Unit 14

Sales and Negotiation

ObjectivesFocusWarming up 14.1 Selling and buying 14.2 The sales process 14.3 Selling your own product 14.4 Negotiation on the phone 14.5 Getting it right in negotiations 14.6 Negotiation an international deal Sum up Assignments

Objectives

Be aware of what is selling and buying

Be aware of the sales process Know how to negotiate on the phone Know how to negotiate an

international deal

Focus

The sales process The four main phases of

negotiation

Warming up

Discuss: how should we make an effort to sell our products?

Students discuss in groups and then present their ideas in front of the class.

Help the students to be aware of it is not easy to be a good sales person.

14.1 Selling and buying

This section introduces the activity of selling and encourages students to think about both sides of the sales process

14.1 A. Picture reading

Look at the photos and discuss the questions: What is happening in each picture? What do all the situations have in common? What are the people saying? Have you ever been in any of the situations

shown? What sort of products and services are

involved? What sort of relationship do the people

have with each other?

14.1 B. Reading: a training manual for sales staff

Points that should be stressed in discussion: The importance of building up a good

relationship with the clients Belief in one’s own products is often

stressed at training sessions. This will include being fully informed about its specifications, etc.

It is important to be adaptable. With one particular customer you may need to emphasize the price of the product, while with another the delivery times may be central.

14.2 The sales process

This section deals with the stages which a sales interview ideally goes through: the Opening Stage, the Building Stage and the Closing Stage.

15.2 A. Pre-listening activity

Focus the attention on the general gist of what is involved in the sales process before they listen to the recording

Answer to 14.2 A

1 Opening your client secretary appointment

2 Building rehearse friend relation occasion friendly business-like social conversation responsible trustworthy

well-known benefits asking (him/her) half

3 Closing place timing thank

14.3 Selling your own product

Role play

Student A should look at File 28

student B at File 83:

taking part in a meeting between a salesperson and a customer.

14.4 Negotiation on the phone

This section presents telephone negotiation and the use of follow-up faxes.

Suggested answer to 14.2 A 1 Price, quantities and delivery date 2 Many significant points are made by both sides: the

supplier makes it clear that they need exact figures, the buyer wants an acceptable price, and so on.

3 Both people have important points to make. This demonstrates the mutual interests in a successful outcome.

4 In particular the salesperson needs to think, and probably to decide with a colleague what to do next.

5 The fax contains the next step in the negotiation. 2,000 tons can be delivered and a price, quality and a delivery date are proposed.

14.2 B. Telephone role play Student A, looking at File 29, plays the ro

le of customer or buyer, negotiating an order for yogurt. Student B, looking at File 59, plays the role of a salesperson or supplier, and student C, looking at File 84, as the non-participating “observer” eavesdrops, makes notes and comments afterwards on the transaction.

For the students who still have little imagination, an indication could be made as a starter: Buyer: Good morning. I’m calling about a la

rge order for yogurt. Salesperson: Can you give me some idea abo

ut the quantities you require? Buyer: Yes, I need 10,000 cartons for a custom

er in three weeks from now. Salesperson: I’m sorry, but we can only let y

ou have 5,000 at such short notice. Buyer: What price can you quote me? Salesperson: ……

14.5 Getting it right in negotiations

This section deals with the activity of negotiating.

14.3 A Listening

Note that the woman’s voice is indistinct, as if it’s heard down the line.

Suggested answers to 14.3 A Substandard components seem to

have been delivered. The supplier doesn’t appear to be

very efficient or honest! Check the facts once more as

reported by Michelle with the individuals she mentions.

He’ll probably ask to speak to the supplier’s rep.

14.3 B. Reading: the four main phases of negotiation

The object of this reading exercise is to focus attention on the four phases of negotiation. These are the ways that negotiators ideally work together towards a result which will be satisfactory for both sides.

Suggested answers to 14.3 B

1 in the proposal and bargaining phases 2 in the proposal phase 3 to hear what they might be prepared to trade4 in the preparation phase5 to write down the agreement6 open questions7 to try to find out in what areas the other side ma

y be prepared to move 8 in the bargaining phase

14.3 C. Listening

a face-to-face negotiation taking place between a wholesale buyer and a supplier

Suggested answers to 14.5 C ORDER THE POINTS ARE MADE WHO FIRST RAISE THE P

OINTS 4 discount M 5 good price M 1 competitive prices F 8 guarantees M 7 importance of quality F 3 the need for firm figures M6 perfect condition F2 the point about the organizationbeing flexible M

14.6 Negotiation an international deal

The simulation to come allows practice in co-operative negotiation. To consider how people’s behavior in international and cross-cultural negotiation may be different from what the students expect. Tell the students that in the situation where people use English as an international lingua franca, in particular, they may encounter individuals or groups who have a style which is different from their own.

14.6 A what you would think if: 1 they encounter someone who finishes their sentences for them

(they are impatient) 2 someone interrupts them (they are not interested in hearing yo

ur proposals) 3 someone always goes “um” and “er” and hesitates (they ar

e unprepared and wasting your time) 4 someone speaks incredibly fast without pausing for breath (the

y are trying to make up your mind for you!) 5 someone speaks very loudly (they think you are deaf, or they we

re in the army!) 6 someone speaks so softly or quietly they can hardly hear them

(they are shy, or afraid of making mistakes in English) 7 someone says nothing and expects them to do most of the talki

ng (they are uncertain or first want to find out what you think)

14.6 B. Role-play

Read the file and try to organize a negotiation according to the instruction:

FileManufacture price: $13.70 for eachWholesale price: $17.30 for eachCIF: $11.80 for eachPrice quoted: $29.99 for each

Instruction for role playWork in pairs: One of the two is a manufacturer of mountain bi

kes and would like to ask the other one to be a distributor in a certain area. Some favorite offerings should be made as the distributor-to-be has listed a lot of unfavorable conditions as following:

a. the market may not be good for mountain bikes as ordinary bikes are not sold well for years.

b. as the recommended retail price for each mountain bike is set to be ￥ 299, the distributor can’t be benefited at all for the wholesale price is ￥ 269.

c. since the market is not promising much ,the distributor is worried what he would do with the first 30 mountain bikes as they take up too much room that can be used for other well sold goods.

Sum up

Basic Negotiation phases:Preparation debating proposal bargaining

Assignments

Work in two large groups: First decide on one product to sell. It

should be a realistic item you are familiar with or would like to sell in your current or future work.

Then draft a very brief specification of the product.