How to Build Long-Term Relationships Through Negotiation

Ethical sales hacks I know now I wish I knew starting out: (Here's how to keep the ball in the air long enough to score) ➠ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁: Building trust isn't just good ethics, it's good business. Early in my career, I learned hard sales might bring quick wins, but trust wins the marathon. Here’s how: • Reputation • Consistency • Authenticity • Transparency ➠ 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Listening more than talking is a game-changer. Stop thinking about what you’re going to say next. There is nothing more important than giving your full attention to the person in front of you. It's not about convincing; it's about understanding needs and providing solutions: • Active listening • Tailored solutions • Clarifying questions ➠ 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲: I used to think closing was everything. Now I know providing value upfront builds stronger, lasting relationships: • Build credibility • Share knowledge • Solve a small problem for free Prove you can help by actually helping. ➠ 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: In negotiations, honesty creates more than deals—it builds bridges. Overselling or hiding facts can backfire: • Be upfront about limits • Seek win-win outcomes • Don't promise what you can't deliver How you do one thing is how you do everything. ➠ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 ‘𝗡𝗼': Respecting a ‘no’ can be more powerful than pushing a yes. It shows respect and leaves the door open for future opportunities: • Long-term mindset • Respect boundaries • No means not now, not never Don’t ignore them though, there’s nothing wrong with reaching out in the future. There’s nothing better than circling back to share some new info and picking up a new client in the same stride. ➠ 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲: Education is the heart of ethical selling. Help clients make informed decisions, rather than pushing for a sale with: • Clear explanations • Informative content • Honesty about pros and cons And moreover, shine a light on new problems they’ll have to deal with after experiencing your product or service. That’s growth—solve one problem and unlock a new better one. Rinse and repeat. ➠ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Patience in sales was a tough lesson. Rushing clients can lead to resentment. Time can be a powerful tool in building desire and trust: • Don’t rush decisions • Follow-up, don’t push • Build relationships over time ➠ 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Ethical sales is about constant learning and adapting. Reflect on your interactions, seek feedback, and always aim to improve with: • Self-reflection • Constructive feedback • Continuous improvement 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰; 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆. It’s about doing right by your clients and yourself, building a business that stands the test of time. What’s your take on ethical selling? 💬 (Tell me below) ↓

Without trust, nothing moves in negotiation. Few negotiators have a strategy to build it. You’ll learn six proven moves to build trust, even when time is short or stakes are high. I’ve helped corporate leaders negotiate high-stakes deals in over 30 countries, where trust builds access and leverage. In high-trust negotiations, joint gains increase by over 40%, according to research. Trust isn’t a luxury in negotiation. It’s your license to operate. Yet we often rush the process: ✔ Withhold information ✔ Play it safe ✔ Miss the bigger win Here are six concrete moves from Harvard's PON (Program on Negotiation) to build trust quickly, even with strangers: 1️⃣ Speak their language: Not just industry lingo. Show cultural fluency and listen for nuance. A single word misunderstood can knock you out. 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Prep to show curiosity, not ignorance. 2️⃣ Use your reputation: If trust isn’t built yet, borrow it. Share your track record or get an intro from someone they trust. 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Third-party validation can break early resistance. 3️⃣ Make dependence visible: Highlight how you both need each other to win. Scarcity fosters cooperation; just don’t overplay it. 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Say, "Here’s what only we can offer you." 4️⃣ Offer a no-strings concession: Low cost to you, high value to them? That’s the trust jackpot. 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Gift first, then negotiate. 5️⃣ Label every concession: If you don’t say it’s a concession, they won’t treat it like one. 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Spell out what it costs you and why it matters. 6️⃣ Explain your demands: People default to assuming the worst. A clear rationale for your ask makes you seem fair. 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Even if they don’t like it, they’ll trust it. Trust isn’t a feeling, it’s the outcome of visible, intentional behavior. Which of these six trust-builders do you use most, and which one do you forget? Let me know in the comments. Save this list for your next tough negotiation. ♻️ Share if this made you rethink how you build trust. 

