You can’t control everything in sales, but you can control how well you’re prepared to negotiate. Everybody wants a good value, but that doesn’t mean you should cater to your prospects’ every whim or cut your prices just to close the deal.

Donny Kelwig, a contributing writer for the Zendesk blog, says most people could benefit from sales negotiation training. From webinars and online role-playing to buddy or mentor systems, it’s worthwhile for sales leaders to prepare their team for the negotiation table.

In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we outline Kelwig’s top reasons for boosting your negotiation skills.

Increased sales. Taking time to build on your sales negotiation skills is worth it, Kelwig says, because you’ll enter conversations better prepared to close. You’ll also develop concrete tactics, like how to implement a sales plan.

Better client relationships. Another reason to improve your negotiation skills is that doing so can lead to stronger client relationships. Kelwig says clients who have had a positive experience in the sales process are more likely to make future purchases and provide referrals. When sales reps know how to listen actively and empathetically, they’re probably already providing a good customer experience.

Stronger deals. Negotiation requires both parties to work together to reach a satisfactory agreement. Rather than bending to a prospect’s strong-arm tactics or coming back with a less-than-ideal counteroffer, you can stay calm and collected and redirect the discussion to your value. When you do this, Kelwig says you can not only increase sales but also increase revenue per sale.

Enhanced trust. Doctors can work on their bedside manner to improve patient trust, and sales professionals can work on their negotiation skills to build trust with clients. Kelwig suggests tweaking your body language or gestures to improve poise or going through some exercises to boost listening skills.

More empathy. During negotiations, always try to listen carefully to what the other person is saying — and what they’re not saying. Customers are people too, Kelwig says, and they want to be heard. Even if you don’t get the sale after a negotiation, the prospect may still decide to buy from you or refer you to someone else.

Knowing how to negotiate well can benefit both you and your clients. When you improve your sales negotiation skills, you not only increase sales and build stronger deals, but you can establish more rewarding client relationships in the long term.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Donny Kelwig is a contributing writer for the Zendesk blog.