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Three Tollgate Deals That You Can Use As A Model For Success And Prosperity

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Three Tollgate Deals That You Can Use As A Model For Success And Prosperity
By Ron Tyler

In order to get an idea as to how to complete a Tollgate deal the best way is to explain the process is by using actual examples of deals that have been completed. That being said we have reviewed three deals that we completed many years ago but still can be used today as models for doing deals in today's ever changing business environment. That being said here is first case study.

TollGate #1

• 1989 Upper Deck releases a new line of Trading Cards
• Looks to be a huge opportunity for those that can move fast
• Very tough to become a distributor but...

We see and seize the opportunity. This was probably our first Tollgate deal and was just done on dumb luck. We knew a buyer at Walgreen's who wanted the cards but for whatever reason didn't know how or where to purchase them. We went straight to Upper Deck in San Diego and set up a distributor account. We purchased a small truckload directly from the factory using someone else's money. We knew a wealthy investor who put up the money to make the first purchase for a 10% return for 30 days.

As part of the deal with the Walgreen's buyer he provided us with the names and phone numbers of other buyers he thought would also be interested in purchasing cases of cards. On our trip back up to Northern California we stopped and sold the entire load to other Walgreen buyers. By the time we got back to Northern California we had sold the entire load. The investor was paid back his original capital plus 10%. We then went back to San Diego and purchased a larger load using our money this time. We sold that load and few more to Albertsons and other drug chain stores. Total work was about 60 days and we netted a nice 6 figure number all for a few days work.

TollGate #2

• Hallmark Greeting Cards wants to get into the Trading Card market
• But they don't want to compete with card stores
• They want a proprietary product developed that no one else can sell

We enter the picture and find a company that is developing a very upscale trading card holder that they have patented. The company making the holder makes a deal with Hallmark and we sit in the middle contracting out some labor for the fulfillment and sell the concept to Hallmark who then introduces the product nationwide in select upscale stores. The launch is a success even though we are selling a product that in the regular hobby channel would sell for under $10 retail Hallmark introduces it at $32 retail and the product sells through the entire production run. It was very successful but a short lived product launch which we made 5+ figures on.

TollGate #3

• We were hired by a large magazine to do a private signing with an ex-major league retired baseball player
• While he is signing the 500 baseballs and we are having a casual conversation we find out the players ex-agent got him for everything he had...leaving him broke
• After speaking with him at length and then talking with the magazine we come up with a quick solution for some quick cash

We go back to our client with the baseballs and tell the company of the plight with this world famous athlete. They are very intrigued as they also run a large sports magazine with nationwide distribution. After a round table secession we come up with a novel idea that will be a win win for everyone. The magazine, with the athletes ok, held the first ever live national auction over the phones auctioning off a number of his personal items from when he played.

The magazine ran full page ads for a couple of months in their magazine describing all the items. The athlete was brought back to the East Coast and sat in on the auction and actually answered questions from bidders. It was a huge success and the start of a very profitable sideline for the magazine. The athlete was paid on the spot with a nice high 5 figure check and was happy and very thankful. We didn't make any money on this deal but we did open the door for other deals with the company and many deals with the athlete and some of his retired buddies.

Copyright © Ron Tyler 2007

Ron Tyler is a principal in TylerMarketing and the creator, along with a few other folks of the SuperBlog concept. Ron and his group have made a number of high level presentations using the SuperBlog as the media distribution alternative, with excellent results. The group will be rolling out its first SuperBlogs in April. The SuperBlog is a multi media concept created to solve the ever present problem of media communications and the shrinking opportunities for media placement in traditional channels. Check out our new blog at http://www.tollgateriches.com

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Establish Solid Vendor Relationships to Weather an Economic Storm

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Establish Solid Vendor Relationships to Weather an Economic Storm
By Arthur G. Scott

Price and service are not the only criteria for establishing vendors or suppliers. All suppliers have standard working agreements. Other benefits, however, are available "only for the asking". A vendor can be a long term partner. Your success and future profits will rely heavily on what they offer on your behalf. This is most important considering the high cost of merchandise and supplies. The initial agreement sets the basis for additional profit.

You need to have a plan for growth so prospective vendors know what they can expect now and in the future. Be sure to only contact vendors capable of supplying necessary merchandise and supplies. Advise each vendor he is one of many suppliers being considered. The potential supplier's attitude toward your company and any future business can be determined by the supplier's response to the benefits you request.

