

Stray From the Script

You have prepared the perfect sales pitch and you have put countless hours into preparing what you are going to say.  Then, your buyer begins to ask questions that cause you to veer from your script.  Remember that a script is only a rough outline of what you are going to discuss.  An effective sales pitch happens when the seller actually listens to the buyer and addresses specific questions and objections.  You must be prepared to stray from the script.

Don’t Forget a Call to Action

You have finished your presentation and you said everything you needed to.  It doesn’t end there.  Don’t wait for your buyer to ask about the next steps.  Instead, your sales pitch should end with a “call to action.”  Even if your buyer is not ready to commit, schedule a follow-up meeting or a trial period to keep the relationship open.  Never wait for the buyer to make the “call to action.”

It is not easy getting up in front of a potential buyer and pitching your product, but one thing is for sure: they do not want to waste time listening to a boring and irrelevant sales pitch.  Get creative, be confident, and be prepared in order to deliver a sales pitch that will convince your audience.

I have yet to meet anyone who is willing to work for free.  Rather, pay is a fundamental concern for most people.  Most working professionals are trying to climb the ladder in order to increase their salary.  In fact, it is inevitable that most people will deal with negotiating salary at some point in their career.  Whether they are negotiating salary for a new job or asking for a raise in their existing position, there are critical factors in determining salary.  These expert tips will help employees polish their negotiating skills in order to get the pay they deserve.

Determine Your Threshold

Before starting any salary negotiations, you should determine 2 things: What is your ideal offer…where you would immediately be able to say yes? What is your basement offer…the bare minimum that you would accept to work for the company?  Once you have decided on these, anything in between is negotiable.

Be Armed with Salary Information

Do your research and find out average salaries for similar jobs in your area and industry.  Your expectations should be reasonable and align with the job you are performing.

Define Your Strengths

What sets you apart from others?  Why are you so valuable?  The ability to express what differentiates you from others and what special skills and abilities you bring to the table can help your employer understand why you are a valuable asset to the company.  This information can be used as leverage in negotiating a higher salary.

Be Honest About Your Salary Needs

Be upfront and honest with your employer about what need when it comes to salary.  Consider what you have made in the past and what you are looking to make now.  Approach the employer with confidence and be firm about what your salary needs are.

Make the First Offer

Most people follow traditional advice and wait for the employer to make the first move.  However, we all know that they are likely to throw out a lower number to see if you will take it.  At this point, it might be uncomfortable to ask for something substantially higher.  Instead, make the first offer and negotiate from there.

Define Your Walk-Away Point

Once you have determined your target salary and what you feel is appropriate, think about the minimum salary you would accept and why you would accept that amount.  Consider the reasons that you would not accept anything lower and write them down so that you are ready to use those in your discussion during the negotiations.

Perform a Mock Negotiation

The best way to get comfortable with this type of conversation is to practice.  Ask a friend or family member to role play and practice what you will say and how you will persuade the hiring manager to increase their offer.

When it comes to negotiating salary, make sure you have a clearly defined idea of what you want and reasons to back up why you deserve that amount.  You want to persuade the employer that you are a valuable asset and that you are worth the investment.  If you are unable to negotiate the salary you want, you can always negotiate other items such as flex scheduling, vacation time, tuition reimbursement etc.  If you do not get your desired salary, ask your boss if you can decide on a time to revisit this discussion in the future.  Report your progress regularly and work to meet any goals that you have set.  At this point, your employer will find it hard not to grant you a raise or fight on your behalf.  Be confident, diligent, and persistent when negotiating salary.

The art of negotiation can be tricky, but there are certain tactics that you can utilize in order to achieve the outcome you desire. Among these is a strategy known as a bolstering range offer.  A bolstering range offer involves starting at your desired target price and then going up to a reasonable maximum.  Studies suggest that focusing on a range when negotiating is the best strategy for sealing the deal.  Let’s take a look at why utilizing a range offer creates the biggest advantage.

When proposed correctly, offering a range can be a great tactic for securing a lucrative deal.  Let’s say you have a typical fee for your service of $5000 but after hearing your client’s expectations you find that they are willing to spend up to $10,000. You might present them with a range of $6000 to $9000.  Chances are they will settle in the $8000-$9000 range, nearly double what you would have originally asked for.  Not only will you be more profitable on your end, but your counterpart will feel like they got a great deal too and both parties will be happy.

When you offer a range, it allows the other party to feel like they are in charge and have some say in what they think you are worth.  If you price yourself too low, it might appear as though you aren’t worth it but if you come in too high you might run people off.  Thus, it is strategical to come in with a range.  In addition, you are likely to maintain positive business relationships when you negotiate with a range offer.

It can be difficult to come up with negotiating strategies that do not appear harsh and offend your counterpart.  The range strategy is one that makes you seem more flexible.  This goes a long way when it comes to negotiating, and can often end with much better results.  By focusing on a range, you are more likely to build a positive relationship with your counterpart while getting a winning result as well.

