You thought you won the deal.
The prospect said the business was yours, as long as you provide a lower price on a more expensive item. You showed the prospect every detail, they agreed upon every item, but suddenly the miscommunication becomes clear.
The buyer wants everything different and cheaper. How they want it to be different will be unique to each situation, but the fact that there is miscommunication is normal. That’s why it is frustrating, isn’t it?
You tried to be so clear and now it seems so confusing. Don’t panic. Be happy your prospect wants to negotiate. Negotiations only occur when agreement and disagreement occur simultaneously and both parties want to resolve the differences. Negotiations will continue as long as both parties believe the disagreements can be resolved. Prospects wanting to negotiate is a sign your are about to make a sale.
Prepare for your negotiations. Think about what is important to you and what is important to the buyer. Determine what items your willing to negotiate on and think about what you desire in return. Identify win-win trade offs. Begin your discussions with the easier items to resolve, and then move to the more challenging items. Make your prospect understand your desire to reach an agreement.
When negotiations break down, be ready to review the areas of agreement and help them understand how much progress you’ve made. Be pleasant and encourage them to spend time with you working through the terms. As the amount of time they spend trying to reach an agreement increases, so does the likelihood they will agree to your terms.
But be prepared to walk away. No deal is better than a bad deal.