What do top-performing sales negotiators do differently?
Do they tend to rely more on certain approaches and tactics compared with other sellers?
To find out, RAIN Group surveyed 262 salespeople who work for firms in 26 industries. The researchers identified the top performers (22% of respondents) based on those who reported most often achieving their pricing targets, expressed the greatest confidence in participating in effective negotiations, and felt the greatest satisfaction with the outcomes of recent negotiations.
Top performers are more likely than other sellers to say they go into negotiations understanding the power and leverage held by both sides (37-point difference), share new ideas and insights with buyers (35-point difference), and understand how their solution will meet the buyer's needs and ROI goals (35-point difference):
As for sales tactics, top performers are more likely than other sellers to say they hold firm on a set price from the beginning (16-point difference) and to say they make extreme requests/demands which are decreased later (14-point difference).
About the research: The report was based on data from a survey of 262 salespeople who work for firms in 26 industries.