Negotiation is a skill that everyone uses in their lives.  It is used in the workplace as well as in our personal lives.  Whether we are aware of it or not, most of us spend a significant amount of time negotiating various issues.  That’s why it is so important to have strong negotiation skills.  Being a good negotiator allows you to build, maintain, and improve relationships in your personal life and in the workplace.  People with strong negotiation skills are oftentimes more efficient, more organized, and more successful.  The following examples display times when good negotiation skills are a must.  Let’s take a look at a few places where the ability to negotiate can help you succeed.

On An Interview

While it is certainly impressive to have a resume packed with experience, it is more about what you say in an interview that will determine whether or not you get the job.  Statistics show that many hiring decisions are actually made in the first 2 minutes of an interview.  For this reason, it is important that candidates be able to come in with strong negotiation skills.  Before leaving an interview you should negotiate a follow-up call or stopping by in the near future to check in.  Utilizing these negotiation skills will show confidence and help you avoid getting lost in the paperwork.

In The Workplace

Most people think that the essential skills needed to get ahead in the workplace are hard work, good communication, and good luck.  While these are obviously very important, another component that is often overlooked is the ability to negotiate.  Negotiation involves the ability to recognize and capitalize on opportunities.  When you are capable of closing the deal for your company, you are opening the door to bigger opportunities for yourself. Strengthening your negotiation skills makes you an asset to your company and helps you accomplish your personal goals.

In A Performance Review

Most professionals are given an annual performance review.  This is the perfect opportunity to use your negotiation skills to get what you want: a higher salary, more benefits, a promotion.  An employee who can negotiate well knows how to showcase their talents in order to further their career.  Aside from salary and benefits, a good negotiator would also negotiate for the tools needed to grow and thrive in their position.  These tools could include a strong support staff, special training, or a new job title.  Knowing how and when to negotiate can help you advance your career and professional growth.

Being a good negotiator is an important part of being successful both personally and professionally.  Good negotiation skills help you to achieve important goals for yourself and your organization.  While these were just a few examples of places where negotiation is important, it is an invaluable skill that will help you in nearly every aspect of your life.

The ability to negotiate well is essential for growth and advancement in the workplace. Whether you are negotiating with a client or negotiating your salary with the boss, it is important that you know how to do so effectively. Although negotiation is such a fundamental component in one’s professional life, many people have not learned the skills needed to be good negotiators. That is why it is highly beneficial for any professional to take part in negotiations training. The following training methods are helpful for becoming a better, more confident and more effective negotiator.

Attending a Workshop
By attending a workshop, professionals can learn how to transform the way they negotiate. A negotiations course will help professionals develop the skills needed to negotiate, persuade, and influence. Workshops are proven to be successful because they help people understand the negotiation process. Once you have a broadened understanding of the process, you can focus on specific strategies and tactics. Workshops also focus on practical exercises that can help professionals maximize what they have learned.

Role-Play
Role-playing is one of the best training methods for negotiations. It allows you to apply a real negotiation principle in conversation. Through role play, you can walk through a scenario and actually apply some of the strategies and negotiation tactics that you have learned. You will get much better at applying these skills if they are based on real life situations. Role play creates a heightened sense of awareness of the principles you have learned and how they can be applied to specific situations.

Expert Coaching
Executive coaching has been proven to help improve negotiations in the workplace. This individualized approach provides employees with one-on-one instruction that will help them recognize their strengths and weaknesses. An expert coach can provide insight and a fresh perspective that will help the employee learn how to navigate through different situations. It is an excellent training method that provides expert instruction and feedback in order to make quick changes with the employee’s negotiation approach.

By providing negotiations training, you are providing employees with the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Through workshops, role-play exercises, and expert coaching you can learn helpful strategies that will make you a more effective and dynamic negotiator. These training methods are proven to help employees become more confident and successful negotiators.

It can happen to anyone.  You put forth tremendous effort to work a deal, negotiate the terms, and get your counterpart to sign the dotted line.  Then you find out a short time later that the terms of the deal are not going to work.  You have just experienced seller’s remorse.  What happens next?  How do you go about renegotiating the deal?   The following ideas will give you a helpful perspective on renegotiating and how to make that happen.

Think first: Are you willing to lose the deal?

If you feel like you just cannot lose the deal you are better off taking the deal as it is.  This is in part because of the basic psychology of negotiation.  If you are fearful of losing the deal, chances are that fear will carry over into your negotiations and you will lose the deal.  On the other hand, if you are willing to lose the deal you can go back and approach your counterpart with friendly confidence. Explain that you want both parties to be happy in the deal and you are not fully happy.  Make them understand that you want to be able to serve them long term and changing a few numbers will be beneficial to the both of you.

What happens if they don’t agree with you?

Whenever you are renegotiating a deal you run the risk of losing it.  If you stated your reasoning with a polite but firm approach there is nothing more you can do.   If they refuse your request, simply accept the consequences and explain with confidence that you understand where they are coming from and you hope they understand where you are coming from as well.  Tell them that you might not be the right fit.  Explain that while you hate to see this happen, it is better that it happen now rather than several months down the road when you have invested a lot of time and money.  Finally, you should conclude by stating that you believe they could truly benefit if they considered your option but otherwise the deal might not be right.  At this point, you have to be willing to let go of the deal.

