So how can businesses improve their margins without alienating their customers? It starts with reframing how you position value, engaging in consultative selling, and mastering price negotiation.

Positioning Value: Why Customers Buy More Than Just a Product

It’s tempting to think of pricing as a numbers game—costs go up, prices must follow. But effective pricing isn’t just about covering expenses; it’s about ensuring your customers understand what they’re paying for. And that means positioning your value clearly.

Consider your unique selling points. What differentiates you from your competitors? Whether it’s the quality of your product, exceptional service, or long-term benefits, make these advantages a central part of your conversation. Customers are more likely to accept higher prices if they see clear value in what you offer.

For instance, if you’re an energy supplier with rising costs, frame your pricing in terms of reliability, sustainability, or expertise in helping customers manage their energy usage. It’s not just about what they pay—it’s about what they gain.

Consultative Selling: Selling Solutions, Not Products

Traditional selling often focuses on promoting features and benefits. But in a market squeezed by economic pressures, consultative selling—a customer-first approach—can set you apart. This technique shifts the focus from selling a product to solving a problem.

Start by asking questions. What challenges is your customer facing, and how can your product or service alleviate those pain points? For example, a retailer struggling with high energy bills may benefit from tailored advice on efficient systems or budget-friendly payment plans.

By understanding your customer’s needs, you’re not just selling a product—you’re offering a solution. This approach builds trust, strengthens relationships, and makes your price point easier to justify.

Mastering Price Negotiation: Confidence and Clarity Are Key

Negotiating price increases can feel daunting, especially when your customers are also feeling the pinch. The secret? Confidence. If you believe in the value of your offering, your customers will too.

Be prepared to explain why your prices are changing. Transparency is vital. Share how rising energy or rental costs impact your business, but don’t stop there—pivot back to the value you bring. Emphasise how your product or service helps them achieve their goals despite external pressures.

Be assertive, but flexible. Have a clear pricing structure but be ready to explore options like tiered pricing, additional services, or bundling. This demonstrates your willingness to collaborate without compromising the value you deliver.

Improving Margins Without Losing Customers

Beyond adjusting prices, improving margins often requires a combination of small, strategic moves. Here are some practical tips:

1. Streamline Operations: Look for inefficiencies in your processes. Cutting waste saves costs without affecting quality.
2. Upsell and Cross-Sell: Introduce complementary products or premium options to increase the value of each sale.
3. Focus on Retention: It’s cheaper to keep an existing customer than acquire a new one. Offer loyalty incentives to maintain your client base.
4. Train Your Team: Equip your sales team with the tools to communicate value effectively. Confident teams can make a significant difference in how customers perceive your pricing.

How Robin Lines Associates Can Help

At Robin Lines Associates, we understand the challenges businesses face in communicating value and pricing assertively. That’s why we offer our Value-Based Programme for both buyers and sellers.

This tailored programme helps your team:

• Recognise and articulate the true value of your products or services.
• Approach sales with confidence, understanding how to position value in every conversation.
• Negotiate prices assertively, ensuring you maintain margins while meeting customer expectations.

With the right training and mindset, your business can weather rising costs without compromising on profitability or customer satisfaction.

Final Thoughts

Pricing under pressure doesn’t have to be a battle. By focusing on value, adopting consultative selling, and sharpening your negotiation skills, you can protect your margins while continuing to serve your customers effectively. And with support from Robin Lines Associates, your team will be ready to tackle these challenges head-on.

If you’d like to learn more about our Value-Based Programme and how it can benefit your business, get in touch today. Together, we’ll make pricing confidently your new standard.

The post Navigating Value and Pricing While Under Pressure appeared first on Robin Lines Associates.

We have found that many Account Managers and Sales Professionals find this both stressful and uncomfortable. Increasingly, these conversations are late, and may not even be delivered in person, with organisations often choosing the weak option of informing their customers through email, and crossing their fingers that there will not be any reaction.

Inevitably the customer pushes back, possibly threatening to take their business elsewhere. The result is that the Seller caves in ‘to keep the customer happy’-rarely a text-book ‘Win-Win’ outcome.

