INKED

5Sales Negotiation Is About Winning for Your Team

People, especially salespeople and those who manage them, often use the phrase “win-win” and negotiation in the same breath. The concept of negotiating win-win outcomes certainly makes sense in diplomacy, arbitration, and conflict resolution.

“Win-win” is a noble concept. It’s nice when everyone wins. If both sides can walk away winners that’s a good thing. But win-win should not be your primary objective at the sales negotiation table, because as a sales professional, your objective is to win for your team.

Salespeople delude themselves into believing that everyone needs to win and that negotiated outcomes must be “fair and equitable.” “Win-win” makes sense. Fair and equitable is an easy concept to wrap your mind and emotions around. Yet, it’s just another verse of “Sales Kumbaya.”

For far too many salespeople, the fixation on “win-win” is an excuse for avoiding the uncomfortable and natural conflict inherent in negotiation. It’s a cop-out—an easy way to justify why you just gave the other side your maximum discount without a fight.

Here’s a brutal truth that you need to internalize: “Win-win” is the warm blanket of delusion where your commission check and your company’s profits curl up to die. “Win-win” as an outcome goal in sales negotiation is total BS. If you are focused on “win-win,” there is a real good chance that you are losing. Sales negotiation is about getting the best possible outcome for your team. Period.

Salespeople ...