Talking Price

IMAGINE IT IS two weeks before an important pitch. You are putting the finishing touches to the proposal, but something does not look right. You tell your manager that the price seems high and remind him that you missed out on a recent contract when offering a similar rate. First, there is silence, then comes the answer you did not want: "We need this fee to make the project worthwhile.”

Persuasion and Assertion

WHY DO WE sometimes fail in our efforts to influence another person? It may be because we are not focusing our attention on the right thing. The natural tendency is to look at every situation from our own point of view. We consider first the ways we need help, believe our own recommendations are best and set agendas that cater to our personal priorities. 

Building a Good Rapport

WE ALL KNOW the importance of building relationships with our clients as a prelude to winning business and seeing it grow. We attend seminars, read extensively and even participate in day-long training programmes on the subject. Management teams hold lengthy strategy sessions to devise better ways of ensuring long-term relationships exist, and that sales personnel develop them proactively.