The following are some of the points you should consider when establishing suppliers and vendors. All points might not apply to every vendor product line but if special agreements are not negotiated you will not receive maximum benefits.

• Payment terms - many times the vendor's opening policy will be C.O.D. on all merchandise purchased. However, you should attempt to negotiate along the following lines.
• Request extended billing on the initial order for basic stock; this will help improve cash flow (120 days, 90 days, etc.). And/or request extended billing for a period of restocking. For example, ask for 60 day billing for the first six months and then the maximum they allow after six months
• Discounts - Request the maximum discount for early payment. For example - 2 % - 30days.
• Unit cost - Lowest price possible, negotiate quantity discounts for high volume purchases, find out the point at which the vendor can afford to give you the lowest possible price and factor this amount against your inventory holding costs.
• Cost guarantees - Negotiate the longest possible price guarantee, unless you are dealing in a commodity type market where your price may decrease.
• Freight - always insist on prepaid (the vendor can probably get a better rate then you can) and you also may be able to negotiate freight completely paid by the vendor especially in conjunction with volume purchases.
• Invoice due dates - determined from the date goods are received or the invoice date - whichever is later.
• Cut off dates - merchandise received after the 25th of the month to be considered as received as of the first of the following month and the invoice due dates shall be determined from the first of the month.
• Returns - full credit with no restocking charge for return of excess inventory or late shipment.
• Substitutions - full credit for return of merchandise not ordered.

After negotiating the above points, determine what the supplier will agree to and set a time for the potential vendor to get back to you with a working agreement.

Select at least three suppliers for each product line to meet your merchandise and supply needs. Check the reliability of the potential supplier through other customers and develop and maintain a file of special agreements with suppliers selected.

The supplier also wants the highest profit attainable and if he can get your business with little or no extra cost he will take it, so remember if you do not negotiate these points you will get the deal that is best for the vendor and not necessarily the best for you and your business.

Mr. Scott is known for his years of experience in restaurant management and consulting with small to medium retailers across the country.

Please visit www.myposprinter.com for replacement printers for all types of point of sale systems.

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Put On Your Negotiation Hat

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Put On Your Negotiation Hat
By Raynor James

Are you a savvy negotiator? If not, you may want to brush upon your bargaining skills before you attempt to sell your home. Here are some great negotiation tips for you to consider.

Before you sit down to discuss any sort of negotiation, you will have to mentally prepare yourself, which means trying to figure out what sort of person you are. What does your personality have to do with home negotiations? A lot, really. Are you a happy, talkative, person? Do you love to share your ideas, thoughts, and life plans with others? If so, you should know that revealing too much about your personal life can really hinder your home sale. Avoid telling a prospective home buyer about your future plans - for example, should you mention that you need to leave the country immediately, a buyer will know that you are desperate. Instead, keep all negotiation talks relating to the business at hand ... and nothing else.

Once you are ready to talk about the sale of your home, you may have to learn to hide your pride. What does that mean, exactly? Well, you may not always get the sort of offer that you had in mind - though you should seriously consider any offer that is presented to you. Perhaps you have been waiting to sell your home for months without any serious offers, and one day a couple appears with an offer in hand that is far below your expectations - what should you do? If you can afford to hold out on selling your home for another five months, you may not accept the offer. However, if you need to sell right away, think about the terms offered to you.

Likewise, if a deal appears to be just what you are seeking ... you should never react immediately. Take the time to look over the entire package before you commit to any sort of contract. You may find some hidden terms that you didn't see when you first looked at the agreement. Contrastingly, you might discover that a lower offer has a lot of terms that really suit your needs. If a buyer offers you an all cash deal (with a lower price), this may be just the thing that you need to sell quickly and move on. Also, go over any contract with a fine tooth comb - does the contract mention anything about the fixtures within your house? You'd be surprised to learn that many home buyers expect a home to come "as is," while homeowners never intended to leave those curtains behind.

Negotiating a contract is never a matter of simply signing on the dotted line. Take a large amount of time to go over any sort of proposal, and never agree or disregard a contract immediately. When it comes to selling your home, remember to think rationally and always consider every opportunity - you never know what sort of terms and conditions may come your way.

Raynor James writes about real estate issues for FSBOAmerica.org - your online resource for viewing homes or advertising your FSBO listings for 1 month free.

