Negotiation is a very strategic issue.  At the highest level, the business deals that a salesperson completes during the year roll-up and actually become that brand. The way you negotiate your business deals around the world is either a deposit to or a withdrawal from your brand equity.

In the early 1980's, the perception of a great salesperson evolved from a back-slapping pitch agent to a highly analytical professional who can expertly wield repeatable sales processes to uncover client needs and leverage their value proposition to meet them.

Negotiation hasn't quite made that leap.  Listen to Brian Dietmeyer's conversation with Gerhard Gschwandtner of SellingPower on how sales professionals can make better and faster decisions at the street level, while protecting brand equity, positioning themselves as powerful decision makers in the eyes of their customers, enhancing margins, and lowering deal variance.