E-commerce companies need to know the supplier’s trump card in order to take every step carefully and take the initiative. If the e-commerce company cannot know the supplier’s trump card before the negotiation, don’t be too anxious, because you can find out the trump card during the negotiation. Two details should be emphasized here: one is listening, and the other is asking. Correct listening and asking can help e-commerce companies take the initiative.
Let’s first understand the negotiation skills about listening. Wonderful negotiations often start with a relaxed chat, which is also a skill often used by smart negotiators. There are two entry points for chatting: one is life, and the other is business.
E-commerce companies need to face a variety of suppliers, and starting from the life aspect can often quickly lead the other party into their own rhythm. For example, discuss the recent weather and current affairs with the supplier, or directly ask the supplier about the family situation, etc., and get the desired content from the supplier’s feedback.
Of course, the discussion of life should not be too deep. On the one hand, the other party may not like others to inquire too much about their life information; on the other hand, it may not be conducive to bringing the topic back to the negotiation issue. In case the other party is very insightful about the details of his life, it is not appropriate to interrupt rashly.
In the business aspect, the opening greetings can be content related to the negotiation. It should start from the industry, with a larger scope, so that suppliers can play freely. In addition, if it is not the first negotiation, some marginal topics can also be involved, such as the evaluation of business activities, analysis of products and markets, etc. When suppliers talk about these topics, e-commerce companies must listen carefully to hear the surface and deep meanings in them, so as to respond accordingly.
In terms of listening, in addition to caring about what the other party talks about, e-commerce companies must also be a listener rather than a debater. Even if the other party’s point of view is opposite to yours, don’t rush to discuss your own point of view. Talk less and listen more, and don’t interrupt the other party easily to hear the other party’s cards.
Compared to the opening greetings, asking questions requires more skills. In a negotiation, asking questions can help e-commerce companies find out the other party’s cards.
For example, design questions in a chain so that the other party can follow the questions.
First, e-commerce companies should design questioning strategies to determine what questions to ask first, what questions to ask next, and what questions to ask last; then, estimate the other party’s possible answers and consider in advance how to respond to these answers; finally, try to find out the other party’s cards, so that you know yourself and the enemy, and win every battle
When it comes to quotations and other issues, e-commerce companies should also find ways to find out the other party’s true thoughts. For example, e-commerce companies can try to quote directly and wait for the supplier’s response, or let the supplier take the initiative to quote, and find ways to squeeze out the “water” to ensure that they get the goods at the best price.
Tips
The first step in a negotiation is to find out the other party’s cards and not rush to show them, so as to take the initiative in subsequent negotiations.