At RLA, we have developed a robust Negotiation Skills programme which will equip your team with the tools and techniques to both maintain profits and harmonious relationships with customers.

So, what are our Top 13 Tips for Account Managers/Salespeople?

1. Have the conversation as early as possible. There should be no surprises. Give your customer time to ‘come to terms’ with the price increase.
2. Have the conversation face to face (ideally at their venue), rather than virtual/telephone and definitely not by email. Visiting the customer tells them that they are important, and demonstrates both respect and professionalism.
3. Plan and Rehearse what you are going to say. Don’t assume the customer will understand why you put your prices up without a robust explanation and justification.
4. Forget about ‘Aiming High’ and starting off with an inflated price, planning to meet the customer in the middle. Your audacious initial price may scare them off and blow your credibility and trust.
5. When you visit them, get to the point quickly and concisely. Don’t waffle and waste their time. Look and sound confident. Look them in the eye when you present the price.
6. Don’t imply that the price is open to negotiation by saying things like ‘We need to agree on the price’, ‘we need to discuss the price’, ‘we need to negotiate the price’, etc. All of these suggest that the price is already movable. State ‘Our price is £XXXX’ not ‘it’s in the region/ballpark of £XXXX’. Be firm from the outset.
7. Once you have explained and justified the price increase, Shut Up! Let the other party digest what has been said.
8. If the customer reacts, remind them of the value they are getting from you. Don’t forget your Unique Selling Points if they mention your competition. Rarely are they comparing apples with apples.
9. Think about your Bargaining Chips. Negotiating is all about trading concessions/bargaining. Think about what is low cost to you, and potentially high value to your customer (such as value-adds like credit terms, enhanced service levels, training, support, lead times, etc.) and what is low cost to your customer and high value to you (such as payment in advance, longer contracts, referrals, a bigger share of the wallet, etc.) The Golden Rule is that if you offer something, make sure you ask for something in return.
10. Another Price = Another Package. If we must reduce our price, we need to change the package in some way (i.e., take something out)
11. Don’t be afraid to ask for some time to develop a creative solution.
12. Be prepared to walk away if you feel that you can’t find a mutually acceptable solution/compromise.
13. Hold your nerve. Maintain an aura of calmness. Focus on your breathing if you are feeling any anxiety.

RLA Sales Negotiation Masterclass builds a Negotiating Toolkit guaranteed to help your team improve their revenues and profits. 

‘In life, you don’t get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate.’ – Dr. Chester Karrass.

The post Negotiating to Win: Our Top 13 Tips to Succeed! appeared first on Robin Lines Associates.

Build a Rapport

Just as people buy from people, they also buy into people. Learning the art of small talk can help you strike up a rapport with another person. Keep the conversation light (avoid politics!) but try and find a common interest which can act as a foundation for the future relationship. Not only does this help you ease any tension, but it also allows the other person to see you as a person – and hopefully, a person they like.

Listen

If we only ever ‘tell’ people what we want them to know, how will we ever understand what they want? Effective listeners are reliable and attentive. They don’t sit and nod quietly but learn forward eager to learn more. A poor listener feels as though they are wasting time by not making their point, whereas a great listener is taking notes to increase their knowledge of the issues so that they may offer the best solution.

Empathise

Work to identify and understand the other person’s position – even (or especially) when you do not agree with it. When people refuse to consider the other person’s argument, conflict arises. Trying to negotiate during a dispute only results in both sides digging themselves in and then nobody wins. Instead, focus on reading what the other person is saying. Look for pain points or other areas where you can offer something to make the other party see you as sincere and understanding.

Don’t Manipulate – Motivate!

Manipulation is insincere, and people start to notice when they feel manipulated. Taking an honest, but firm approach, making logical arguments and being passionate about what you’re saying is a much better way to motivate somebody to see things your way. Establishing trust is vital in any relationship, and building trust takes empathy and compassion – not lies and trickery.

