Author Archives: Ken Trent
What Share of Their Business Do You Represent?
Size is not the only power input. Run both concentration numbers: what share of their [...]
Four Resources, Not Just Money
Every negotiation spends time, energy, money, and emotional investment. Count all four before you decide [...]
OpEx Is the Silent Variable
Operational expenses sit under COGS and can turn a healthy gross margin into a weak [...]
Four Resources: What a Deal Really Costs You
Time, energy, money, and emotional investment are the four costs of every negotiation. Spend them [...]
Revenue First: Grow the Top Line, Then Work the Costs
Revenue is the P&L line that gives profit dollars room to grow. Set a revenue [...]
Labeling: Name the Concern, Then Let Them Talk
Labeling names the unspoken concern with "it seems like," then silence. Used well, it surfaces [...]
Reverse Why: Let Them Make Your Case
Before you pitch, ask why they chose you. The Reverse Why gets them to sell [...]
Counter Concession: Don’t Give Ground for Free
When you concede, ask for something back. Counter concession keeps a defensive yes in trade [...]
Contribution Profit: The Soft Bottom Line That Pays You
Contribution profit dollars, not revenue or margin percent, tell you whether a SKU or vendor [...]
That’s Right: The Signal You Found the Real Need
A polite yes is fragile. When a counterpart says that's right, you have named the [...]