Derek Arden » Blog

Negotiate your Marketing

Derek Arden — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:02:30 +0000

I have been asked to look at the marketing of a prospective client. So I thought I would highight some usual issues that tend to happen in these circumstances. This lady is an alternative therapist and apparently very good at what she does.

Looking at her website, it doesn’t have a picture of her, show what she does for the reader, have testimonials or USP’s (unique selling points). All pre-requisites.

I am not sure if she knows what her goals are - (if you don’t know where you are going, every road will take you there)

Once she has decided this - she needs a marketing plan. Like her goals it can be short and succinct. In a filofax if necessary, but written down as easily accessible, and updated. Things change.

What marketing might she do? We all know word of mouth marketing is the best - and best done by networking and getting people, your ex-clients to spread the word. If not you need to be a part of a larger organisation that does it for you, and takes a big slice. This is an alternative for people who do not want to do it themselves. My great friend and business associate Martin prefers this option.

Marketing options

Website – upgraded as suggested above
Blog
Newsletter – to all previous clients, new contacts etc
Ask for testimonials from all old clients, and use them
Stories in newsletter about clients who have been “healed” and on blog
Business cards – which market – not just say who she is…… and give them away
Brochure that markets – but don’t spend a lot on it – content more important
Free talks
A self help mastermind group
Give stuff away
Twitter
linkedIn
Facebook for business etc

These are my thoughts. If you are self employed or a small business, to be successful you have to do this yourself. Even the CEO’s of large corporations keep a close eye on the marketing ideas, budget and results.

The problem is with marketing, you don’t know which part of it is successful, however if you do enough, are congruent the results will come

Derek Arden - October 2009 - Negotiating, marketing and sales

Negotiation - Business lunch - learning points

Derek Arden — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:41:18 +0000

At the Brighton business lunch yesterday I was talking to some very experienced business men and women. Letting them think about the most common mistakes that good negotiators make.

Two directors who are running a very successful surveying company, came up and told me the key issue in negotiating tactics that they hadn’t thought of was “To go to negotiating meetings together, rather than alone”. This has the advantage of one director being able to sit back and watch the proceedings develop. Watch the body language and then when the trading of concessions take place, a “time out” can be taken and a considered view, from two points of view, can be taken. This will mean that better decisions will be made which will enhance the bottom line.

What you need to do here to maximise the position

1 - Plan who will do most of the talking and who will do the observing. Active and passive
2 - Never interupt. Allow the questions to be asked and re-asked perhaps in “Colombo” fashion
3 - Listen carefully, watch the reaction of other people at the meeting
4 - Take a time out, consider what the observer has seen
5 - Go back in and ask clarifying questions
6 - Decide what to do - and make your new bid conditional on getting something extra from them

Post office strike - who has the power in the Negotiations?

Derek Arden — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:06:43 +0000

Power is an interesting issue when I am advising clients on the action they should take. Unions tend to think they have power and then tend to use it by striking. Strikes are real lose lose situations and we have a forthcoming Post Office strike, A BA cabin crewstrike and as usual a train drivers strike. In the first two cases we have old unions, with outdated practices and a product that no longer suits the market, they are hanging on to what they have always had. With the train drivers they have a shrewd negotiator in Bob Crow but one who takes an extreme position and has got his way recently. He has been allowed to by the mayor of London and TFL. When we they stand up to the RMT?

The Post Office could be run by DHL or Fedex on their own terms and the BA share price has been so low recently the unions could place the company in the hands of a lower cost operator as what nearly happened with Ryanair and Aer lingus. It will be interesting to watch the negotiating tactics as each side plays its hand over the next few weeks. Follow the negotiation tactics here at www.derekarden.co.uk/blog/negotiation

JJB rocked by Swiss bank smear - Negotiation tactic

Derek Arden — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:58:16 +0000

I get concerned when people of integrity appear to get linked into dirty negotiation tactics. Sir David Jones I have known for years and it appears that false allegations stopped a planned rights issue on Friday for JJB. The underwriters refused to go ahead until the rumours had been cleared up. Who spreads rumours like this? (known as megaphone negotiating tactics, in this case dirty megaphone negotiating tactics). It has to be someone with an ulterior motive who has an interest in making money, selling newspapers or just has a vendetta. Usually greed is the motivation. Sir David Jones has denied the allegations, proved he is innocent with documentary proof. Now we will see what happens tomorrow.

Negotiate when things appear to be not negotiable

Derek Arden — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 08:28:14 +0000

Recently we had to cancel a holiday in Wales because my mother in law was taken into hospital. The hotels and the train fare had been booked and paid for on line. They were special deals and not refundable. Always remember test “not negotiable” by asking nicely. I rang both hotels, built rapport with the receptionist, explained the situation and both hotels said that if we would like to rebook they would allow us to come at no charge. I had previously said that we would like to return and when we did we would eat in their restaurant etc - sweetening the pill for them.

We have just returned from the two hotels and we had a great time on the newly opened Welsh Highland Railway

Define your value proposition

Derek Arden — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:05:22 +0000

Your value proposition is what you bring to the table. It is very helpful when you are preparing your CV to think, what do I really contribute? What are my skills and how does my attitude and hunger fit into what they want or need.

Whilst your skills might be in computers, what have you learnt about marketing and selling. How good are you at networking, can you negotiate? The latter skills will bring a lot more to the party and most computer people are not so good when it comes to the “Human” people skills.

