• Wired magazine recently profiled a burned-out solar salesman, diving into the high-intensity world of traveling door-to-door solar sales, and uncovering some of the unfulfilled promises made to the young recruits looking to strike it Instagram-rich in the industry. Aaron Colvin, a college student from a barely-working-class background, was seduced by the lure of big money, but ended up with less than he started with. You can read the fascinating article here.  
   
• An Oregon man was arrested and charged last Thursday for the murder of a car dealership owner who disappeared three years ago, police said. Murphy Henry, 54, was also charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence after police said they uncovered what is believed to be David Staggs' human remains at a shallow grave site in a remote county last week. Staggs was last seen on Jan. 29, 2022, at his home in Newport, Oregon, and was reported as a missing person in February 2022. You can read more about it here.

• Researching your counterpart's past negotiations and typical approaches
• Understanding their organization's decision-making structure
• Identifying potential areas of mutual benefit
• Developing multiple fallback positions

• Acknowledging customer frustrations openly
• Framing solutions through the customer's worldview
• Using their words and metaphors when discussing solutions
• Finding personal connections beyond the business relationship
   

For example, when a customer expresses frustration about implementation timelines, instead of defending your process, acknowledge their concern and collaborate on finding creative scheduling solutions.
 

Emotional Intelligence in Negotiation with Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman's work on emotional intelligence has profound implications for negotiation. The ability to read and respond to emotional cues, manage your own emotions, and build rapport can often determine success or failure in complex negotiations. This includes:
 

• Recognizing signs of frustration or discomfort
• Adapting your communication style to match your counterpart
• Managing tension without becoming defensive
• Building genuine connections through empathy
   

Cultural Awareness in a Global Economy with Erin Meyer
 

In our globalized world, cross-cultural negotiation expert Erin Meyer emphasizes the critical importance of understanding cultural differences in negotiation styles. What might be considered assertive in one culture could be viewed as aggressive in another. Successful international negotiators develop:
 

• Awareness of cultural communication patterns
• Flexibility in negotiation style
• Respect for local customs and protocols
• Patience with different decision-making processes

Practical Application
 

The true test of negotiation skill comes in practical application. Start with low-stakes situations to practice these principles. Pay attention to what works and what doesn't in your specific context. Remember that negotiation is not about winning at all costs – it's about finding sustainable solutions that build long-term relationships.

Most importantly, approach each negotiation as a learning opportunity. Even the most experienced negotiators continue to refine their skills through practice and reflection. 

• Clean up your lists to get the best call-to-response ratio.
• Improve results with the use of hyper-specific segmentation. 
• Create talk tracks that make prospects go “I need this!”
• Dial at exactly the right time when your prospects are likely to say yes.