9 Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders | Mark Raffan - 1708

Everyone needs a good book to help them build essential skills for their career. If you’re in the sales industry, you must grab a copy of “Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders” to help you learn how to negotiate better. But how is this book going to help you become a better negotiator? In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly interviews the author and negotiation training expert, Mark Raffan. He shares his insights on why negotiation is often perceived as complex and how to navigate it effectively. Also, he discusses the key principles from his book, which aim to simplify negotiation and help readers achieve better outcomes in their deals. Mark Raffan Background Mark is a negotiation trainer at Negotiations Ninja, where he helps sales leaders develop and deliver content worldwide. His job is to help people make more money, close more deals, and become better negotiators. Recently, he wrote the book, “Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders.” Dissecting the Complexities of Negotiation Mark begins by addressing the misconception that negotiation is a mysterious and magical process.  He attributes this perception to media portrayals in movies like "Wolf of Wall Street," which depict negotiations as effortless and producing instant results.  However, real negotiation is far from glamorous and relies on strategic planning rather than magic or tricks. Unlocking Success Drivers The book emphasizes the importance of understanding what one wants to achieve in a negotiation.  Mark advises readers to define their contractual terms, target upsells and cross-sells, and identify strategic areas to drive value.  This strategic planning is crucial in avoiding reactive behavior during negotiations, allowing negotiators to maintain control and increase their chances of achieving favorable outcomes. The Pitfall of Customer-Centricity While being customer-focused is essential, Mark cautions against neglecting the objectives and interests of their own organization.  Many salespeople make significant concessions to meet the counterparty's demands, often at the expense of their own goals.  The book advises sales leaders and negotiators to balance understanding the counterparty's needs and prioritizing their aspirations. Leadership's Role in Developing Negotiation Skills The book addresses sales leaders, highlighting the importance of educating and empowering sellers in effective negotiation practices.  By encouraging a shift from solely focusing on revenue acquisition to considering deal quality, leaders can inspire their teams to think strategically.  The goal is to foster a mindset that cultivates better long-term results and profitability. Understanding Deal Quality In today's market, the focus on growth has often overshadowed the importance of deal quality.  Mark challenges this approach, emphasizing the need to evaluate the value and risks associated with each deal.  He provides insights on determining deal quality and outlines strategies to build value while minimizing risks consistently. Listeners are invited to dive deeper into the subject matter by reading Mark's book, "Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders." This enlightening resource is tailored to salespeople and sales leaders seeking to empower their teams and prioritize deal quality. So, if you're ready to unlock the secrets to uncomplicated negotiation and achieve better results in your deals, pick up a copy of the book today. "Real negotiation is significantly more boring. Real negotiation is about strategy. It's about planning." -Mark Raffan Resources Nine Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders Negotiations Ninja Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2.            This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3.            This episode is brought to you in part by Calendly. Calendly is the leading meeting scheduling software that automates your scheduling, speeds up your sales cycle, and closes more deals. Get started for free or learn more at calendly.com. 4.            This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.