By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The thing about your attitude is you are in control. So why let the professional attitude give way to short cuts that may send the wrong the message? Here are two real world examples that hit home this week.

Negotiating any deal to a win-win can be delicate surgery. The economic variables, personalities, and now the lack of body language feedback can make the process frustrating.  As we move to a hybrid sales-work environment of on-line, in-person, Zoom, and mobile, negotiating takes on a new dimension. Depending on your tenure you may find yourself at the pause point of “Let me check with my manager.” Time, resources, and expectations are vested in the process of negotiating and that requires your best professional attitude to the give and take. Checking in with your manager can be a signal to your buyer that this will drag on. You risk the good vibe of a win-win melting away during the time it takes you to check in, get a reply from your manager and re-start the process. Consider changing the attitude from “checking” to “confirming.” There is a difference between “checking” and “confirming.” Which sounds more professional to you? Which one says, we are close? Talk to your manager and try it the next time you are in the midst of back-and-forth.

The second example is “self-serve.” Recently, my marketing work required signing off on an agreement. The first agreement I received was a blank of the wrong agreement. The second agreement was the proper agreement form except it was a blank form. It was now my job to fill in the blank in a contract form that is typically filled in by the station account executive. The standard is review the agreement and authorize. Instead it was now up to me to do the legwork, review and return the agreement. This was not the first time I encountered the “self-serve” attitude from a commissioned station seller. Even COSTCO will put the items in a box for you. What message does, “self-serve” send to an advertiser? Does it show you care or maybe the commissions on this deal are so small, I don’t have time?

We had a sign on the wall in our sales area that read, “Attitude is everything… pick one.”

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.  Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy.  Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com

Tags: account executive, advertiser, attitude, buyer, in-person, Lapcom Communication Corp, Marketing, mobile, online, Sales, Steve Lapa, Zoom

Category: Sales