Very well… thank you very much! First Quarter results were released today in the Linden Blog. Highlights of the quarter include: 124 Million User Hours, an increase of 42% from the same quarter last year Peak concurrent users of 88,200, an increase of 33% from the same quarter last year 120M in user-to-user transactions, up 65% from the same quarter last year The Islandmarket has stabilized, although overall square meters of resident owned Land has decreased Gross sales on the Xstreet SL marketplace grew 23% over Q4 of 2008 and 72% over the same quarter last year Growth numbers of ranging from 23% to 75% are impressive for any business in any economic cycle. The fact that Linden is posting these numbers during this economy is extraordinary, though not unexpected. IMHO, the following factors in the corporate training community are adding wind to SL sails: Travel Budgets: While there are many elements that drive the SL economy, the fact that travel budgets have been slashed, if not completely eliminated, plays into the hands of SL, which allows companies to continue training sessions and meetings without touching their travel budget. Small Business: Because there are few (if any) established 800 pound guerillas in SL, small businesses are flourishing. Small businesses are suffering in the US because of the credit crunch. In SL, the barriers to entry are low (other than time spent on the learning curve). The low cost of start-ups means that bank financing is unnecessary, and therefore the credit crunch does not impact as many small business in SL Free Time: Displaced employees are seeing SL as an opportunity to grow their skills without paying tuition or spending hours and hours in a physical classroom. It would be rare for an employee to be commended for spending time in SL while at work. Now that so many people, unfortunately, out of work, they are less hesitant to tune in and turn on.  

Negotiations deadlock for many reasons. When both sides refuse to budge, it’s time to be creative. Here are some guidelines to get the other side talking again: Start Over. When Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev deadlocked during arms talks, Reagan reached across the table and said, "Hello, Mikhail, my name is Ron, and I think it’s time we talked about the arms race." This broke the tension and led to meaningful discussions.  Keep a Secret. Some negotiations stall because negotiators want to please third parties (such as bosses). If you suspect this, assure the other person that you’ll keep the conversation’s details confidential. The negotiator won’t worry that something he says will get back to the boss.  Recount interests. Don’t talk about positions - focus on each side’s real needs. Say, for example, "It seems you’re most interested in delivery to meet your customers’ timetable." If the other party agrees, ask, "What do you think are my main interests?" Highlighting the main interests, rather than side issues, helps you create room for new solutions. Excerpted from The Power of Nice. Ronald M. Shapiro and Mark A. Jankowski. Related posts:Jump-Start Stalled Negotiations

One of the toughest sales jobs in business today is that of the pharmaceutical sales representative. There are so many barriers to the traditional process of selling…limited access, managed care, limited resources and generic drugs in a time when every patient and physician is hyper-sensitive to costs. According to SK&A Associates, a leading provider of healthcare information and research basedin Irvine CA, the number of practices that no longer see reps has increased to 38.5% Add to that the fact that a pharmaceutical sales rep rarely gets to see the "sale" at the point of the prescribing decision - that moment is rightfully reserved for the examining room - and you can see why the pharma sales job in an increasingly demanding position. It is really an "influencing job" rather than a more tactical selling approach. A primary care physician (who gives access) sees an average of 35 reps per week and spends less than 90 seconds with each rep on average. What can reasonably be accomplished in 90 seconds in terms of effective selling? Most reps use the time to do a quick detail of the product they are promoting and than try to engage the Doctor for additional time by asking questions about disease states, personal interests and patient feedback on their product. The Doctor usually gives the rep an "auto-response", in effect telling the rep what they believe the rep wants to hear for the singular purpose of getting the rep to leave their samples and then leave the office. This equates to a tremendous waste of time for both the rep and the physician. We suggest that a pharmaceutical rep has to differentiate their approach in order to effectively capture a physician’s attention. We have been working with reps to develop what we call a "Doc Stopper" questioning approach. The rep grabs the attention to the physician by asking a question that defies the "auto-response" and promotes a more open and honest conversation….it does not necessarily add time to the average sales call but garners a deeper, more thoughtful response. One rep was constantly being told by a physician that any drug in their class would work for patients presenting a particular disease state. Since there are five drugs indicated for that disease state, the rep grabbed their attention by asking "Would you agree that it makes the most sense to spread your prescribing more equally among all five products to create competition and drive down the average sales price?" The Doctor stopped for a moment, considered the question and replied that economically it made sense, but admitted that there were partcular clinical circumstances that affected her decision on which product to write for a specific patient. The Doctor went on to explain her thought process. By asking the "Doc Stopper" question, the rep was able to move past the usual interaction and learn: How the physican was actually differentiating the five drugs in the class. That the presence of samples had an impact on prescribing decisions in some cases but not others. That the economics of the drugs in the class had limited, if any, impact on the prescribing decision with this physician. Pretty valuable information from a 90 second interaction, and certainly more useful than the usual message - personal connection - signature routine. Other Doc Stopper Questions How has the influx of "urgent care" facilities in the area affected your practice? What are your thoughts about the changes in how we market our products? How much will it cost your practice to convert your medical records to electronic files (if it becomes law)? Do you find that your patients are waiting longer to come in for office visits in this economy? What is your biggest business challenge today? What are your thoughts on "boutique" practices? How do you attract new patients to your practice? What differentiates you? For more information on how this approach and other influencing techniques can help you make the most from every sales call, please call us at 410-662-4764. Related posts:Negotiating the "Indirect" Sale: Part IWe’re BACCCK! Negotiating in the Pharmaceutical Industry!Negotiating the "Indirect" Sale: Part II