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4 Simple Habits to Power Up Your Negotiation

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4 Simple Habits to Power Up Your Negotiation
By Jens Thang

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

Many negotiation gurus are so successful in their negotiations because of the key habits that they develop over a long period of time. I spent most of my week reading and researching into the key habits of great negotiators. Some of them have a few recurring key habits.

Your goal is to become a negotiation guru. Learn the habits from the great negotiators. Apply them into your life and see how the habits will work for you. Keep experimenting with them.

These are the 4 key habits that they have:

1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

You would not go ski-ing or sky diving without first preparing for it. Similarly, you should not enter a negotiation without having done enough preparation. Without spending adequate time on the preparation process, your negotiation success rate will drop dramatically.

Good negotiators spend a large amount of time preparing for their negotiation. They are not afraid to admit that they do not know everything . One way to prepare for their negotiation is to keep asking questions and finding out the interest of the other party.

2. Expect the best

"Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes." - Zig Ziglar

All of us tend to make superficial and premature judgments about ourself and the other party. Wanting to protect ourselves, we focus exclusively on the failures. And all too often, our expectations come true . Since our expectations are coming true anyway, why not expect the best?

Engaging your negotiation with an expectation of the best will yield a much better result. This has been proven many time over by power negotiators. In other words, great negotiators' expectations had improved the performance of their negotiation. Where they had expected success, they found it .

3. Listen, Listen, Listen

"If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y and Z, with X being work, Y play, and Z keeping your mouth shut." - Albert Einstein

Listening is the only way to get information. It is found that all great negotiators are great listeners too. Active listening or reflective listening is a way to build mutual trust and understanding. It is an all-important skill as it enables us to receive the information accurately.

These are the advantages of listening:

1. Trust building

2. Builds mutual respect

3. Enhance relationship

4. Encourage the exchange of information

5. Safe environment for collaboration

From the advantages above, we can see why power negotiators have a habit of listening. They practice active listening . By listening, you will be able to have a better negotiation result.

4. Never compromise on integrity

Integrity is the single most important quality that you can develop to enhance every single part of our life, including negotiation. Integrity is the essential quality of a successful and healthy relationship. Having integrity meant that the other party is able to be completely honest with you.

Your integrity is evidenced in your willingness to hold on to your own values. It is easy for us to make promises. Keeping to promises is the hard part. When you act with integrity in everything you do, you will find that the other party will trust you more. You slowly build a reputation for yourself. You will find that as people trust you more, the more you win in a negotiation (provided you don't break the trust).

By never compromising on integrity, you will be doing more to ensure that your success in negotiation than any other things which you can ever do.

Jens Thang

Negotiation Skills for Everyone

Want to learn more about negotiation techniques and build your own arsenal of negotiation strategies? Avoid the pain of having to do terrible deals. Jens shares strategies, tactics, techniques, pictures, insights, podcasts, videos, interviews, ideas and stories about NEGOTIATIONS!

Jens is a member of International Association for Conflict Management (IACM).

Visit his site at http://www.thenegotiationguru.com

Unleash The Negotiation Guru In You!

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Batna Negotiating Ith Power And Leverage - How Do You Negotiate For Fun And Profit?

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Batna Negotiating Ith Power And Leverage - How Do You Negotiate For Fun And Profit?
By Adrian Pepper

We live in a world where global business often involves tough negotiating situations that can make many small business people feel uncomfortable. When I am asked to coach someone in this situation, I always encourage them to define their BATNA, their Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement, and we use this to assess potential agreement. If you are negotiating for a salary raise, your BATNA might be to find a better-paid job!

You can find your BATNA in three ways:

• What can you do to pursue your interests without help? If you are negotiating for supplies, can you find a second source?
• What can you do to make the other person respect you more? If you want discounted prices, can you affiliate your purchasing with many colleagues to gain weight?
• How can you bring in a third-party to further your interests? If you can co-opt an expert, an arbitrator or an academic report, would you gain strength?

When you need it

Generally, I find that a BATNA needs be built and maintained to strengthen the negotiating position. Say you are selling your house and a purchaser shows interest in buying, build yourself a BATNA by showing your house to more people, and line up a second and third purchaser too.

BATNA gives you great negotiating power irrespective of the size, power, seniority, or ability of the other party. Then decide where to open your negotiations, how far to move, and how long to hang on for a settlement. I refuse to accept first offers because my experience shows that working together on a deal can create extra value for both parties.

What it gives you

When I have a strong BATNA, I can say, "I am okay if the negotiation does not go forward!" I understand I have the power to say "No!" and to ask "what if" against every assumption that I can find.

