When it comes sales, depending on the situation, there are several tactics that may be useful in helping your salespeople close the deal. But remember, along with certain tactics come a whole other set of problems.

The following are a list of sales tactics along with the problems they may bring and maneuvers for both the buyer and seller to help bring a deal to a close.

Tactic: Long Term Relationships
Long term relationships offer reliability and have a certain amount of rapport and trust built into them. However, with that you will face the problems of:

• Complacency
• No secrecy
• Greater fear of taking risk
• Personal factors dominate the negotiation
• Drive to a competitive agreement is greatly diminished

Maneuvers: Buyer

• Rotate suppliers
• Ask the incumbent to prove their service
• Shop around on their terms and broaden the competitive base

Maneuvers: Seller

• Conduct quarterly business reviews to demonstrate your service and value
• Negotiate multi-year or sole source agreements
• Proactively position yourself against the competition

Tactic: Take It or Leave It

This tactic is certain to make the calmest of negotiations take a turn to the dark side. However, one must not that most interactions we deal with in our daily lives involve "take it or leave it" (i.e., firm prices at the store, telephone bills, energy bills). This is a tactic that the seller typically leans on.

Maneuvers: Seller

• Support your price with law or government regulation
  Provide a good explanation
• Have public standard discount lists
• Explain the corporate policy

Tactic: Deadlock

When negotiations have come to an impasse. Emotions are typically high and involve ego and a possible loss of face. This is a high risk maneuver. 

Maneuvers: Seller

• Offer a minor concession
• Change the level within the organization
• Change the negotiator
• Offer to minimize the risk
• Provide additional information
• Quantify concessions

Top 10 Concession Strategies:

1. Lead with your maximum expectation
2. Manage your "concession rate" - not a one-to-one ratio
3. Leverage the law of reciprocity when granting concessions
4. Don't advertise your willingness to grant concessions
5. Get a commitment to buy before offering a concession
6. Define the value of your concessions
7. Concessions should parallel deadlines
8. Encourage the other party to open up first
9. Do not jump at "let's split the difference"
10. Make the buyer work for every concession

Tactic: The Nibble

The nibble typically comes at the end of a deal. Forms of nibbling: late bill payment, special delivery services, extra reports, changing payment terms, etc. 

Maneuvers: Seller

• Anticipate and include the nibble in the price
• Publish your price list
• Insist the nibble not be part of the agreement; the nibble is a seperate agreement
• Use a time delay tactic