The Attributes of a Professional Negotiator

In our Peak Producer Training, we’ve gained some great insights not only on building our business through consistent referrals—everybody knows that, right?—but also about how to provide excellent service to our clients as part of the foundation for that long term, relationship based, career. Buffini reminds us that, as professional business owners, we have to wear three hats: the CEO/Rainmaker, the COO/Dealmaker, and the CFO/Moneymaker hats. He makes the point that each hour spent with the CEO hat in building our business through consistent contact with our clients and SOI is worth something like five hours spent in the COO hat executing our work, yet the COO activities are crucial to allowing us to establish those great relationships.

The COO training covers specific client service details including how to serve every listing, time management and productivity, and getting buyers off the fence, but one of the best sessions digs into The Art of Negotiation. We’ve written in earlier Playbook about the Seven Types of Negotiators and how to deal with them, and that bit of knowledge alone may help us win a listing and also put money in our clients’ pockets. In addition to those negotiation styles, Buffini goes on to show us the Attributes of a Professional Negotiator, and these tips can also help us win listings and make our life easier!

A professional negotiator:

•       Remains emotionally rock solid—the eye of the hurricane

•       Provides a 360 degree perspective—rises above, takes the higher ground, the strategic view, offers to move on and come back to that tough, final point

•       Keeps their eye on the prize—the long view of the goal, not each crack in the sidewalk

•       Allows the process to unfold—maintains a sense of purpose, doesn’t lose patience

•       Stays relationally connected—it’s not simply a single transaction and this is key to building a referral based business

•       Constantly seeks common ground—remember how much we agree on already as a bridge to perspective

•       Always willing to walk away—don’t fall in love!

Remember, your negotiation skills should be a highlight of your presentation to any potential client and, if you stress them—and learn to implement them—you’ll differentiate yourself and win more business—and make better deals for your clients!

David M. Hassler

VP, Professional Development