I love using "if" to trade off what we each want then we can hold the price while changing the package. When there are things I have to concede, I do this slowly and always ask for extras to balance each concession. I find that if I keep asking "How do you see this", I can build bridges (rather than attacking), discuss other person's feelings and show mine, so we avoid deadlocks.

As you can see, I aim to gain profit and pleasure from negotiating, even when the bidding is tough.

Adrian Pepper coaches people through business and personal difficulties, helping companies figure out what to do, how to move forward and what to get organised. He has written four books to date and often speaks to small business groups. You can contact him through Help4You Ltd, through his website at http://www.help4you.ltd.uk or by phone +44-7773-380133.

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Finding the Shortest Way to Agreement

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Finding the Shortest Way to Agreement
By Liza Othman

When you talk business to win, a roundabout conversation will sometimes prove the shortest line to favorable decision. But always, the shortest line is that one which with only those necessary turns that avoid antagonism and friction, most directly reaches and satisfies your listener's inmost wishes - his underlying motives for action in the case. To touch a motive directly does not mean a bald statement - it may require the cleverest kind of diplomacy, with artificial hints, suggestions, appeals to the senses, testimonials, gestures, reminders. Whatever the means, however, the talk should never run haphazard. It must have the underlying motives constantly in view and must steer the most direct possible course towards a favorable impression upon them.

"Efficiency methods," said a store expert to a merchant, "may run up a few hundred dollars of installation expense, but in the end are sure to increase current returns per man by a generous per cent. And you know what that item of clerk hire figures every week of the fifty-two."

This appeal, followed out in detail, won the merchant because it offered in a greater measure that satisfaction for which he was in business - a greater net profit.

Every interview hinges upon a similar satisfaction. A man is persuaded to give up work in a country town and go to the city because he expects to gain in income and in opportunity.

A lady chooses between hats or dress patterns for greater wear and utility, or to suit her pride. The employee responds to the rebuke of his chief through caution as to holding his position, because of pleasure and pride in good workmanship and in the hope of advancement.

Personal interests are at the base of every yes and no in business - personal interests urging assent, other personal interests urging dissent. After analyzing his proposition and determining if it reaches the listener on the basis of competition, of prejudice or of ignorance, the keen student of men seeks to read his prospect and to determine with the utmost precision, item by item, every one of those specific interests, such as comfort, gain, vanity, protection, friendship and integrity, to match which he must mold his talk.

Every talker does this, but most talkers do it haphazard. The employee in reality advances his own reasons and ambitions in seeking a position, instead of explaining, demonstrating and proving where he fits into the plan of his employer; the clerk talks from behind the counter instead of coming around and looking at the goods through the customer's eyes. The business talk, in the main, is a more or less evident effort to push my wishes upon you; instead of that basis of all good business - to give service; to attract rather than to force; to show the advantages that will come to you from assent to my proposition.

The talker who fails to check over all the possible desires and restraints his listener feels for or against his proposition, will not find the shortest line to the decision. He tries a dozen kinds of bait that do not attract. He wastes time or voices double-edged arguments that are as likely to cut him as his opponent. In his eagerness, he often gives away an advantage needlessly.

The salesman for an eastern publishing house received a letter from the home office directing him to visit a certain book dealer.

"This store has used 2,500 of our six-volume history sets on some special proposition in which they still seem to be interested. As we have only 1,700 of these sets in print and the new edition will not be ready for six months, you should make an extra effort to land their order for the entire stock. To do this, you may discount up to a dollar a set, if absolutely necessary."

The book man got his prospect on the telephone and invited him down to the hotel to inspect his stock. In his eagerness to make sure of the big sale, he said:

"I have some very attractive prices to make you, one number in particular that is a tremendous bargain.''

The prospect immediately inquired about the six volume history set.

"We have only 1,700 of these sets," the salesman replied, "no more can be had at any price until the new edition is off the press next spring." "How about the price?"

"That's the big bargain I just mentioned - $17.50 a set-$16.50 if you take the lot. "I'll take them," said the buyer.

The salesman wrote his house that the discount had enabled him to clean up the lot. The buyer reported to his employers that so essential was this set to a certain selling scheme, and so large was the supply of their advertising literature in which this set had been featured, that they might well have paid as high as $8.50 in order to "corner the market" for the next six months. In his eagerness the salesman had committed himself to a price reduction at the start of his telephone conversation. He had played the money saving almost exclusively. Yet the sale was due to the buyer's caution - to the great importance of the particular stock in the store's general selling plan. The salesman's haphazard talk cut $1,700 from the profits of the house. And such losses are often the rule - not the exception.