The Seven Prep Steps of the Preparation Planner: 1.      Precedents 2.      Alternatives 3.      Interests 4.      Deadlines 5.      Strengths and Weaknesses 6.      Highest Goal/Walk Away Position 7.      Strategy and Team The Preparation Checklist or Preparation Planner was created to serve as a tool for people from all walks of life to deal with the pressure of the everyday challenges they face. The inspiration for the eight-step Checklist came from the Checklist that pilots have used for the last 40 years. Have you ever gotten on a plane and watched the pilots as they prepare for a flight?  Now we all know they know how to fly a plane - yet if you look up front they have their heads in an instruction book ("check, check, check").  That’s the pilots’ checklist. I ask pilots whether they know how to fly - "want to be sure doing it right", even when they’re under pressure. Who could forget the February, 2009 emergency plane landing in the Hudson River? Certainly the pilot, Chesley Sullenberger, and the crew of U.S. Airways flight 1549 were under the ultimate pressure when that flight’s engines went out.  Obviously, Sullenberger’s experience and temperament played a major role in saving the lives of 154 people. He described his emotions as a combination of, "calm on the outside, turmoil inside." But it is also worth noting that the co-pilot, Jeffrey Skiles and the crew did a run through of the Emergency checklist for just this kind of situation….The Checklist played a major roll in getting them through the extreme pressure of the situation. A preparation checklist can only help you better achieve your goals, especially in times of serious pressure. Chesley Sullenberger is a hero today because of preparation and planning. The lesson here: Out prepare to out perform.  

Employing alternatives gives you the power of options. Going into a negotiation without options is like going into battle with one weapon. What if the battering ram won’t knock the door down? Did you bring grappling hooks to flight over the walls? If not, you’re not going to get inside. Alternatives make you less dependent on one kind of deal and more open to variations. There’s no take it or leave it when you have alternatives; therefore, there are far fewer impasses. Further, knowing their alternatives may guide you in assessing their leverage. Case and point: Carmelo Anthony’s recent negotiation with the New York Kicks is a great example of negotiation with options.