Why it is important to go in with a willingness to lose the deal?

The attitude of being able to walk away from a deal is the most important component in winning any negotiation.  That said even if you do not win the negotiation you will maintain credibility.  People will respect your confidence and they might buy from you in the future because they know you are coming from a position of strength and you are not someone who will be easily pushed around.

Negotiating is difficult in itself and renegotiating can be even more challenging.  The most important thing to remember in any negotiation is to appear knowledgeable and confident.  Someone who is strong and stands their ground is more likely to come out on top.  Learning the art of being confident with yourself and thoughtful of your counterpart at the same time is a recipe for negotiating success.

The art of negotiation has been around for centuries and has made its mark on the business world.  It has always been used as a method for settling differences and for reaching an agreement in order to avoid dispute.  The goal of negotiation is to achieve the best possible outcome that will mutually benefit both parties.  While the principles of negotiation have remained the same, the ways in which people negotiate have changed in recent years.  This is due in large part to technology.  Businesses are looking toward the future of negotiation and much of that involves technology.

How Has Technology Changed Business Negotiations

It’s no secret that the internet has taken over the world and it has had a definite impact on the way in which people negotiate.  There used to be a time when all of the negotiating happened face-to-face in a boardroom.  In recent years, however, this has changed drastically.  Most of today’s negotiations happen through Word documents where each party sends their revisions back and forth until they reach an agreement.

What Challenges Does Technology Present In Negotiations

Before negotiating with your counterpart, you have the ability to research their background thanks to technology.  You can find out information regarding their reputation as well as negotiating tactics that they may have used in the past.  It has become very easy to access this information with Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, and corporate websites.  While it can be valuable information for negotiating, remember that your counterpart can get the same information about you.  Therefore, it is crucial that you are well prepared and confident in your negotiation skills.   Negotiating through technology can also be more challenging because you lose that personable face-to-face experience.  It is easier to stand your ground and be tough through and email as opposed to doing that in person.  This can present its own challenges in the negotiation process.

You Can Be Much More Prepared

Years ago people had to spend hours researching salaries, benefits, markets, positive and negative elements of working in a certain industry, and other items that might factor into a job search or interview.  Today much of this information is just a few clicks away.  Since this information is so easily accessible, people have a much greater advantage when it comes to preparing for negotiation.

While the ways in which businesses negotiate is changing, the principles of fairness, seeking mutual benefit, and building strong relationships remain the key to success. Although technology plays a major role in the process, it is still important to be well-prepared, understanding of your counterpart, and confident in order to achieve a win-win outcome.  These strategies remain essential ingredients to reaching an acceptable solution.

There is no doubt that negotiating can be a difficult and sometimes awkward experience but the ability to negotiate with confidence is a great attribute. When you believe in yourself and your abilities, your counterpart will recognize this confidence.  It can lead to a number of benefits including a better job offer. Confidence is a great asset when negotiating and here are a few ways in which you can improve your confidence in order to land the job.

Have A Target Salary In Mind

You should have an idea of your target salary before you even walk in for the interview.  You need to feel confident in what you are worth based on your background, experience, and ability.

Explain Why You Are Worth What You Are Asking

You might have a particular salary in mind but you have to make them believe you are worth what you are asking.  You need to justify your desire by explaining what qualities and experience you have that set you apart from others.  Be specific in your reasons and don’t be afraid to make yourself sound valuable, but be careful not to sound arrogant.   This will show that you have confidence in your ability to perform at the highest level.

Price Yourself Like A House

Think about shopping for a home and finding a house with no price tag.  You would obviously start with a low ball offer because there was no definitive price. Who wouldn’t?    You would naturally start low and work your way up.  Think of your job offer the same way.  If you do not tell them what you feel you are worth, they are probably going to offer you something on the lower end.  Instead, approach it with confidence and address your target salary early in the process.

Making it through the interview process and getting the job offer is step one but the time will come to negotiate the job offer itself.  Approaching these negotiations with confidence will increase your chances of getting the salary you desire.  Companies will be impressed with your ability to exude confidence and negotiate effectively.  They are likely to see this as a strength that will help you succeed in the job and therefore they will be willing to pay you for it.  Believing in yourself and your abilities can help you negotiate the salary you deserve.

Negotiation is an essential part of any business.  That is why executives should be well versed in their negotiation skills.  Aside from being good communicators and strong leaders, executives need to have the ability to recognize and capitalize on opportunities to negotiate successfully.  One of the best ways to give your executives an advantage is by offering training for business negotiations.  Negotiation is an integral part of making your business valuable, and that begins with equipping your executives with the tools to be good negotiators.  Continue reading →

There are times in business when you might be put into a situation to negotiate alongside a partner.  This can be a tricky situation if you and your partner are not on the same page.  In order to achieve your desired outcome, it is important to work collaboratively with your partner.  There are some important factors to remember when negotiating with a partner that can lead to negotiation success.   These helpful tips can help you and your partner dramatically increase your chances for a win-win outcome.  Continue reading →