Liza Othman manages an ebook website at http://FunHowToBooks.com - Discover more about how to talk business to win at http://TalkBusiness.FunHowToBooks.com

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8 Point Strategy For Inter-Cultural Negotiations - Multicultural Client Skills For Small Business

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8 Point Strategy For Inter-Cultural Negotiations - Multicultural Client Skills For Small Business
By Cindy King

Negotiation tactics differ from country to country. Some cultures expect clients to negotiate over things that would be totally unacceptable in other countries. People simply have different approaches to when it comes to negotiation.

Imagine a line of people waiting for a taxi at an airport. Imagine the taxi drivers reaction if his client started haggling over the price of his ride before he got inside the taxi. In the New York airport and even in the Paris airport, the customer would have no chance of getting in the taxi cab. In other countries this is expected. And not only expected, if you do not bargain the locals will laugh at you.

It is very important to know what is culturally expected of you when it comes to negotiation. If you are just starting out in developing your international markets, it is wise to do some homework and identify the standard expected negotiating habits in your target country.

Even with some research, it is not always easy. Some large multi-national companies hire local company representatives to facilitate all business procedures in certain countries in the Middle East and the Far East.

The Problem

The key problem is that in intercultural negotiations, many people prefer to only pretend good faith. Behind this pretence they continue to keep their cultural prejudices and seriously jeopardize fruitful negotiations.

What you should do before

Remember to ask for advice prior to cross-cultural negotiations and arrange for local representation where necessary.

8 Point Beginners Guideline For Multicultural Negotiations

If you find yourself on your own in a country where negotiation practices are different to your own, there is a strategy to follow.

1. Ask to be educated on what is expected of you.
2. Explain that you are thrilled at the profitable business opportunities open to both of you.
3. Explain that this is your first trip and you have not done business in their country before.
4. Ask for forgiveness if you do or say something that seems out of place to them.
5. Assure them that you are full of good intentions and do not mean any of your awkwardness proving otherwise.
6. Ask them to show or tell you what you should do instead.
7. Explain that you feel there is benefit for both of you to proceed in conversation, slowly and openly, being patient.
8. Assure them that you are excited about the possibility of doing business with them and learning more about their culture.

If you follow these guidelines you have a good chance of proceeding constructively.

How have you adapted your international business strategy to multicultural markets? I would like to offer you a mini-poster "An Integrated International Marketing Plan". Go http://askcindyking.com, fill in the biggest question that you have about developing your business internationally and I will mail you the mini-poster.

Pick up some useful tips at http://GetInternationalClients.com

Bi-Cultural North-American/European, fluent in 3 1/2 languages; Cindy is based just outside of Paris, France. She can be reached at http://www.cindyking.biz and she will help your company develop its international Integrated International Marketing Plan.

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When You Negotiate, What Do You Focus On?

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When You Negotiate, What Do You Focus On?
By Greg W

Recently I found myself negotiating with a former NFL football player. When I gathered information about this individual (always gather background information on the individual(s) that will be participating in the negotiation), I thought it might be a difficult session. Turns out I was right. This player's career ended in the early 90's and his demeanor was one of I'm still 'Mr. Big'. He had a win-lose mentality, or at best, a mentality of scarcity.

When I first spoke to him, via the phone, his demeanor was cold, to the point, and somewhat icy. I tried to build rapport, but I could tell in an instant, 'he wasn't having any of that.'

While we were only $200,000 apart from closing the deal, a finder's fee of 10%, on the $200,000 he was due to receive, caused the deal to become entangled. He was adamant and to the point, about not paying a 10% finder's fee. I wondered if he didn't want to pay the fee, because of a link he had back to the time of his playing days. After confirming and experiencing the fact that he was not the 'warm and fuzzy' type, I decided to use the 'take away' strategy and let him know that initially there was $80 million worth of opportunities and $50 million, along with an additional $10 million that had been allocated for someone else, had already been taken. In addition, I told him the person that acquired the $50 million opportunity paid an additional $275,000 in the form of a premium to make sure he got the deal.