I stocked up on business books when Borders closed in 2011. One bargain paid off this week. I was negotiating an agreement with a prospective partner. We had built rapport and were aligned on the goals of the collaboration. But when it was time to agree on the terms, we were further apart than I had imagined. Before reading this book more than 10 years ago, I would have thought that a successful negotiation has a winner and a loser. (Present-day rhetoric in the media often portrays that perception.) But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In their 2007 book, Negotiation Genius, authors Malhotra and Bazerman of Havard Business School describe a central idea that’s stuck with me: The goal of negotiating is to maximize the value for all involved parties. If a single party wins, every party loses. Back to the situation. I wasn’t 100% satisfied with where we landed and asked for a second meeting. Instead of playing hardball, I shared my perspective and sought to listen and understand my partner’s perspective. And guess what? Their arguments made sense. I didn’t get the exact terms I had hoped for, and that’s okay. We agreed on terms that support both our businesses. A strong partnership that grows the pie for both is more valuable in the long run than a rigid focus on one-time revenue (and losing the partnership). Negotiating to increase the value means putting your ego aside and staying flexible to see different vantage points, and crafting a win-win outcome. The more invested you are, the harder it gets. And it takes practice to adjust your mindset. So, the next time you’re preparing for a negotiation, consider potential options and alternatives as well as your non-negotiables, so you can adapt in the moment and maximize value for all. Have you negotiated to make the overall value bigger? #ArtificialIntelligence #Leadership #IntelligenceBriefing

Negotiations don’t go wrong—they start wrong. Through my experience, I can often tell within the first 30 minutes whether a negotiation will take a collaborative or positional direction. The early signals—the tone, structure, and mindset of the parties—set the course for either value creation or value extraction. Too often, negotiations begin with adversarial positioning, where each side stakes out demands, focuses on "winning," and sees concessions as the primary path to agreement. This zero-sum mentality is where most negotiations start wrong. The problem isn’t what happens later—it’s how we approach the process from the outset. Do you negotiate how to negotiate before you start negotiating? This is a game-changer. Before discussing numbers or terms, set the stage for success. Consider opening with: "I am here today to help you reduce your risk, cost, and liabilities while improving your profits. Would you be interested in having me assist you with this?" This shifts the conversation from position-based bargaining to problem-solving and mutual value creation. SMARTnership® negotiation flips the traditional approach. Instead of defaulting to competitive bargaining, it starts by identifying asymmetric values, trust currency, and hidden gains that can turn the negotiation into a collaborative value-maximizing process. The real difference lies in: ✔ Mindset: Are we here to protect our own turf or explore mutual benefit?  ✔ Communication: Is the focus on claiming or creating value?  ✔ Trust: Is there openness to share real needs, costs, and priorities? If the first 30 minutes are spent staking positions, debating individual gains, or withholding critical information, the negotiation is already off track. But if we establish transparency, mutual benefit, and creative problem-solving early on, we unlock the hidden potential of the deal. Next time you step into a negotiation, ask yourself: Are we starting right? #Negotiation #SMARTnership #ValueCreation #TrustCurrency Tarek Amine Tine Anneberg Francis Goh, FSIArb, FCIArb Francisco Cosme Gražvydas Jukna Juan Manuel García P. Darryl Legault World Commerce & Contracting BMI Executive Institute #negotiationtraining Daniel McLuskie

The biggest founder lesson I’ve learned through fundraising and hiring: you can tell a lot about someone by how they negotiate. Whether it’s a VC, a hire, or an advisor—those early conversations reveal how they show up when it matters. There’s a fine line between advocating for yourself and staying grounded. Between pushing for what you need and keeping the bigger picture in mind—the company, the mission, the team. I’ve made plenty of mistakes: countering too aggressively, starting with offers that felt off (to both parties). But over time, I’ve realized negotiation isn’t a transaction; it’s the start of a relationship. At Yoodli, we look for people who are transparent, prepared, and assume we’ll figure it out together. We try to do the same. It’s not about you winning - it’s about alignment. Both parties should feel like they've "won" I actually love when someone asks why behind an offer. It shows thoughtfulness and trust. And we owe it to them to explain our thinking with clarity. Negotiation isn’t a battle, it’s day zero. And it sets the tone for everything that follows.