by Amy Keuper, VP Sales
Experienced “players” in the business world may think that
the key to making a good deal is to hold your
cards close—to avoid slipping up
with a “tell” about your true position. Many
prospects and sales people assume that maintaining a poker face will give them
an edge. This is true in Texas Hold ‘Em and
in any negotiation in which one party seeks to take advantage of another. However, since truly successful arrangements must
be win-win, I propose that this secretive approach to services contract talks
is counter-productive. Transparency in
the sales cycle benefits both parties.
First, openness preserves everyone’s most precious resource--time. If a client’s budget and a provider’s
offering are not in alignment, a frank pricing discussion spares both people an
uncomfortable dance. With a cordial
parting of ways and a fair sense of reality, the parties can freely move
forward to engage others, to refer one another if appropriate or perhaps to circle
back at a future date.
Secondly, a spirit of transparency enables the prospect and
provider to explore together the true needs. When a potential client requests for a quote for X service, the
salesperson should evaluate whether X service is right or whether Y offering
would be better—or if both are necessary for success. This is consultative selling, which ultimately
makes the client more successful since he will contract for a viable solution,
not just what he asked for or thought he needed.
Lastly, trusting each other enough to lay all cards on the
table sets the right foundation for a long term
relationship. If we at Initial Call have to create a
proposal blindly, our first estimate of the work may be too broad or too narrow—which
can work against us since we always want prospects to weigh us apples to apples
if considering hiring other firms. Ironically, when prospects go “face up” about the competitive landscape
as well as their budget, they actually help themselves since we are then able
to bid the best value possible.
Shuffle up and deal!
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