The ex-football player was an individual that was 'high strung' and focused on the fact that he was giving up 10% of $200,000 of which was pure profit from him. His perspective was focused on the 10% he was giving up, compared to the 90% he was gaining. In the end, someone else got the deal and happily paid the 10% fee. The ex-football player lost the whole deal and because of his demeanor and attitude, he will not be in the upper tier of investors the client, on whose behalf I was negotiating, will reach out to in the future. In the end, you could say, the ex-football player fumbled the deal.

When you negotiate, if you can help it, never take a win-lose approach to negotiating. Focus on what you want from the negotiation, but also pay attention to how you can help the other person get what they want. If you get the lion's share consider yourself lucky, but don't set out with an attitude that you have to have the lion's share, if a more equitable deal can be struck. Give more so you can get more. If not on this occasion, keep an eye to the future. If you 'brow beat' someone in one situation, they may take deals that you may have been exposed to away from you. If you want to get more from a negotiation session, give the other person as much as you can without hurting yourself ... and everything will be right with the world.

The negotiation lessons are ...

· Always have alternate ways to reach your goal.

· Never be afraid to walk away from a deal. You won't win every negotiation you're in.

· Make sure you focus on what you need and set out to get as much of it as possible, while balancing your needs against the other person's desires. Remember, there could be a next time, when you might need what that person has.

Greg Williams - The Master Negotiator

http://www.TheMasterNegotiator.com

http://www.YourEmergingSmallBusiness.com

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International Sales Negotiation Tips For American Women

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International Sales Negotiation Tips For American Women
By Cindy King

As a North American International Sales & Marketing professional in Europe for over 20 years I have a fair bit of negotiation experience between North Americans and Europeans. As I was often the most multilingual person in the office I was often called in desperation when my colleagues thought all communications had be permanently severed with their clients.

There is one essential thing I picked up: if you are well prepared you will be able to navigate the cross-cultural negotiation challenges that inevitably pop up.

So, before any cross-cultural meeting don't skip the essential preparation. Set aside enough time to sit down, think about the person you will be meeting and clearly identify:

• What does your client want?
• What do you want to sell him?
• What cards can you play?
• What cards he may want but you can't play or give at any cost?
• What are you prepared to negotiate?
• What win-win outcome possibilities do you see?

After that it is all in your mindset. The right attitude will reap dividends. It is hard to describe but it is easy to recognize people who do have the international mindset. It is also blatantly obvious when someone thinks he has mastered international communications and hasn't. This is often because he has only dealt with one foreign country or only superficially.

So here is my short definition of the intrinsic element to an international mindset:

Quiet unassuming confidence.

The key to succeed in international negotiations is having a quiet confidence of your own capabilities. Assume your position without infringing of the boundaries of the others. But do it with quiet confidence.

Knowing you have done all of your homework will help you be confident. Doing your homework will also make it easier to immediately identify any cross-cultural communication difficulties. You will be able to ask questions to clarify the agenda and get the ball moving again in the direction you want. The smoother your communication the easier it is to appear professional. The more professional you appear the more credibility you have.

Here are a few more tips I picked up along the way for other North American - European negotiations:

Dress

Industry operating environments can change dramatically from country to country. In one country navy suits for men will be the norm and the same industry in another country will be more tolerant. This was the case when I worked in television in London. As a woman I had it easy, but I did wear a blue suit during all out of the office negotiations when I hadn't previously met my client.

Perfume

Here in France I have gotten used to wearing more perfume than my North American counterparts. I am careful of adapting these habits when travelling to North America. I just would not be able to carry out a good negotiation if I were to wear perfume as I do in France. Smell just seems to be something people notice in others they do not know well.

Smiles

Being North American I smile a lot more than most Europeans. Smiling can be taken as being threatening, or over-provocative, yes, even here in Europe, without going further east. This is something I did not change very often. I smile as I would normally do in North America. But I might change this if I were to have different responsibilities. Too many acquaintances come up to me here in France asking me not to smile, or why I'm smiling.

Cheek Kisses

Smiling leads into the habit of greeting everyone with kisses on the cheeks. I would much rather shake hands or just smile rather than having to stick out my cheek for greetings to everyone I meet. There is an art to it which I will not go into here. The number of kisses depends on the region you are in, the age of the people, and other factors the locals don't seem to agree on anyways. But remember that it is a practice that is assimilated to simply saying hello. If you come across someone you would normally say hello to in a country where cheek kisses are the norm, it means no more than saying hello. But if you don't give yourself in to the practice some people can be offended that you did not say "hello".

