My friend Berna called me and said that one of her friends needs to know how to turn his dissatisfaction with his business deals into a positive outcome. I got Mr. Sinan’s phone number and called him. We talked about his issues very briefly and gave him some info about the benefits of effective negotiation skills. He told me that although he could do better in deals, he often said ‘yes’ to clients because he feared losing the job, and accepted much less than he could get, which made him very uncomfortable.
We scheduled a half-day negotiation training in our calendar and prepared for the meeting in Spain.
When we go to any meeting, we usually focus on our own desires and goals, but what about the other party’s goals and wishes? It is essential to consider these as well, in order to make a good and sustainable agreement that satisfies both sides.
We rehearsed our opening statement and created wish lists and enriched our agenda for the distributorship agreement. We simulated the meeting. We thought beforehand the issues that could cause deadlock. We discussed the techniques that could be used if the other party makes an unreasonable offer or their statements are not credible, and how to turn different ideas into an opportunity. Sinan prepared himself very well for the meeting. He called me immediately upon his return from Spain.
He said, "Meeting went perfect. We got everything we wanted, and we even put some things in the agreement that we had never thought of or wanted before, such as the web site investment and the costs of the stand we will use there. I am very satisfied with the result.”
I asked Sinan for feedback, and he wrote the following:
“The training we got from you made us think our previous meetings and agreements which made me feel regretful. We wish we had met you earlier and received this training, so we would not have made so many mistakes. Now, instead of regretting the past, it is time to plan how to benefit from what we have learned to the maximum.
We made some decisions the day after the training, and immediately put them into practice. The most important thing we realized was that our goodwill was being exploited. Accordingly, we changed our positions, and now our customers know that they cannot ask for something without giving something. At the same time, we are prepared for the meetings, and we do not encounter surprises, and we are equipped to handle even the most extreme questions and demands. We are still in the process of internalizing the techniques we were taught, but in addition to the financial gains, we started to save time by being prepared for the meetings. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to learn the negotiation system, make changes in their lives, and improve their relationships with people.”
S.A – Architect