I am often asked whether or not the new Virtual Training technology will eventually eliminate the need for face-to-face training.  I simply ask them:  Did people stop going to church after Guttenberg printed the first bible?  Let’s face it, distance learning started the minute Guttenberg finished with his printing press.  In 1950, my dad learned how to sell encyclopedias by listening to LPs (Long Playing Records for those born after 1980). I still have the ‘box set’ of Tony Robbins’ "Unlimited Power" somewhere in a box in my basement (right next to the Jane Fonda video cassette).  All of these distance learning ‘technologies’ were effective, but never eliminated the face-to-face training experience.  So even with the advent with incredible technology today, I do believe, to paraphrase Mark Twain, "the death of face to face training is greatly exaggerated."   That being said, virtual training has changed the game in a very significant way.  In the past the choice was typically either you learned in a group in a classroom, or you learned ‘at a distance’ on your own via books, records, etc.  The difference today is that people can learn in groups, but still be at a distance.  Technologies such as Second Life or VirtualU, participants are fully immersed in a setting where they can see and interact with people that are part of their learning group, even though they may be thousands of miles away.  Therefore, the need to be part of a group learning experience is no longer entirely dependant on being in the same room.  That being said, no one will deny that being in the same room has its benefits and will always be part of the landscape.  However, people will learn how to use all the technologies in a unified forum so that people learn asynchronously by watching a video on YouTube or participate in a WebEx, then attend a live session at the corporate offices, and then extend the group learning experience by continuing with classes in a 3D virtual worlds.  The good news is that the face to face training experience will be much more efficient and impactful, as it will only have to focus on the areas of live training that require a live audience, such as best practice sharing and role playing.  Everything else can be handled via the other technologies.  So in the end, face-to-face training will be enhanced (rather than be eliminated) by virtual training technology.

Your interests and theirs are the keys to getting past what seem like rock-hard positions. Interests are all about getting beyond what they say they want to what they might really want. In short, they are those things that you need the most, those things that mean the most to your side and, conversely, those that mean the most to the other side. Yours are not the same as theirs. But, if you know both, you may be able to satisfy most or all of your interest and still fulfill some of theirs (e.g. you want a low price. They need cash in a hurry.). Dollars may define positions (prices, salaries, etc.) and noncash value may define interests (setting quickly, service, experience, recognition). The easiest way to picture negotiation with concern to interest is in marriage. It’s no secret that a lot of negotiating goes on in a marriage. These are seven of marital harmony that will help drill down the notion of interest: 1. Don’t think "me" think "we". 2. Under every wet towel left on the bathroom floor is a real issue trying to get out. 3. Be prepared for the good times and the bad times. For the better and the worse. 4. Always listen up. Never talk down. 5. Ask him to walk a mile your high heels. Ask her to try it in your wing tips. 6. When angry, kiss. 7. Short term victories can lead to long term pain.

Knowing your own realistic deadline in advance will tell you how much leeway you have before you take an entrenched position. Similarly, understanding the other side’s deadline may give you an edge or allow you to forego a point in order to gain somewhere. Deadlines are pressure points. Know where the pressure points are in order to push or massage them. Online companies are springing up all over the web that harness the d-word…deadline. By implementing one day only deals, websites like LivingSocial and Groupon have tapped into buyer’s psyche with notions of serendipity and exclusivity. A deadline is a huge driving force for making deals.

Virtually all negotiators over-estimate their own weaknesses and the other side’s strengths. Try to take an honest inventory of each side’s real strong points and vulnerabilities. An analysis of the other items in the Preparation Planner should be a part of that inventory. Ask yourself if your vulnerabilities appear as weaknesses to the other side or if you are more sensitive to them. The same applies to strengths. Give yourself credit for you pluses. Assess the other side’s strengths analytically, not emotionally. Examples of other factors include: Their company may be bigger but not as market-responsive as yours. They may have been around longer but are they as in tune with today’s demands? The real strength you have is knowing your own strengths and weaknesses. Often participants in our programs voice the following frustration: "How can you possibly achieve a Win-Win result when you are in a weak position? When the other side holds all of the cards, isn’t it impossible to be an effective negotiator?" I believe the most effective negotiators are able to use their skills, both when they have the leverage, as well as when they don’t. In order to be more effective when you are in a weak position, I suggest the following: 1. Check Your Assumptions - If you take the time to identify their weaknesses you may very well discover strengths in your own position of which you were previously unaware. 2. Expand Your Alternatives - Is the other side the only person in the world with the product or service that you want? Seldom is there ever a single source supplier for a particular item. It might be more convenient to buy from this person, or maybe the quality is better, but in the end, there are typically many alternatives to choose from, even when your alternatives look limited. 3. Change the Subject - You might talk about benefits you provided to the other side in the past. You might discuss future opportunities that could exist. You even might inquire as to what else the other side is interested in beyond the deal at hand. Seldom does a transaction consist of only one component. Find out what other items can be brought into the negotiation and see if you can establish an upper hand with regard to these issues. 4. Find Those Similarly Situated - If you find yourself in a weak position, there are likely others very similar to you. Seek out these people and see if the sum is greater than the individual parts. Consider class action suits, where an individual claimant is definitely in a weaker position when compared to a large company.

