CAM Sales & Negotiation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a negotiation, a customer says 'We need a 20% discount or we're going elsewhere.' What is the best initial response?
- Immediately agree to protect the relationship
- Ask what specific value gap is driving that number (Correct answer)
- Counter with 10% and split the difference
- Escalate to your manager for approval
Correct answer: Ask what specific value gap is driving that number
Probing the underlying interest behind an extreme position uncovers real concerns and creates room for value-based solutions.
Question 2: Which sales methodology focuses on understanding the customer's 'jobs to be done' and their desired business outcomes before proposing a solution?
- SPIN Selling
- Challenger Sale
- Outcome-Based Selling (Correct answer)
- Sandler System
Correct answer: Outcome-Based Selling
Outcome-Based Selling centers on aligning product capabilities to the specific business results the customer is trying to achieve.
Question 3: A prospect consistently misses follow-up calls and delays decisions. According to the Sandler methodology, what should the account manager do?
- Increase contact frequency to maintain top-of-mind awareness
- Send a formal proposal to force a decision
- Have an 'up-front contract' conversation to re-establish commitment (Correct answer)
- Accept that the deal is lost and move on
Correct answer: Have an 'up-front contract' conversation to re-establish commitment
The Sandler up-front contract re-aligns mutual expectations and commitments, filtering out stalled opportunities early.
Question 4: What is 'anchoring' in the context of sales negotiation?
- Tying contract terms to a client's fiscal year
- Setting the first number in a negotiation to influence the final outcome (Correct answer)
- Locking in a multi-year commitment before negotiations begin
- Documenting all verbal agreements in writing
Correct answer: Setting the first number in a negotiation to influence the final outcome
Anchoring leverages cognitive bias by making the first offer act as a reference point that pulls the final agreement toward it.
Question 5: A client's procurement team insists on using their standard contract, which contains unfavorable terms. What is the most strategic account manager approach?
- Sign the contract to close quickly and renegotiate later
- Refuse to proceed until the client uses your company's contract
- Identify two or three high-risk clauses to redline while accepting routine terms (Correct answer)
- Involve legal to reject the entire contract
Correct answer: Identify two or three high-risk clauses to redline while accepting routine terms
Selectively redlining only the truly high-risk clauses shows good faith and accelerates closure while protecting key business interests.
Question 6: What does 'BATNA' stand for in negotiation theory?
- Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (Correct answer)
- Business Approach To Needs Assessment
- Budget Allocation Toward New Accounts
- Basic Agreement Terms for New Accounts
Correct answer: Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement
BATNA is your best course of action if current negotiations fail, and knowing it gives you power and clarity about when to walk away.
Question 7: During a final negotiation session, the buyer suddenly introduces a new decision-maker who wants to reopen previously agreed terms. What should the account manager do first?
- Restate all previously agreed terms as non-negotiable
- Welcome the new stakeholder and schedule a separate session to restart from scratch
- Acknowledge the new stakeholder and summarize what has already been agreed upon (Correct answer)
- Escalate internally and pause all discussions
Correct answer: Acknowledge the new stakeholder and summarize what has already been agreed upon
Summarizing agreed terms anchors prior progress and signals that reopening everything carries a cost, managing scope creep efficiently.
CAM Sales & Negotiation 2
In a negotiation, a customer says 'We need a 20% discount or we're going elsewhere.' What is the best initial response?