Last year, Mark Jankowski, Co-Founder of the Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI) joined me on my radio show. Mark has trained tens of thousands of people throughout the world in negotiation and influencing skills. He regularly consults clients on deals ranging above the 100 million dollar mark. He’s also the best selling author of The Power of Nice and Bullies, Tyrants, and Impossible People.
You can find him on twitter @markjankowski
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100 Million Dollar Negotiation and Influence Skills
Can Negotiation Skills Get You Better Deals?
“You’ll never know if you don’t ask.” - Unknown
One day I decided to contact a company selling 900#s as a business opportunity. No, I wasn’t going to use it to sell any of the services 900 numbers were commonly known for in the late 80s and early 90s. I was going to use the number to offer marketing coaching services. Good idea? I certainly thought so.
Anyway, with a list of companies selling 900# services in hand, I picked up the phone and started on what turned out to be a short search. You see, seconds later, I was on the phone with a rep for one of the companies on my list. He asked me a few questions and then launched into his presentation. It sounded as if he was reading a script! After he was finished, I quickly asked about the investment required to start.
Beliefs Impact Negotiations
“In Business As In Life – You Don’t Get What You Deserve, You Get What You Negotiate” – Chester Karrass
Do you believe that statement? I don’t! However, at first glance it seemed to be a very valid statement to me. Then I began remembering several contradictory experiences which caused me to conclude that, to become a successful negotiator–you must believe that you deserve what your asking for!
One of these experiences occurred during a beautiful sunny, but cool, early fall day in South Carolina. A colleague and I were considering a business proposal that included meeting nearly 100 fascinating people, making a difference, earning a significant amount of money and a beachfront view. Irresistible offer? It was–until the following words were spoken in a rather firm tone:
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Negotiations Made Easy
Sometime ago a friend, client, and business partner of mine informed me that the VP of Finance at a company contacted him for advice. In their face-to-face meeting, this young gentleman, who was fresh out of college, humbly admitted that the company which used to generate about $25 million a year was quickly approaching Niagara Falls’ edge.
You see, unfortunately the company’s executives made some errors in judgment that apparently threatened to wipe the company out. In fact, by the time that initial meeting occurred, the company was over three quarters of million dollars in debt without any significant revenue. By the way, it was the only time I’d ever met men willing to admit they were in over their heads.
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