Using Your Cultural Advantages

Being North American living in France and speaking French, I have often gotten away with addressing all of my colleagues as "tu" instead of the more formal "vous". But I would never do this by force. And I always call people by the given name they were introduced to me with. Americans have the habit of calling others nick names. This can work for you or against you. You will have to adapt. Personally, being a woman, I find it easier to avoid.

Adapting To Different Cultural Practices

There are two examples that immediately come to mind because they are the two things I don't like.

In France eating and drinking seem to be an obligatory part of every negotiation. Having a glass of wine at lunch when you know you have a full afternoons work to do afterwards is always challenging. There are times when it is possible to avoid drinking. However there are also times when it is well advised to have that glass of wine to fit in with the key players.

The second example is the dress code for North American women to wear stockings with skirts at all times of the year even during a heat wave. The offices are often air-conditioned so it is easy to deal with a jacket, but stockings are an oddity.

Men & Women In Negotiations

Be aware that a male/female sales team works differently in different cultures. On occasion I will hear of a well-dressed woman being invited into a cross-cultural negotiation meeting without any clear role in the negotiation process. Each time has led to the other (male) party asking for the woman to leave the room. I have never personally been in one of those meetings.

Team Play

This has been a source of great fun and success for me. Multicultural sales teams who are aware of the different way they are perceived in a given culture have the opportunity of using and playing on a very wide range of natural skills. This works extremely well if you work together outside of the negotiation.

Cultural misunderstandings do happen. Sometimes more than we would like. The good news is that the more practice you have the easier it gets to develop good cross-cultural communication skills. The rewards are both personally enriching.

How have you adapted your international business strategy to multicultural markets? I would like to offer you a mini-poster "An Integrated International Marketing Plan". Go to http://askcindyking.com, fill in the biggest question that you have about developing your business internationally and I will mail you the mini-poster.

Pick up more useful tips at http://GetInternationalClients.com

Develop a multicultural mindset simply by reading my newsletter each month. It is full of right brain and left brain resources for international business development. Sign up for it at http://www.cindyking.biz

By Cindy King Bi-Cultural North-American/European, fluent in 3 1/2 languages; Cindy is based just outside of Paris, France. She can be reached through her website and she helps small businesses develop their international Integrated Marketing Plan.

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Keys to Negotiating with Employees

AchievementRadio.com's

Keys to Negotiating with Employees
By John Burke

I am a people person, plain and simple. I enjoy interacting with my fellow employees, and I view many of them as extended family. However, I never make the mistake of thinking they are family when it comes to the job they're expected to do. My son may or may not make his bed every morning, but I can't fire him either way. However, a receptionist who was like a daughter to me wound up exploiting my sympathies to come in late repeatedly had to go.

I don't to say that this distinction is an easy one for me to make. I know the struggles my employees go through, and the urge to help them is an instinct that comes naturally to me. Nowhere does this come more into conflict than during performance reviews. If it were up to me, every employee who did good work would get a sizeable wage increase.

Of course, it isn't up to me, and through the years I've developed a thick hide in order to be fair to all concerned. As a way to distance myself and maintain a professional demeanor, I follow some basic rules of negotiation:

- Know what your goal for the review is in advance. A good evaluation balances both strengths and weaknesses, so know the gist of what you want to get across to your employee. A direct approach is the most effective.

- Listen actively to what your employee has to say. I know from having been on the receiving end of many performance reviews, what it's like to not be heard. Often, if there's a problem, the solution can found through hearing what someone is saying, and reading between the lines.

- When it comes to salary increases, have a fall-back position. Know that the employee may want more than you initially offer, and so you have to know whether the issue is flexible and the limits you're willing to accept.

- Make concessions together. If an employee asks for a larger increase, perhaps there can be a performance-related expectation tied to it. Don't feel you have to win or they have to lose. The key is to feel like you are both getting something mutual from the review.

As I've said many times, the nature of a medical practice invites a certain welcome intimacy; a sense that we're all in this together. While that can be seen by some as an invitation to exploit the situation, at its best, it makes both management and staff feel like they're on the same team. It's a philosophy that satisfies the twin needs of running a sustainable business and giving patients the best care possible.

John Burke. VIVA Transcription is a California-based company that provides medical professionals with fast and accurate medical transcription. VIVA is committed to providing exceptional medical transcription service to clinics and hospitals across the United States and Canada.

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