Quelles sont les techniques de négociation les plus efficaces pour traiter avec des clients difficiles?

A brilliant book called Your Next Five Moves captures the essence of thorough preparation/negotiation. During one’s negation prep: - one must think through the logical presentation of each of their points clearly, - anticipate in advance the possible reactions of the counterparty to each point, and - think of either a logical and reasonable rebuttal to the reaction and/or play their next move either on the same/different aspect of the negotiation Simply put, in difficult negotiations it’s better to start small and give the counterparty some quick wins and save the thicker end of the negotiation for later so one can have more of a chance to secure those in one’s favour.

Negotiations are often looked at as an us vs. them agenda, whereas it’s an avenue to share/create value and understand the underlying interests of one’s counterpart - which helps create a lasting relationship (professional, commercial, or personal). If one gets to the bottom of where someone’s motivation/interests/fears lie, and shows empathy toward those in an attempt to address them either by value creation, de-risking/sharing risks, showing similar vulnerability (if any), it becomes much easier a conversation to navigate.

I find helpful to agree on the criteria in order for it to be considered objective. If you use industry standard data, but your counterpart is using a specific KPI form papers you had no knowledge or access, you will be comparing apples to oranges. It is a good starting point to show up with data from reputed sources. And it is great to agree on what the criteria and the sources are.

Emotion can also be a big part of the negotiation process in the form of matching your counterpart in their style. In fact, remaining "emotionless" is a big mistake many people make in negotiations, from buying a house to signing a multi-million contract. Take time to understand how the other side responds to pressure or requests. Do they like to bargain, to offer, to resist? Do they seem uncomfortable with a very firm voice and strong assertions? Do they reject perceived softness? Being willing to adapt your emotional response and cues to match your counter party can be the difference between success and failure in a negotiation that matters.

A common mistake when starting out in sales is not knowing when to walk away. I'm sure I feel heads nodding right now. 😁 1. Did you record all of your fact-finding information correctly? Was anything missed? 2. Do your solutions match their needs? Do they agree on this? 3. Have you ironed out potential misunderstandings? Are both parties sitting in clarity? 4. Do you stand in confidence knowing you have provided the best solution? 5. If you’ve answered yes 1-4, It's time to walk. In my experience, it is always easier to walk away, knowing you've done everything you can. Leave on good terms though. I have also experienced "no" turning into a "yes", it's just a matter of time in some cases.