Be Generous

Do you know why hotels leave mints on your pillow, or servers bring a little something extra with the bill? It encourages people to think that little bit better of them. Whenever you can do a little something for somebody or give them a little something. These do not have to be grand gestures, but the more generous we are perceived to be, the more people will be receptive to what we have to offer.

Be Passionate

Business is often about being convincing. Think of the worst sales presentation you ever sat through. Perhaps the speaker was monotone or disinterested. Maybe they sounded like they were reading a script. We tend to spot the signs of somebody doing it for the paycheque, and when we do, their authority or source credibility goes flying out of the window.

A passionate, engaging presenter who speaks with conviction encourages the audience to be receptive. You may need to stick to the script at times, but find ways to highlight your sincerity and belief that what you are saying is spot on. An exciting, dynamic presentation can be hugely motivating for the other party.

The post Six Quick Influencing Tips appeared first on Robin Lines Associates.

I prefer to think that what you know helps to expand whom you know. However, the importance of good networking cannot be understated. Building up a circle of influential contacts within your field creates opportunities, provides chances to learn and even helps to market both your business and your personal brand.

Networking is building relationships and is a natural part of business, but it is an area many in which many people struggle. If you are a naturally reserved individual, it can feel intimidating, and you may well feel that you have little to offer. Let’s discuss some ways to making your networking experience fruitful and productive.
 

Networking Basics

Always do your research. No matter whether it is an industry organisation meeting, a trade show, an informal business luncheon or a LinkedIn group, some opportunities will work for you and others will not. You want to take some time to get a sense of what a particular group does, whether it is supportive of its members and whether the group shares a similar approach to yourself.

Do not feel obliged to throw yourself in every networking opportunity, because each one requires a time investment. You want to invest wisely so do a little bit of research and try and find out as much as you can before committing to a group.
 

Be Honest

Eventually, we all encounter “that guy” – the individual who believes that by spinning fanciful yarns about his achievements and experiences he can woo people. Not only do such stories rarely hold up under scrutiny, but they also provide the single most powerful insight into that guy’s character – he is out for himself.

Good networking is about building mutually beneficial relationships. Even if you are just starting out, be honest about it. There will be people who want to help you, who want to work with you. If you cannot impress somebody with your accomplishments, instead impress them with your enthusiasm and personality. People want to work with people. “That guy” is nothing but a fictional character.
 

Business Cards

Do not always offer your business card. However, do always ask for somebody else’s. If someone asks for your business card, that is great, but do ask for theirs in return. It is a simple gesture, but it goes right back to the mutually beneficial relationship aspect of business networking.

If you ask for somebody’s card, then out of politeness they may very well ask for yours. If somebody asks you for a card, even if only out of politeness, he or she are much less likely to bin it than if you offer it to them unsolicited. It also has to be said that offering somebody an unwanted business card is much like signing them up for your newsletter because you have their email address – poor etiquette.
 

Phone – Silent

At any event, your phone must be on silent. If you are speaking with someone and your phone rings, there is no positive outcome. If you ignore the phone, you look like somebody who does not care about potentially important calls. If you excuse yourself to answer the phone, then you look like someone who does not care about the person with whom you were speaking.

Keeping your phone on silent avoids this. You can always check for missed calls in between conversations. Ensure that if you do need to return a call, you go somewhere private to do it.
 

Talk to Strangers

Even if you are at an event with a host of people from work, make an effort to speak with strangers. You should not rely on your coworkers or friends to introduce you. Making an effort to present yourself gives the impression of confidence. It can also be a way to meet and talk with people that you would not have met if you had stayed in your circle.

When speaking, opt for open-ended questions. The common “What do you do?” is not going to cut it. It is too easy to answer, and if you cannot think of an immediate follow-up question to the answer, then you risk cutting a potentially valuable conversation short. You should also develop the art of small-talk, as well. People can grow weary of discussing their work all the time, so some well-managed chit-chat can help you stay in their mind as a person that they liked.
 

Do Not Sell

When you find someone who you can tell is after services just like the ones you offer, it can be so tempting to pitch to them on the spot. However, again, networking is about building relationships, and very few relationships start off well with an unsolicited sales conversation.