Your value proposition should be used as your primary response whenever you are asked these types of questions: ‘ So tell me about yourself? ‘ ‘ Why should I consider you for this position? ‘ How do you know you can do the job? ‘
Your value proposition also becomes an integral part of your CV. It is placed at the top, so it sets the tone. It holds tremendous weight as a differentiating tool, swiftly setting you, and your CV, apart from the rest.

Think back to the extra things you have done for people in the past. Organising away days, developing websites helping charities. This type of energy will make a massive difference when differentiating yourself with others and will put you in a much stronger haggling, negotiating position.

By listing these things down or mindmapping them - you will grow your self-esteem and your confidence. This will show through in all aspects of your body language and the way you come across.

Your value proposition is who you are and what YOU do. This is different to a list of jobs that you might see on a CV. Think the value proposition as a pitch to clients

Bus driver never had a bad passenger in 42 years

Derek Arden — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:05:32 +0000

Bus driver never had a bad passenger in 42 years

Listening to the radio the other day I heard a story about a bus driver who had been driving in Hartlepool for 42 years. As always, the reporter wanted to know about bad / abusive passengers. After all that is what makes news or sells newspapers. He dissappointed the journalist by saying he had never had a bad customer. He said, he had had passengers who weren’t well, in bad moods and upset. he then went on to say it is how you treat them, determines how they react. The law of cause and effect - I would describe it. It was his job to drive them and make sure they had a pleasant experience and if he could help them change their state / mood then he was helping them and their journey. Sounded to me that he had been on an NLP course before NLP was even written about by Bandler and Grinder. State changing, cause and effect and reframing - Wow.

What you put out is what you get back. What are you giving out today?.

Work with eagles when you are negotiating

Derek Arden — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:22:04 +0000

Mike who I work closely with as a partner and an associate, sometimes works with a large training supplier. This supplier wins transactional training contracts at fine margins and then finds someone to deliver the training at the minimum price. Mike used to be head of learning for a major international bank and is an expert. On this particular contract the contractor having won the business, had no one to write the material for them and turned to Mike, at short notice. Unfortunately they also turned to an ex colleague of Mike’s, Peter who committed 3 cardinal sins - of negotiating which I wouldn’t want to happen to a client of mine.

The client sent out the brief which was detailed. Mike read it, made notes and prepared for the meeting. He didn’t hear from Peter so he rang him to find out his views. Peter had not read the brief nor had he done any research. Next day Peter turned up late for the meeting; Mike had been with the client for 12 minutes before Peter arrived. He was embarrassingly dripping with sweat, as it was a hot summers day in London. Finally the next day, the client suggested a price of £750 for the work completed, to Mike and Peter separately (divide and conquer) Mike flinched and said his normal price was £1000 per day. Peter without discussing it with Mike accepted. He said to Mike afterwards he thought the price was fair (fair to whom, I wonder)

Mike and the client are professional - Peter a complete amateur. Learning points
1 - Always prepare
2 - Always be early for meetings
3 - Get your act together on pricing

If you are dealing with two parties - divide and conquer as the client.

Message for Mike, sorry mate - Fly with the eagles don’t scratch with the turkeys

Used Car Haggling

Derek Arden — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:21:03 +0000

Six top negotiating tips to help you win
when buying a second hand car.
by Derek Arden – Usedcarexpert.com – Chief Negotiating Advisor

1. Build rapport but do not make a friend. Blunt or aggressive negotiation will not work. Rarely does a car seller need your purchase so badly that they will tolerate rudeness. Chat to them and be warm whilst looking at the car. But do not get too friendly or feel sorry for the seller because you want to get a good dealhttp://www.derekarden.co.uk/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=474&message=6#.

2. Ask for a discount without being embarrassed. Tell the sales person:”I would love to buy this car, but my wife/husband will go nuts if I pay this price. What can you do to help me?”

3. It does not necessarily matter if your partner does not mind what you pay – or even that you do not have a partner. This is called “using higher authority”. It means that you can remain on good terms with the seller, but still push for a better deal. It makes the seller more inclined to move on price. Never accept the first offer. It makes the salesman think he has offered too much but still has more discounts to give. Whatever they offer say,”that helps, but I’m still not sure I could face my partner.” Or “Surely you can do better than that?” Use the power of silence. If the salesman makes you an offer, or you have asked him to improve his offer, resist the temptation to speak. Just wait, for several minutes if necessary. The silence will be painful for you, but more painful for the salesman .Eventually he will crack and start to offer you “sweeteners” to close the deal.

4. Know your prices. When dealing with garages, make sure you know what’s on offer at other garages in the area. Many will match the offers of their competitors, so you just have to ask, ”Will you match your competitors prices?”

5. Avoid splitting the difference (or meeting in the middle). If you offer to split the difference the sales person will split it again, which means you have moved 75% of the way towards their price and they have moved 25% towards you.If the sales person offers to split the difference, say “I can’t do that, but I’ll meet you half way between my offer and the offer you just made.” This means they move 75% and you give just 25% up!

6. Ask garages for added value. If you have exhausted the potential discount options, ask the garage for bonus items. For example say, ”the stereo’s not very good and all the mats need replacing.”

Haggling over a domain name

Derek Arden — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:47:59 +0000

One of my clients bought a “Dot Com” domain name for £40 last year. it was to form a set of names for a new venture. Last week he was offered £1800 for the name, which is the valuation you get, if you go on to the valuation website SEDO

The question is what should he do - what would you do?

He told the buyer that he was looking for £3000 but would include the “Dot net” donmain name which he also owned ( a negotiable variable) - and despite the buyer saying that he would talk to his lawyer to get it sorted, nothing has happened. How do you rate his haggling and what do you recommend he does next?

Answers please - more to come shortly