How to Anchor During a Negotiation to Close 100% More Sales

Negotiation is a critical skill for anyone and especially for salespeople. Although there's no single perfect approach, it's in your ability to effectively negotiate a deal through being able to read the situation and act accordingly than it is about talking a prospect into doing what you want them to do.

When buyers make a purchase it's natural for them to experience a phenomenon called an anchoring bias which is the tendency to focus heavily on the first price they see in the context of a sale. By understanding how anchoring can impact the decision-making process, salespeople can be better equipped to handle different challenging situations during a negotiation with potential customers.

How anchoring works

Don't dive in without your diving gear. It's important that you determine what information to share with prospects. Keep in mind that the first value they hear has a high likelihood to influence their decision, and after your initial conversations with the prospect you feel you can present a package that is financially feasible for them and profitable for you, you can get ahead of anchoring bias by presenting a mutually beneficial first offer.

Challenges of Anchoring in Negotiation

Anchoring can also create challenges in the negotiation process when there is misalignment between two parties on the value of the offer.

Conclusion

The more experience you have at negotiating the more comfortable you will be working through these scenarios. To hone in your negotiation skills, hop on a video call with a colleague and try an exercise together.

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How to Get Your Sales Back on Track

More sales can mean more revenue and a bigger profit for your business, however, as your sales numbers continue to grow companies pass the point of being able to fulfils every order as soon as it's made. This is a sales backlog. This is often unavoidable, no matter how good your inventory management processes that have been set in place.

This isn't necessarily a bad position to be in. Although it is ideal to fill customer orders as quickly as possible, a healthy backlog shows that your product/service is highly in demand. 

The importance of a sales backlog

This could mean your product is high in demand, or it could mean that your fulfilment techniques are inefficient. Measuring your backlog helps you assess if your company is in a strong position for growth or this will continue to be a problem as you grow.

Best way to calculate your sales backlog

The best way to calculate your backlog is typically expressed as a ratio. Compare a period of time of your total orders with your ordering processing capacity. The rule of thumb is to have a larger number as this would mean that your backlog is larger. Here's an example of what the formula looks like:

Sales backlog = backlog of orders/total sales

For example if you make 110 sales per week but have a 10 order backlog (inability to fulfil sales) you would have a sales backlog of 0.09.

10/110=0.09

What this means is that for every order 0.09 (or 9%) orders are actually backlogged. Check in to see if this trends up over time or if this is repetitive in a cycle.

How to manage your sales backlog

To manage your sales backlog means effectively understanding what the ratio represents and how it actually impacts or effects your business operations. Check in frequently and implement a faster turnaround time for your suppliers or find ways to be able to deliver your service more efficiently.

Conclusion

The best-case management for your backlog means to find a sweet spot between demand and your available capacity, until you are able to solve either side of the issue. There are many tactics which include new physical processing capacities or increasing efficiency with the inclusion of specific processes.

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8 Different Tonal Patterns Which Will Help You Close More Sales

Tonality is broken up into 8 generally different patterns. Which you use will depend on the relationship you've managed to build with the other receiver. Look at it as where they are currently in the sales process and what you hope to gain in that moment of the conversation.

1. Scarcity/Urgency

This is used to convey the need to make a decision quickly.

2. Reasonable

You are on the same side as them, speaking to them as if you're one of them or you can relate from their point of view to build a positive relationship with the buyer.

3. Absolute Certainty

You know you can help them and you want them to understand that as well.

4. I Care

Empathy is important in everything you do including sales. Customers want to know that their problems really matter to you.

5. Using a question to be declarative

Ending your statement with a raised voice suggesting a question mark, to infer an agreement.

6. Series of 3 Up Tones

This micro-agreements can encourage others to agree with you.

7. The Presupposing Tone

You know the outcome they can expect and is especially helpful when emphasising the benefits which can be expected when using your product/service.

8. I really want to know

Customers yearn to be heard. Use this tone to allow you to communicate that you want to hear them and their problems.

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