If they invite you to discuss your business, then have a short “elevator style” pitch prepared. If they do not, instead, ask for their card and wait a few days. Drop them a short email, mentioning that you enjoyed meeting with them and hope to speak again. If they respond in kind, then you can look to arranging a follow-up meeting to offer some services.

Never assume that because you have their card, or that you had a good chat, that you can pitch to them or use them as a business resource. Make sure that they’re inviting you to do so.

The post A Quick Guide to Business Networking appeared first on Robin Lines Associates.

The Personal Touch

Electronic communications aren’t a bad thing. They can speed up and vastly simplify certain interactions. Not everything warrants a phone call or a site visit, after all. We cannot, however, argue that email can be very impersonal. Electronic communication favours efficiency, and sometimes that’s what we need but it’s not what we always need.

We’re still human beings. Most of us still like to feel a connection with other people, even, or perhaps especially, in business. People are growing increasingly weary of the facelessness of some businesses. That’s why social media managers are constantly trying to give a business a personality online.

An email can be shot off to a thousand people at once and such bulk emails are very difficult to tailor to individuals. A phone call, however, is personal. It’s a direct connection and it’s a private connection. You know when someone’s on the phone to you that they’re talking to you. There’s value in that because it makes that person feel valued.
 

Avoiding Misunderstandings

One of the biggest issues with email-only communications is the potential for misunderstanding. The way we read a message is not always the way in which a message was intended. For example, some people have a very blunt writing style. They write short, direct sentences. If emailing someone they’re well acquainted with, such a style might not be problematic. Yet if introducing themselves to a new client, it might inadvertently come across as rude or overly stern.

At any time, a sentence can be misunderstood, it’s meaning lost. If the recipient is having a particularly stressful day, they may even be unwittingly predisposed to taking something the wrong way. Additionally, email often lacks the context of tone.

Our voice though doesn’t betray us in the way that our words might do. When people listen to us speak, they can deduct from our tone how our message is intended.
 

Selling Solutions

I am a huge advocate of consultative selling – selling solutions. It’s my belief that conversation is the cornerstone of good selling. We want our clients to feel that they’re getting what they need, not that they’re being sold what we want them to buy. In my experience, a free-flowing conversation is hugely advantageous when trying to understand what the client needs and offer the correct solution.

Email stunts the conversation. It harms the flow. You send off an email, wait hours or maybe even days for a reply, and sometimes neither side gets the answers they want. This isn’t to say that email doesn’t have its place in the consultative selling process but it should not be the only part of the process. Following up via email allows the client to address things that they might have forgotten previously, but it’s that initial interaction that can sell the relationship.
 

Emails May Go Unnoticed

I’m sure most of us have sent an email before and not received a reply. It might have been ignored, it might have ended up in a Spam folder (and do check your Spam folders periodically for valuable emails!) or it might simply have been inadvertently skipped over in a full inbox. And I think all of us have seen a lengthy email before now and skimmed it, perhaps missing vital information.

Phone calls don’t suffer from this problem. Even if the person you’re trying to reach cannot take the call, they’ll know you’ve called and they’re more likely to return it. If they don’t read your email for whatever reason, they’re very unlikely to get back to you.

Studies have consistently shown that even cold calling by phone has a significantly higher response rate when compared to email only marketing.
 

Don’t Stop Sending Emails

None of this is to say that email marketing doesn’t have its place. You cannot beat it for reach, efficiency or cost-effectiveness. However, I do not believe it should be the beginning and end of your marketing strategy. People are far more likely to respond to, and invest in, other people.

Send emails to try and initiate a connection. Make that email an invitation to connect on a more personal level. Ask whether they’d be free for a phone conversation in a few days, or if you’re going to be in their neck of the woods, an actual meeting.

When a client can put a voice, and even a face, to the text on their screen from the follow-up email(s) then they’re much more likely to want to do business with you.

The post Sales: Regaining Our Voice appeared first on Robin Lines Associates.