Successful Negotiators Use Two Negotiation Styles
Posted on 09/16/2024 in Sales Negotiation SkillsWritten by Jenny Bulgrin Venkat
There are four common negotiation styles:
- Aggressive/Confronting
- Assertive/Persuasive
- Open/Questioning
- Avoiding/Withdrawal
You may not be surprised to hear that the most successful negotiators distinguish themselves in two ways in terms of their negotiation style. First, they score highest on the Assertive/Persuasive and Open/Questioning negotiation styles. Second, they have the ability to vary their negotiation style, using elements of all four negotiation styles, to fit different negotiation situations.
Since the most successful negotiators score high on these two styles, let’s dive deeper into them.
Assertive/Persuasive It’s crucial to distinguish between being assertive and being aggressive. Assertive negotiators confidently present a clear and concise position, provide key points to support that position, and tailor their approach to their customer. When you understand your customer and take time to plan for your sales call, it’s much easier to feel confident in your assertiveness.
Another tip for projecting confidence is to avoid speech qualifiers. Adding words like “hoping” during your request to a customer can make you seem tentative and unsure of your position.
On the other end of the spectrum, a recent attendee at our sales negotiation workshop mentioned that they wanted to ensure they didn’t come off as rude while being assertive. In addition to the tips mentioned above, be mindful of your verbal and nonverbal communication. Your tone, body language, and demeanor can help you maintain assertiveness without crossing into an aggressive or rude approach.
If you find the conversation becoming aggressive, remember that it’s okay to take a break and return to the discussion once all parties have calmed down.
Hot Tip: If you are making a concession, remember to ask for something in return. Negotiation is a give-and-take process.
Open/Questioning The term "Open" refers to being open-minded and proactive about offering options to the other side. To achieve this, the best negotiators ask more questions, and the quality of their questions sets them apart. When the customer shares their initial wants at the beginning of the negotiation, the best negotiators become curious. They recognize that the customer's input represents the “opening position,” and it’s up to them to explore all potential options. By asking simple yet powerful questions, they go beyond the initial “want” to uncover both the customer’s critical needs and available options.
Hot Tip: Keep it simple. Use follow-up questions and statements such as “Tell me more,” “Why?” and “What if…?”
What questions do you have about negotiating? What information from above would you like us to explore further?
Note: Our workshops include a self-survey that provides you with your personal results on your natural negotiation style.