B2B Street Fighting Blog

negotiation: centralized strategy with decentralized execution

Posted by Marie Dudek Brown on Fri, Dec 02, 2011 @ 11:36 AM

While having general agreement on a particular way to negotiate deals is beneficial to the entire organization, what is more beneficial is providing individual negotiators with ample flexibility to address their own situations within those guidelines. 

negotiation strategyHaving a negotiation strategy developed by the appropriate stakeholders provides an organization with what can be thought of as a radically centralized strategy with a radically decentralized execution.  Meaning, the strategy is centrally designed and those closest to the customer have generous flexibility to execute it. 

Once the stakeholders agree on ranges, or guidelines, for what can be negotiated, the negotiators have the ability to move within those ranges and need to go to management only in exceptional situations.  A negotiation strategy can be developed for an account, a section of your salesforce or for your entire organization.

The idea is to start with a controllable group in which behaviors can be changed and success can be measured cleanly and closely. 

Some additional things to think about:

  • Do you have a proactive response strategy for your irrational competitors?
  • How will you measure the results of the strategy once it's been implemented?
  • What specific guidelines need to be included in the strategy?
  • How will the strategy be distibuted and implemented?

The first and most critical step in establishing a successful negotiation strategy is stakeholder involvement and internal collaboration.  These various individuals are likely to have equally unique thoughts on negotiation strategies and tactics, and unless those strategies and tactics are coordinated, the result could be a great deal of internal misalignment and external confusion.  Do not underestimate the power of collaboration.

Would you like to know more?  Read the Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA) Velocity article entitled Developing a Negotiation Strategy.

Click me

 

 

Tags: negotiation strategies in business

Think! named to Inc. list of
America's fastest growing private companies

Think! named to Inc. 500|5000

about this blog

The B2B Street Fighting blog brings you the latest on what's happening in the real world of business negotiation.

Contact Think!


complete below to get NEW posts
delivered to you

our must-read books on business negotiation

Whether you are in sales or procurement, we have the books you need to read.

For sales professionals:

B2B Street Fighting

For procurement professionals:

negotiation blueprinting for buyers

 

Sales-Negotiation-Training-