The Germantown Great Hall rocked when BNI and U. S. Learning hosted an event for the BNI chapter and their guests.  Don Hutson, two time New York Times best-selling author was the emcee and opened the program, “BNI Midsouth 2011 Success Seminar”.

Terri Murphy presented “How to Connect & Convert Prospects to Profits” and handed out tips to connect with customers and become a “go-to” resource to get new customers and build community.

Click here to download program PDF.

George Lucas, co-author of the NY Times best seller, “The One Minute Negotiator”  with Don Hutson shared his expertise on “How to Negotiate for Success” for better outcomes.

Click here to download program PDF.

Customer service expert, Ed Horrell is the best-selling author of the “Kindness Revolution”.

He  engaged the audience with his presentation on “How to start a Kindness Revolution in your Company” with the Butterfly Effect with the four “must-do’s” to create memorable customer experiences.

Click here to download program PDF.

Don Hutson powered the program with the wrap up on how to “SELL VALUE and Not Price”.  Don offered the seven types of differentiation  and how to convert that differentiation to profits and a powerful competitive edge.

Click here to download program PDF.

The group enjoyed networking before and during the program with local sponsors and wine and cheese after the program.

For more information about future programs:

E-mail: office @BNIMidsouth.com or visit BNIMidsouth.com for details.

When Don Hutson and George Lucas wrote their NYTimes Best Seller, they originally had a 70,000+ word manuscript! Too long for the “One Minute” format!

So many of our book readers have asked, “How can we get more hands on negotiation skills?” Don Hutson, George Lucas and Terri Murphy have formulated a 10 session Webinar series that will launch this month. Check out this short video as Don and George give a brief overview of the program.

To register for the program please click here to complete the registration form.

Click here to download The One Minute Negotiator Coaching Program Brochure.

Red Chips mean STOP!

Have you ever lost in a negotiation because you were unclear about the colors of your negotiation chips? I’m referring to critical importance of identifying a RED chip from a BLUE chip to help arrive at a successful agreement in a negotiation.
A critical step early in the negotiation process is to do preliminary preparation to start the process of identifying and understanding the other side’s real needs. A inflexible “need” is is an issue that is a non-negotiable and thus we or the other party simply can’t move on. In the One Minute Negotiation process, we refer to these issues as “red chips.”
Think of RED CHIPS just like you would a red stop light. The first step in determining the nature of any red chips your side might have is to take time to know which issues would fall into one of the two dimensions of this chip category.
• The first dimension is “situational” red chips; these are deal-specific issues. Here’s an example: Your company may be introducing a new product that will not be available for shipment until the start of the next quarter. If a customer wanted this product before that time, there is simply no way you could meet that condition … thus it is a situational RED CHIP issue.
• The second dimension deals with “ethical” or “legal” red chips. For these issues, it would be a violation of the law or documented company policy for you to agree to do what is being requested. These red chips are in place for every negotiation in which you engage. As an example, a prospect might be asking for money under the table, or want you to falsify information on a form. No matter how much they ask, or how much they offer, such an activity simply can’t be agreed to …. an ethical RED CHIP issue.
Just as important as knowing your red chips, is how you state them. When addressing situational red chips you want to be sure this is made clear early in the negotiation. You might state it this way: “I want you to understand that this product will not be available for shipment for a minimum of six weeks.”
An appropriate response when addressing an issue involving “ethical” or “legal” red chips your response might be “That is something we simply can’t even entertain. Please do not ask.”
For both types of red chips, should the other side bring the issue up again it is critical that you make clear that this topic is off the table; though you are open to discussing other non-red chip issues.
One final thought:
When red chips are inconsistent, the negotiation will result in a stalemate – no deal. As an example, if they must have your product before it is even available…you have a red chip, non-negotiable situation.
But all too often when negotiating, people wrongly classify blue chips (considered very important, but with flexibility) as red chips (no flexibility). Understanding the difference between these two types of issues can make or break what could be a successful outcome. When you confuse a red chip with a blue chip issue, you could be headed for a stalemate that did not have to occur. What did you do to avoid this confusion between inflexible and important issues in your last negotiation?

There may be no area of greater confusion in negotiating than the difference between a “position” and a “need.”

“They need a 10% reduction in our price if we are going to have a chance to keep the business.”

This is a statement that is being made by salespeople to their sales managers constantly on a global basis. Is the comment based on a position or a need? It is stated as a need, but in reality it is a position. It is what they are asking for. A need, on the other hand, is what they are attempting to achieve. In this case, the true need might be a reduction in their cost of finished goods to protect their margins. The need might also be driven by a price reduction request from their own customers.

Well, why is it stated as a need when it is really a position, and what difference does it make? It is stated as a need because the customer is looking for some help, and they think that a price reduction is the only way the supplier can provide it. Frequently one side views the other party to the negotiation in too limited a capacity; i.e. all you can do that would be helpful is to cut your price. This position is also seen as a quick fix based on the walking orders that the buyer received from his or her boss. The issue is important because until the parties get past positions and down to true needs competition, avoidance, accommodation and compromise are the only possible negotiation options. Once needs are on the table win-win collaboration becomes viable. There may be many ways the seller can help the buyer achieve their cost reduction targets, including reducing transportation costs, managing inventory more effectively, modifying the product specifications, addressing payment terms, and the list goes on.

If you want to collaborate, you will need to learn to probe to get past positions and down to needs. “I understand that you are facing some cost pressure on this product. What are some of the areas you have looked at to drive costs out of the production process to this point?” When you shift the focus from price to cost you are often making the transition from positions to needs, simultaneously opening new opportunities for discussion.

And if one doesn’t have integrity, the other two can kill you!” That’s wisdom! People want to do business with those they know like and trust. High integrity people gain trust quicker. We can all choose to do the right and honest thing. The I.Q. factor we can’t do much about, but we can choose to continue to learn new skills to be a more valuable team member. The high energy attribute is something we can definitely choose to display. Isn’t it interesting that our success is largely impacted by the power of our choices?!

So in the past thirty days what is the best choice/decision you made? What type of outcomes did it generate? Do the results merit a permanent behavior change in some respect that might result in continued progress?

How about the poorest choice/decision you made in the past thirty days? What was the result? Did you learn anything that might enable you to get better outcomes in the future?

My first sales manager, Dick Gardner, once told me “If you can do something once, you can do it twice; and if you can do it twice you can make it a habit!” Habits are strange commanders, but they do determine our destiny over time. Can you list three new habits that would apply to your current opportunities that could take you to the next level?

Don Hutson