We’ve all been there. You have a product which solves a real problem for your buyer. There’s been some passionate back-and-forth and they seem quite keen on buying what you’re selling. Until, of course, the deal gets stuck in negotiation hell.
You want what’s best for you and they want what’s best for them. Wouldn’t it be nice if you can actually craft win-win situations instead of hoping your customer takes the short end of the stick? Well, you can. Keep reading to steal some moves from one of the world’s finest sales negotiators.
Knowing how your buyer’s mind works and using this information during a negotiation is not just a distant possibility, it can easily become second nature. Learn how from Professor Guiseppe Conti who imparts negotiation training for a living.
Meet Professor Giuseppe Conti
A former procurement leader known for implementing a significant impact on a company’s bottom line, Giuseppe is an award-winning negotiation professor at leading business schools throughout Europe.
In an interactive session with Humantic AI, Prof Giuseppe talked about the concept of “Dual vision.” Having dealt with several negotiations throughout his career, Prof Giuseppe is the Harvey Specter of sales negotiations.
In the session, the professor speaks about how understanding the interests and priorities of the other party is just as important as understanding our own objectives.
He discusses why it’s crucial to assess how the other party is evaluating the situation, along with the role the other party’s personality plays. Having buyer intelligence can help us reach deal closures faster.
What is Dual Vision?
- Prof Giuseppe says, “A good negotiator is able to look at the deal from both sides — my interest and their interest, my alternative and their alternative, my arguments and their arguments, my question and their questions, etc.” Dual vision is the ability to look at yourself and your buyer at all times, and especially during negotiation.
In the session, Prof Giuseppe gave a fascinating analogy: A young lawyer is called by his senior partner to work on a case as the prosecutor. The lawyer quickly pours over the files and charts out a strategy — he thinks of the witnesses who could be called, the questions that could be asked, the arguments and evidence to bring forth.
Later when he presents his final plan to his senior partner, the lawyer is surprised to hear that they will be “representing the defendant”. The partner then reveals that since the lawyer had worked out how the other party would be approaching, he is confident to make him lead the case.
An example of dual vision
Here’s a hypothetical: Consider you are a HR leader at a 100-member org, and Prof. Giuseppe is interviewing for a leadership role there. How should he convince you to let him continue his teaching alongside his position at your company?
Prof. Giuseppe’s Argument 1:
I’m already teaching at a number of leading business schools. It’s something that I enjoy very much. It gives me the opportunity to meet some of the brightest people in the world. When I come back to the office, I feel full of energy and it is so important for my personal satisfaction.
Prof. Guiseppe’s Argument 2:
I’m already teaching at a number of leading business schools. It will be a great opportunity to build your brand with some of the brightest people in the world and attract new talent. For instance, with my current employer this year, we hired four MBA graduates and we even held an activity with ivy league graduates in New York.
Analysis
It is clear that the second argument is far more persuasive than the first. A key difference between the two is that in the first case, Prof Giuseppe was talking about what’s in it for him while in the second case, he spoke about what’s in it for the other party. This is a winning strategy. Letting your client know the advantages they have is a sure way to close the deal.
Understanding how your buyer thinks
- LinkedIn and social media: Prof Giuseppe says it’s crucial to know what kind of a person the other party in a negotiation is like. Therefore, checking their profile on social media is a great start, although it is not sufficient.
- Google Search: You may be able to find news articles or press releases with their quotes, blogs and opinion pieces they’ve written, or even personal websites on some occasions.
- Mutual connections: Mutual connections can be a game-changer if they can give you insight into your buyer. What’s better than a perfectly crafted cold email? A well-crafted warm intro.
- Company data: Collecting details such as financial performance, market size and target customers can also be a key factor to close the deal.
- Personality data: Linkedin and google searches may give you a sense of your buyer’s personality, but sometimes your interpretation can be way off because of simple human bias. Using a Personality AI tool like Humantic AI can reduce the amount of time you spend researching and provide accurate insights about your clients’ personalities. With the help of the DISC personality framework, you can figure out the best way to approach them.
Closing the deal with dual vision
In the end, sales is all about finding the endgame where everyone walks away as a winner. With Humantic AI, you also forge a long lasting relationship cemented by mutual trust.
Dual vision is the ultimate key to close the deal. Who else to learn this than the tenured professor of sales negotiation Prof Giuseppe himself? Watch the full masterclass here for free.