You will never achieve a lofty goal unless you aim for it. Where would you like to come out? What would be ideal/ if you don’t reach it, you will surely never get it. At the very same time, know where your bottom line is. How much will you give up to make the deal? If you don’t face this hard question in advance, you may find yourself repeatedly lowering your expectations as the deal progresses. Be willing to walk at a certain point but decide where that point is before you start negotiating and write it down on the Planner. Case and point: Jerry McGuire.  If you’ve ever seen the movie, you know that the character of Jerry McGuire sets very high goals in the opening scene. Watch it Here to see what we mean.

Create a team on your side. It may consist of co-negotiators, experts in various aspects or good cop-bad cop, information sources, and devil’s advocates with whom you can role-play. Practice before you go to the table. Assess the other side and the members of their team. Who are their decision makers? Don’t get caught by a higher authority. Strategize. Do you want to control the negotiation or let the other side control the flow? Do you want to lead from strength or react to a lead from the other side? How many face-to-face meetings do you want to have? No answer is right or wrong. That depends on your needs, your goals, the tone and style of the other side, timing, and egos. Plan you concessions. Where will you give in? Where will you stand firm? How will you make a move so that it gives the least and gains the most? Write out/set forth you proposals in advance - test them, state them, and restate them until you are comfortable. Don’t stop practicing until you are comfortable. Don’t stop practicing until you are comfortable that your strategy works and flexes when faced with a variety of opposing strategies.

Virtual Training Partners is offering its Introduction to Corporate Training in 3D Virtual Worlds on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 12pm EST. This program will be of particular interest to Training Professionals who are interested in learning about the latest innovations in Avatar-based training techniques. During this one hour program, participants will: Learn the benefits and drawbacks of using 3D Virtual Worlds for Corporate Training Discuss case studies from successful corporate implementation of this 3D Virtual World training; and Gain hands on experience using the latest technology in online training. To register please visit http://virtualtrainingpartners.com/Register-for-an-Upcoming-Program.html

How do you know when a final offer is actually final? This is sometime hard to point out especially if you’re negotiating with someone who’s using the take it or leave it tactic. Imagine you’re conversing with someone and they almost immediately tell you: "There will be no tit-for-tat, tradeoffs, or haggling; this is my best and final offer, take it or leave it." There may be situations where this statement is true (e.g. the other side has a reputation for bringing out the best offer first because they are a "straight shooter," or the product they are selling is so much in demand and they have so many alternatives that they have no need to haggle). Nevertheless, when it is used as a tactic, this approach allows the other side to maintain control over the terms and conditions, rather than being forced to explore options and alternatives you may be seeking. Frustrating isn’t it? So what do you do now? You may think you’ve been backed up into a corner but there may be a way out. Expand the Possibilities: By asking: "What if we were able to come up with a deal that is even better for you than the one on the table, would you be interested in exploring that possibility?" Most people will at least consider it. Once they do, you have the opportunity to continue discussions and not be backed into a corner. Break it Down: See if you can get the other side to tell you what part of the offer is final. Is it the price? The timing? The quantity? The deadline? If you can get them to admit that there is some wiggle room around one of these conditions, then you can continue the negotiation on that term first and tie it into the apparently "non-negotiable" items. Take it - Conditionally. Tell the other side that you will take it, provided that you are able to get agreement on other items that are important to you. This way they are still openly discussing the issue with you, but have a sense that they are getting their way through this tactic. Ignore It. Sometimes just ignoring the threat of a final offer can eliminate its impact. When someone says that something is a final offer, try to continue the conversation about other items that are not necessarily in direct conflict with their alleged "final offer." This may create some momentum that will continue the negotiation past the threat of the "final offer." Be careful countering with your own "take it or leave it" offer.  Doing so locks both parties into a pure give and take dialogue where one person will have to win and the other will have to lose.  

