August 2, 2025 | Read online
I’m not a fan of the word “impossible” because it’s usually used by people who haven’t tried whatever it is they’re referencing.
That said, I’m getting to the point where I think it’s almost impossible to keep up with “original” content on Linkedin at this point without AI. Trust me, I’ve tried.
It’s also almost impossible to negotiate over email which is why you never should.
These are the two main topics I’m diving into in today’s newsletter so let’s get after it.
TACTICAL TIP:
Stop Negotiating Over Email
Let me say this as clearly as possible: DO NOT negotiate over email!
Especially not with Procurement. I’m not saying it’s impossible but you have significantly less leverage when you do.
Procurement loves email because it keeps things clean, documented, and controlled. But that’s exactly the problem.
Procurement’s entire playbook is built around removing nuance. They don’t want to talk with us because they know a conversation introduces something they can’t quantify: you. Your tone. Your intent. Your ability to build rapport and uncover context that never makes it into the spreadsheet.
So what do they do? They hide behind email. They push for blind discounts. They strip out value. And if you play that game, you lose.
Here’s what to do instead:
- Don’t just ask about the “Decision Process”
Every rep is taught to ask about the decision process. The client usually maps this out based on who is involved from the business/tech standpoint but they rarely detail the procurement once the “decision” is made. Without the details of the procurement process there’s a strong likelihood your deal will get pushed past the forecast date.
- Get them in early
Too many reps avoid Procurement until the end. Don’t. Bring them in earlier, loop them into the process, and position them as part of the solution. They might actually advocate for you if they feel included. From a tactical standpoint, if your prospect asks for an NDA somewhere in the middle of the sales process you can say something like “it sounds like you guys are pretty contract-heavy. Would it make sense to bring Procurement in early so they’re part of the process and we don’t get hung up at the end?”
(This is an example of the give/get approach I train in my Negotiation module which is my favorite part of my training)
- Watch out for “Nibbling”
I learned this from my friend Mark Raffan from Negotiations Ninja. Nibbling is when Procurement waits until the final minute when they know you’re desperate and then they ask for one more thing before they sign. Read this article and hold the line!
- Do everything you can to force a call or meeting
I usually allow for one email request from Procurement before I force a phone call/meeting to talk through the details. 9/10 times when we get on the phone we can work through the majority of issues and save a lot of time. If they won’t allow a phone call or Zoom meeting I send video messages to show my genuine desire to work with them and review what got us there.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Luster.ai
I talk a lot about not negotiating over email — but sometimes the breakdown starts even earlier, with lazy follow-ups and missed opportunities.
That’s where Luster called me out.
It’s not just another AI role play tool — it’s real-time, contextual coaching that shows you exactly where you’re slipping and gives you personalized scenarios to sharpen your game.
I’ve loaded all my core training into the platform, so you can practice things like cold calling, objection handling, and yes — negotiation — the way I teach them.
If you want to see what smarter coaching actually looks like, DM me for a no-BS demo + 10% off.
|
SALES TECH/RESOURCES:
Helping You Share
The other angle of impossibility for me is trying to keep up with sharing original content on Linkedin.
I’m watching my peers in the industry and others crank out a seemingly endless amount of long format posts on Linkedin. It makes it seem like it’s their full time job when I know it’s not.
I’ve resisted using AI tools to generate posts/content for me for a while now but I found a few helpful tools/approaches that I wanted to share.
- Record/transcribe all your sales calls and ask ChatGPT for help
Most of us record all our calls anyway. Take the transcriptions and put them into ChatGPT and ask it to extract some insights, stories and information that you can use to create posts about. Tell it to give you 5 ideas for posts based on your calls.
- Use the Mic
This has been the game changer for me. I’ve connected my mic to ChatGPT so it can transcribe my thoughts. I basically word-vomit into the mic about what I want to write about and then ask ChatGPT to put it into a logical format for me. I make the final adjustments from there. For instance, I used this approach to help me collect my thoughts for the Tactical Tips section of this newsletter.
- Use one of these tools
If you’re struggling to even come up with ideas on what to post you can use tools like Magicpost and Stan (neither are sponsors btw) that analyze your writing style, your previous content and what is going viral right now. It then gives you ideas for posts and then writes them for you. As always, this isn’t meant to be a copy/past or autogenerated post. You still need to make it your own.
If you want to learn my strategy for building your personal brand, improving your business acumen and never running out of things to post about you can check out the Brand Building module of my training.
SALES FROM THE STREET:
Call My Cell
I practiced what I preached in this week’s Tactical Tip while negotiating a deal I was working on.
I was working on a renewal for a client this week who I have a great relationship with and has gotten a ton of value from my training and seen a measurable impact on results.
I have a great relationship with my main Champion/Influencer who was the one who proactively emailed me about renewing and what the options were.
We worked out a deal for 2 years that included a volume discount for paying upfront (give/get). Since I had a good relationship with her, we did the majority of this over email.
Then Procurement got involved and started picking apart the agreement. They did it all through email using my Champion as the middle-woman.
We can argue that a true Champion would have fought this fight for me and not allowed this to happen in the first place but the definition of a Champion and how to leverage them is for another newsletter.
We went back and forth a few times and Procurement was doing what they do. They were finding anything and anyway to argue why they should get a better price, even going on my website and using the pricing for my individual membership as a comparison.
When I could tell they were “nitpicking” and the email exchanges were only going to get worse, I told my Champion to tell Procurement that I’d be happy to discuss it more with them over the phone and to have them call my cell, otherwise my last offer was my final one.
A few days went by which admittedly made me a little nervous that I might lose the deal but then the bell rang and the contract came in.
This is a testament to the power of:
- Knowing your value
- Holding the line when “nibbling” happens
- Taking the conversation out of email
#MakeItHappen
ADDITIONAL WAYS YOU CAN LEVEL UP YOUR SALES GAME
- The JB Sales Membership is where you’ll get access to my live training, workshops, AMAs and OnDemand catalog so you can level up your sales skills every day! 3000+ Sales pros have already joined. Are you next?
- The industry-leading Make it Happen Monday Podcast where you’ll get insights and inspiration from some of the most interesting and influential people in the world of Sales and business. (this is where you’ll hear the Guy Kawasaki episode on May XYZ)
The JB Sales YouTube channel with practical tips that you can apply immediately to drive results along with interviews and content that is guaranteed to get you to think differently.
| How did I do with this edition? |
|
|
|
|
