Negotiating with Backbone: Eight Sales Strategies to Defend Your Price and Value, Second Edition

8. Negotiating with Value Buyers

Value buyers want value from suppliers. They have the internal or hired skills to establish performance and buying criteria, evaluate alternate vendors, and make their ultimate decision based on a balanced consideration of both price and value. From the outside, dealing with value buyers might look like just another procurement poker game, but with a little digging, disciplined suppliers can begin to discover who the alternate vendors are and what the process is for selecting them. With value buyers, you might work the hardest to win the deal, but you also know up front what the stakes are and what you need to do to win.

Of course all purchasers want value from suppliers, but value buyers dedicate significant ...