As we witness the precarious negotiations in the Middle East I thought it was a good opportunity to highlight the importance of negotiating skills for Sales Mastery.
At some point in every conversation – negotiation enters the picture. We shall focus on “sales” conversation of course. Sometimes it shows up as hesitation, comparison, or a simple “let me think about it.”
How you handle that moment often determines the outcome.
I researched a few all time “great” negotiator from a range of different fields, who have different styles and even different personalities: to learn what patterns emerge.
I share here the top key negotiation skills we can learn from people like Chris Voss, William Ury and Chester Karrass – in the world of sales and business, from thinkers and practitioners like Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy – and great business leaders like Warren Buffett and Steve Jobs.
Three qualities, in particular, stand out:
1. THEY ARE CLEAR ON VALUE
They don’t enter a negotiation trying to justify their price. They enter knowing the value they bring. That clarity shows up in how they speak, how they position their offering, and how they handle pushback. They don’t get pulled into “price discussions” too easily, because they keep bringing the conversation back to what really matters. When value is clear, price becomes easier to accept.
2. THEY LISTEN DEEPLY BEFORE THEY RESPOND
They don’t rush to answer. They listen. Not just to the words, but to the intent behind them. They pay attention to what is important to the other side – where the hesitation lies and what is driving the conversation. Negotiation is about understanding the situation clearly enough to then respond with relevance and that only comes from listening.
3. THEY ARE COMFORTABLE NOT CLOSING
This is perhaps the most powerful trait. They are not desperate to close the deal. They are willing to pause, step back, or even walk away if something doesn’t align. That doesn’t make them rigid. It makes them credible. The moment the other side senses that you are not under pressure – the dynamic changes. You are no longer negotiating from need. You are negotiating from clarity.
So…
Stay anchored in value
Take the time to understand
And move forward without pressure
And when that happens, outcomes tend to take care of themselves.
Key Negotiating Skills For Sales Mastery
