Build relationships with negotiating partners

Getting the highest value when purchasing or securing the best possible contract doesn't only happen during negotiating sessions. Your negotiating partners can't always offer what you need at that time, whether it's cost-effective software to track shipments, a leadership development program or something else. But maybe they can help you find a source.

Thanks to their time spent with you during the negotiations, your trading partners have become more familiar with your needs. So ask them for referrals. And just like during actual negotiations, be specific (see article below).

By building these relationships, you'll be building a network of professionals who can help you create value across your organization.

Specific demands produce better outcomes      

When you're clear on what you want, don't make vague demands like a "better deal," an "earlier delivery" or a "longer-term service contract."  

So if you're looking for a 25% price cut, don't ask for just a "discounted price" and hope the supplier offers you 35% off--because that rarely happens. Instead, be specific and increase your chances for getting what you want, as long as your request is realistic.  

Testimonial: more sustainable deals after Scotwork course     

"Scotwork's training for our entire organization has elevated our skill set and closure rate and has become part of our corporate culture. We now not only close more deals per year, but close sustainable, equitable business agreements for FMC and our partners.

"Scotwork has helped us achieve a core element of our strategy--closing win-win agreements to strengthen alliances with suppliers, technology partners and customers."

Robert Trogele, FMC Agricultural Products

Negotiate for value in medical device industry: See Governale's article  

Learn more about effective negotiating by reading "Negotiate for Value: Re-engineer Your Purchasing," by Tom Governale, Scotwork NA's Vice President of Business Development & Strategy, in Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry Magazine.

See how the total cost of ownership approach helps determine hard and soft costs.  Read article.      

Meet David Boucher, associate tutor     

David brings extensive experience in negotiating, team building, sales planning and marketing along with in-depth knowledge of the oil and manufacturing sectors, having worked for Esso and Ethyl Corp.

At Esso, he started as a sales professional who negotiated daily with customers, and then served as a marketing executive who explored the merits of business opportunities. After joining Ethyl in the U.K., David later transferred to the U.S. where he negotiated supply contracts with major oil companies and ongoing supply positions with such giants as Mobil, Shell and Chevron.

From David's perspective: "I encourage course participants to enjoy the negotiation learning experience. Working alongside people enjoying themselves makes a great environment for success."  

Email David.  

Scotwork mobile app: negotiating tools at your fingertips!       

Download Scotwork's free application for mobile devices and access valuable negotiating tools including tips, white papers, the Scotwork blog and archived issues of our newsletter.   

If you've completed Advanced Negotiation Skills, you can also access handouts and tutorials from the course. To install, just type "Scotwork" in the Search bar. To find out more, email us.   

How often do you ask for referrals?  Take survey, win bottle of wine!    

Scotwork wants to know more about how you ask for and receive referrals from your trading partners.  

Complete our brief survey (three minutes or less), and you could win a bottle of fine wine!  

 Take survey now.

Next Steps course: take negotiation skills to a new level       

Use a more strategic approach to your negotiations with Strategic Negotiation Skills: Scotwork the Next Steps course.  

You'll analyze your prior negotiations and see how this process fits into your organization's broader business objectives.  

Classes are open to those who've completed the Advanced Negotiation Skills course. See schedule on right. Email us.    

Sandy Sbarra

Bio    Email   

Rich Waldrop Bio  Email

Simon Letchford

Bio  Email 

Register for Advanced Negotiating Skills on March 26-29 or on the dates below. Also, see dates for Next Steps courses. 

Parsippany, NJ  

-March 26-29

-April 10-12: Next Steps

-May 21-24  

-July 9-12

-Aug. 21-23: Next Steps  -Sept. 10-13

-Oct. 8-11  

-Nov. 6-8: Next Steps

-Nov. 12-15

-Dec. 10-13   

San Francisco 

-Feb. 13-16  

-Aug. 9-12  

-Oct. 15-18

Chicago 

-March 12-15

-June 11-14 

Canada (city TBD)

Apr. 2-5

About Scotwork

North America

Scotwork (NA) Inc. is the North American division of Scotwork Negotiating Skills, the world's largest independent provider of negotiation skills training and consulting with offices in 35 countries.

Its seasoned negotiators offer consulting and training in 22 languages to more than 9,000 executives and managers worldwide. Scotwork's clients receive an average return of 10 times the course fee within three months.