Sometimes you may find yourself in a situation with two or more participants on one team, you’ll notice one partner acting very cordial and empathetic, where the other partner is extremely temperamental and demeaning. The "bad cop" threatens you and probably declares that there is "no reason to continue conversations." Once you begin to fear that you might lose the deal, the "good cop" swoops in to assure you that all is not lost and if you can just be reasonable, perhaps you can both find a resolution. The object is to coerce you into believing that the "good cop" is on your team, and thereby get you to provide additional information or even make concessions that you would not have otherwise made. This is yet another tactic to manipulate you. Watch out for the good cop/bad cop scenario as it can lead you down a dangerous path in poor negotiation skills. Call their Game - Smile convincingly and say, "This feels a lot like good cop/bad cop.  I do not want to get caught up in games like this.  We have serious issues facing us, and if both of you are needed to make a decision, I suggest you get him back in the room." Ignore the Bad Cop - The Good Cop/Bad Cop tactic only works if you allow the bad cop to get you to lose your focus.  Let the bad cop expel his energy so you can move forward and focus on the business at hand. Terminate the Session - Turn to the good cop and tell him that it is obvious that the other person is too upset to carry forward. This should get the good cop to attempt to convince you to stay and you should thereby be able to regain control. While it may be tempting, going "toe-to-toe" with the bad cop is usually not an effective way to manage this technique.  Even if you are able to quiet down the bad cop, going into attack mode will likely cause you to lose your focus.  The other side will use this loss of focus to get you to reveal information or make concessions that you may not have done if you had been able to maintain a more focused approach.

People may use three types of tactics to make you concede your pricing.  They may start with "Give me a ballpark price;"  "You have to do better than that;" and "Let’s Split the Difference."  Each of these is difficult to handle, and when combined throughout a discussion of price, they can create a "triple-whammy." Let’s take a look at how to manage each of these monetary price concessions. Give me a Ballpark Price. There are two ways to manage this tactic. First you should resist the urge to provide a ballpark price. Rather than giving a figure off of the top of your head, tell the other side that you would much prefer to be able to think about the issue more so that you can make a more realistic assessment. If taking this approach is not possible, then make sure to lowball your ballpark to prevent getting locked into a bad deal before the discussion even starts. You Have to do Better than that. Defend against this tactic by asking the other side, "How much better do I have to do?" Asking this will force the other side to at least put a stake in the ground before you bid against yourself with no commitment from the other side. Split the Difference. If the other side offers to split the difference, try to anchor them to the "split the difference price" and then continue to discuss. Imagine you are offering $1,000 and the other side is asking for $2,000 and they suggest that you "split the difference." Try the following: "I do not think that I can do $1,500, but I appreciate that you are willing to compromise. Now that I’m at $1,000 and you can agree to $1,500, I think that we are closer to reaching an agreement." If you can then continue the discussion and then offer to "be fair" and split the difference, you now may be able to end up at $1,250.

The man who discovered Oprah, Dennis Swanson, former Chicago TV exec, recalls how it all unfolded in 1983: "Well, you know, she had the best attorney in Baltimore, Ron Shapiro, who handled Brooks Robinson, a lot of the Orioles, who were a championship team at that time. The tricky part of it was, her contract didn’t expire until the end of the year. But then, the people that had the contract had a 60-day option in there, and I said to Shapiro, I said, ‘We’ll wait till January 1, because she’s worth waiting for, but I can’t wait the 60 days beyond that.’ He negotiated out of that. We put her on the air the first of January, and we were in last place when we put her on the air - and we won the February (ratings) less than a month later."  Click on the attached link to find out more about the role SNI Chairman, Ron Shapiro, played in the early years of Oprah Winfrey’s career. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/21/earlyshow/saturday/main20065017.shtml

