Negotiation Skills Training Classes

Our public Negotiation classes and in house Negotiations classes are enlightening, educational, measurable and fun. Negotiation training classes can be scheduled at your offices or through our open enrollment classes. We do offer negotiation skills training classes to the general public.

Contact us today to discuss your specific Negotiation training needs or to sign up for one of our public negotiations classes. 

Participants in the Win- Win Negotiations class will learn to:

• Develop an effective plan and strategy for any negotiation
  
• Know when and when not to negotiate
  
• Negotiate face-to-face, on the phone, and through e-mail
  
• Learn to become a more persuasive negotiator
  
• Develop a common negotiating language with the other parties
  
• Use negotiation techniques that pull information from the other parties
  
• Read client and employee behaviors styles to maximize closure
  
• Recognize interests and issues and avoid unnecessary positions
  
• Neutralize manipulative negotiation tactics
  
• Minimize negotiation conflicts and deadlocks both internally and externally
  
• Coordinate negotiations within client organization
  
• Meet business objectives by focusing on planning rather than on tactics

Non-Verbal Differences North American Women Need To Be Aware Of In a European Sales Negotiation

International sales negotiations need to be prepared. Cross cultural communication is mined with potential blunders. And if you are a woman, you need to pay attention to other details as well during a sales negotiation.

Here are a few more tips specifically for North American women in sales negotiations with Europeans:

Dress

Industry environments can change dramatically from country to country. In one country navy suits for men will be the norm and with the same industry in another country the standards will be more tolerant. If you are a woman, it is not always easy to find the right clothes to fit in. Women can often get out of the blue suit standard, sometimes this is even expected for a sales negotiation.

Shoes

North American business women have a different dress code to wearing stockings. You will not find many Europeans wearing stockings with skirts during a sales negotiation at all times of the year even during a heat wave. The offices are often air-conditioned so it is easy to deal with a jacket, but stockings are an oddity.

Also, you might be interested to know: the first thing that gives you away as an American will be the tennis shoes you wear, if ever you wear any during the trip.

Perfume

In France, for example, during the sales negotiation women can wear more perfume than in North America. Again in certain industries perfume can even be the expected standard. Smell just seems to be something people notice in others they do not know well.

Smiles

During a sales negotiation, North Americans tend to smile more than most Europeans. Smiling can be taken as being threatening. And if you are a woman the simplest of smiles can be perceived as being over-provocative. Yes, even here in Europe. This can be an issue for some Europeans. The best way to adapt is to make sure your words are not ambiguous during the sales negotiation.

And, to follow on from the tennis shoes: smiling will probably be the second give-away that you are American.

Cheek Kisses

Smiling leads into the habit of greeting everyone with kisses on the cheeks. There is more cheek kissing in Europe than in North America. Mainly in France and Italy. The number of kisses depends on the region you are in, the age of the people, and other factors the locals don't seem to agree on anyways.

But remember, cheek kissing is a practice that is assimilated to simply saying hello. If you come across someone you would normally say hello to in a country where cheek kisses are standard practice, it means no more than saying hello. But if you don't give yourself in to the practice during a sales negotiation some people can be offended that you did not say "hello".

Using Your Cultural Advantages

There are advantages to being North American and traveling in Europe for a sales negotiation. You will probably be able to cultivate closer relationships than a native business person.

Nick Names & First Names

Americans can often get away with calling Europeans by their first name during a sales negotiation. This is not always the local standard practice.

Americans have the habit of calling others nick names. This can work for you or against you in a sales negotiation. It all depends on the situation. You will have to adapt. Women would probably find it easier to avoid using nick names or letting themselves be addressed using a nick name.

Different Business Drinking Practices

In Europe there are different practices with regards to drinking and business during a sales negotiation. In England for example you might feel obliged to go to the pub. In France eating and drinking seem to be an obligatory part of every sales negotiation. Having a glass of wine at lunch is the norm even if there is a heavy workload scheduled that same afternoon.

There are times when it is possible to avoid drinking. However there are also times when it is well advised to have that glass of wine or to go to the pub, to fit in with the key players if you want your sales negotiation to succeed.

Men & Women In the Sales Negotiation

Be aware that a male/female sales team works differently in different cultures during a sales negotiation. Be sure to have a clear understanding of the role of each person in a sales negotiation process. Being professional at all times and remaining friendly on the right level can take a bit of balancing in some circumstances.

Team Play

If you are part of a multicultural business team you will have the opportunity of using and playing on a very wide range of natural skills. This works extremely well for teams who work together.

Avoiding Cultural Blunders

Cultural misunderstandings do happen. They are not only based on verbal blunders.

If you are a North American woman coming to Europe for the first time on business, keep these points in mind. Being aware of your differences also means that you will not react strongly to seeing different customs and habits.

Take note of these differences and then work on developing good cross cultural communication.

Cindy King: http://getinternationalclients.com

Notes: Sales Negotiation

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