Communication & Negotiation Skills Flashcards

Which negotiation tactic involves deliberately starting with an extreme offer to anchor the discussion?

Answer: Anchoring

Anchoring sets a reference point that influences subsequent negotiation by starting with an extreme position.

A sales engineer discovers mid-negotiation that the client has a hard budget cap below your minimum price. The recommended action is to:

Answer: Explore non-price variables such as scope, timeline, or payment terms

Exploring non-price variables can create value and reach agreement without reducing margin below the floor.

What does 'mirroring' mean in the context of sales communication?

Answer: Repeating the last few words the prospect said to encourage elaboration

Mirroring in communication involves repeating key words to show attentiveness and prompt the other party to continue.

Which questioning technique is best for uncovering hidden business pain that the prospect hasn't yet articulated?

Answer: Open-ended discovery questions

Open-ended discovery questions invite prospects to share context and pain points they might not volunteer unprompted.

During a multi-stakeholder meeting, the economic buyer and end user have conflicting priorities. The sales engineer should:

Answer: Acknowledge both perspectives and bridge them to a shared business goal

Bridging conflicting priorities to a shared outcome keeps all stakeholders aligned and moves the deal forward.

What is the primary risk of using email for complex technical negotiations?

Answer: Tone and nuance are easily misinterpreted without verbal or visual cues

Email lacks vocal tone and body language, making it easy for nuanced messages to be misread.

A prospect uses the 'last look' tactic, asking you to sharpen your pencil one final time before they decide. The best response is to:

Answer: Ask what specific gap remains before adjusting your offer

Asking what gap remains clarifies whether a real impasse exists before making any unnecessary concession.