Recall when you were a young child gathered with your friends.  You’re all in deep discussion about what game you’ll play together.  Timmy suggests dodge ball, Susie offers a board game, and you too like the board game idea.  Thus, your and Suzie’s democracy votes board game, while Timmy angrily refuses.  Eventually, Timmy gives you the ultimatum, "if we don’t play dodge ball, I’m going home!"  It’s a temperamental withdrawal tactic that people continually use throughout their lives - usually with a little less immaturity. This is where your counterpart, often dramatically, will exit the discussion hoping you’ll fear a no-deal or no-conclusion and make a concession just to bring them back to the table.  By doing so, they gain a concession without giving one.  You’ll often see a hasty change in demeanor and location, and hear a "fine then…" or "this is too much…" or "this is ridiculous…" or "we’re getting nowhere…" Consider the following techniques to manage the Withdrawal Technique: Use a Hypothetical.  Let’s say someone says something like, "I have told you that I do not think that I can get this proposal agreed to by my Board, so I am going to have to stop these discussions entirely."  While this sounds like a Withdrawal, the fact that the other side provides a condition regarding getting the proposal "agreed to by the board" provides an indication that the withdrawal may not be a withdrawal.  To test the other side, you could ask: "Hypothetically speaking, if you were able to get it past the Board, would you be willing to continue the conversation?"  If the other side agrees to continue the discussion, then you have prevented the Withdrawal. Offer Mutual Concessions.  Rather than making a one-sided concession just to get the other side to the table, propose a resolution where each side makes a concession.  This approach gives the other side a potential reason to return, but it does not provide them with a unilateral gain just to bring them back to the table. Focus on Previous Progress.  Rather than conceding to get the other side to the table, try to get the other side to agree that there has been substantial progress made in the past and that momentum may help remind them that although there is frustration at this point, the past progress you have made should justify that the other side not just walk away at this point.

Imagine this: you reach an agreement in a negotiation and the other side says: "I will send you the contract." You gladly accept as it means less work for you. Unfortunately many times the language in the contract may differ slightly from your understanding of the prior agreement. You suggest several changes and the other side acts startled that you are changing what had already been agreed to and now they claim that since you are making changes, they are allowed to re-open issues as well. When two parties reach an agreement, many times it is codified within a written contract. Many people feel that the process is completed when the handshake occurs, but some people use the tactic of Controlling the Contract to gain extra advantage after the other side thinks that the deal is done. To manage Controlling the Contact tactics, try to: Write the Drafts of the Contract. If possible, at the end of discussions, tell the other side that you (or your lawyers) will be glad to write it up. That way the other side is reacting to your draft rather than you reacting to their draft. Write a Memo Before You Write a Contract. By writing a memo or a letter in plain language, you will get both parties to agree to the main agreements before the lawyers start to confuse the issues with their own "legalese." This plain language letter or memo can be a reference point back if the contract seems to be off course. If Necessary, Manage the Lawyers. Sometimes lawyers can re-interpret understandings and get into discussions with the other side’s lawyers that may or may not reflect the original intent of the agreement. If you sense this is happening, make sure to re-establish your contact with the other side to reiterate your understandings before you let the lawyers continue to battle it out. Personalize Communication. Where possible have major changes to the contract communicated via phone or in person. Often one side will provide comments to a contract that they feel are minor, but the other side perceives as re-writing the deal. It can escalate and trust can be lost if both sides continue to communicate by marking up drafts and sending them back and forth. Before you get yourself into a battle of the contracts, pick up a phone with the person who you worked with to cut the original deal.

