subject: Best Practices in Negotiation - Is it a Buying Signal Or a Lying Signal? [print this page]
One of the most crucial skills you can develop as a negotiator is determining when someone is sending you a false signal of interest in your offer.
Often, you'll hear people say, as I did the other day with regard to my proposal: "I'm going to sleep on it."
I phoned him back the next day to see if he'd improve his offer. Again, he said he'd sleep on it, at which point I quipped, "That's what you said, yesterday. By now, I'd think you're very well rested!"
Another person remarked, "I'll call around, and if I find a buyer, I'll let you know."
Encouraging signs, or brush-offs?
Amateurs would reply, "Well, at least they didn't say no!" That's true, but it's also worse.
A "no" tells you something specific and says, either change your offer or find someone else.
A "maybe" or a stall can waste your time, raising false hopes.
I was just reading a blog written for attorneys. The author described a phone conversation she had with an attorney's assistant, who happened to be his wife:
"The attorney's wife said she would talk to her husband. I knew right then and there that she was not happy with the price. How did I know? Because if she would have been interested in my services she would have asked me questions and sought out details of how my work would be performed. Instead, as soon as she learned my price she dropped the ball and found an excuse to get off the phone. These are things you need to look for when marketing your service business."
I couldn't agree more.
This blogger went on to say, just to be sure, she emailed the law firm about a week later, and received a terse reply that her prices were too high, which supported her suspicion she was being jettisoned over the phone.
You need to be able to separate the serious from the frivolous, buying signals from lying signals. The earlier you can detect the difference, the better off you'll be, and all the more profitable and effective.
Best Practices in Negotiation - Is it a Buying Signal Or a Lying Signal?