The Bluff is the single most difficult tactic to identify. It occurs when the other side says things such as: "I have no room to move"; "That is the best I can do" or "I have a competitive bid that is 20% cheaper." Most people trust that the other side is telling them the truth and if possible, drop their price. Ultimately, you may have to do just that, but most people would be more satisfied if they knew that the other bid was 20% lower and they did not just fall for a bluff. Here are some ways to test the bluff: Ask for Documentation.  Most people feel very uncomfortable using this technique because they feel that if they ask to see information in writing that they are calling the other person a liar.  Obviously you do not want to do this, so here are some ways to phrase the request for documentation: Apples to Apples.  Tell the other side that you need to see the bid to make sure that they are providing the same terms and conditions that you are.  You can say that "in the past" other people have undercut your pricing by using cheaper materials or by providing less service.  If you can see the bid, you can make sure that this is not the situation. Blame a Higher Authority.  "I certainly believe you, but in order to get the decrease approved, I need to take the competing bid back to my partners and show them so that they know the entire situation." Ask for Clarification.  Rather than reacting to the bluff, you might want to ask for clarification.  You can ask the other side to give you some time to double check your information, and ask them to take some time to double check their information.  Allowing for some time might make the other side feel nervous about continuing with their bluff for fear that they have scared you aware.  Also, by asking for both sides to take time to clarify their information and assumptions, you have provided the other side with an easier "out" to come back and say: "I have double checked and there may have been some problems with my assumptions…" Call the Bluff.  Sometimes the only way to test the bluff is to walk away from the deal.  When doing so, you should be careful to leave the door open.  You can do so by saying: "We would love to work for you, but we cannot under those situations, but please keep in touch.  If it does not work out with the other person, we would still be interested in doing business."   Keeping the door open in this way will enable the other side to come back to you.  Otherwise, they might be uncomfortable coming back to you for fear that they would seem untrustworthy because of their attempt to use a bluff.

SNI is excited about the opportunity our Chairman, Ron Shapiro, had to discuss the impact negotiations can have on brands. He covered both organizational and personal brands in an interview with MarketPoint, a marketing and branding service firm. In the interview, Ron stressed the importance of relationships and the effect they have on your brand. He pointed out that a reputation can survive a few mistakes as long as it maintains its integrity. In addition, Ron discussed Donald Trump, how to deal with difficult people, being NICE while still meeting your objectives, the importance of listening, and how negotiation pertains to nonprofits and education. To read more, please click here.

We had a chance to sit down with our EVP, Todd Lenhart, and ask him a few questions. We found it valuable to take some time to reflect with Todd about current trends within the training industry, we hope you do too. 1.      What is new in the world of reinforcement? One of the most effective ways to deal reinforcement in the current business landscape is to do so through social media. People have grown accustomed to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc, and if you don’t get them in 30 seconds, you’ve lost them. This has really forced us to rethink how we both package our content and effectively drive reinforcement options. 2.      What are you seeing in the sales training arena? Even though we are in an online world, the only way to really change people’s habits is through self-discovery, which is still most likely to occur through live training. That said, we are exploring ways to recreate the classroom setting in virtual modalities. 3.      Where were you last week and what were you working on? I have been in New York City working with an existing client, who is a worldwide leader in multimedia, building an advanced curriculum for participants that took our program last year. We focused on enhanced probing techniques, negotiating from a position of strength, and quarterbacking meetings.  Before that, I was in Boston working with a privately held financial services company to develop highly customized training focused on influencing without authority. The hierarchy of the company is a lattice structure, which creates a unique client culture. While in Boston, I also spent some time with a leading pharmaceutical sales firm who has engaged us again to provide a blended delivery platform utilizing Brainshark.

SNI chairman, Ron Shapiro, had the pleasure of speaking at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law on the key principles of effective negotiations. During his presentation, Ron introduced SNI’s systematic approach to getting what you want while building stronger relationships. Follow the attached link to view Ron’s presentation.  Click here to view Ron’s presentation.

In case you weren’t aware, Google has just announced its Google+ social networking platform. With Google+, Google is aiming to improve and expand on existing social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Currently it’s in it’s trial period and open by invitation only. As an early adapter of Google+, Shapiro Negotiations Institute is able to extend individuals/companies an invitation to register before it is opened to the public. Please contact Bekah Martindale at bekah@shapironegotiations.com if you would like to receive an invitation. To learn more about Google+ please click here.

SNI Co-Founder, Mark Jankowski, wrote an article that was recently published in Training Magazine online regarding four reasons role plays in virtual worlds may be equally or more effective than role plays in the real world. To learn how virtual world technologies can improve training and lead to less goofing off, improved feedback, increased realism, and dynamic scenarios, please follow the attached link to Mark’s article. Click here to read Mark’s article.