You hang up the phone with a keen client and your hands are shaking. This is the biggest piece of work you've ever been offered.

You check your emails and see the subject line: Re: Your book deal. And your stomach flips.

You get your networking game face on and head to the top conference in your industry...where they promptly ask you to speak at next year's event.

These are exiting moments for any Ambitious Entrepreneur. And they're the 'Oh $@*^!' moments you need to learn how to handle with ease. Read on for how to close your biggest, best deal yet.

3 Essentials for Effective Communication

Over the past 2 months, I’ve spent a lot more time listening to recordings of my own voice than I’m comfortable with. It makes me cringe, each and every time. I’ve dipped my toes into webinars, audio recordings of my blog posts, and free training calls. After years spent ‘finding my voice’ in my blog posts, I am now finding my voice all over again in these new formats.

Today, I want to share with you what I’ve learned – and my 3 top tips for finding your voice and speaking with confidence, conviction and persuasiveness.

Small Business, CorporateDevon SmileyOctober 31, 2018negotiation consultant, article, audio, communication

How To Create Strong Business Relationships

One of my favourite business quotes is from Kendrick Shope:

“All things being equal, friends buy from friends. All things being unequal, friends buy from friends.”

The same principle applies even if you’re not in sales mode. Relationships – friendships – are one of the must-have tools in running a business, and learning how to cultivate strong, healthy relationships will take you far.

Read on to find out how...

Corporate, Small BusinessDevon SmileyOctober 3, 2018negotiation consultant, article, relationships, communication, sales

How To Find Your Unique Negotiation Talent

Negotiation TipsDevon SmileySeptember 5, 2018article, negotiation consulting, negotiation, strategy, communication, motivation, mindset, inspiration, coaching

Creating Your Negotiation Back Up Plan

Negotiation TipsDevon SmileyAugust 22, 2018article, negotiation consulting, negotiation, communication, strategy, guidelines, contracts

Why A Contract Is Essential For Your Business

Contract Negotiation, Small BusinessDevon SmileyAugust 15, 2018article, negotiation consultant, negotiation, contracts, communication

Make Bartering Work For Your Business

Negotiation Tips, Small BusinessDevon SmileyAugust 1, 2018article, negotiation consulting, negotiation, pricing, profit, guidelines, clients, communication

Why Being Liked Won't Get You What You Need In A Negotiation

Small Business, Negotiation TipsDevon SmileyJuly 25, 2018article, negotiation consulting, negotiation, honesty, guidelines, clients, communication, strategy

Negotiation Mindset - Asking Doesn't Make You Difficult

Small Business, Negotiation TipsDevon SmileyMay 16, 2018article, negotiation consultant, mindset, motivation, communication, guidelines, strategy, support, small business, The Smiley Sessions

What To Do When Clients Ask For A Discount

Small Business, Negotiation TipsDevon SmileyApril 18, 2018article, video, negotiation consultant, negotiation, guidelines, discount, sales, strategy, clients, communication

How To Admit Mistakes The Right Way

Oh crap. You’ve goofed. A mistake has been made and you’re mighty embarrassed by it. What do you do?

What you want to do is hide under the covers and try and pretend it never happened…and hope no one will notice.

Sigh. But we all know that’s not the best way to handle making a mistake (after all, ‘hope is not a strategy’).

Here’s your 3 step process to how to admit that you’ve made a mistake, and how to make it right.

Professional Communication: To swear? Or not to swear?

The first time I swore was while on vacation in Florida with my family. I was about 13, and had dropped my copy of Wuthering Heights into the hotel pool. As it landed, a great big s-bomb flew out of my mouth. I looked at my Dad, and it was one of those moments where you’re filled with fear…but also pride that you’ve somehow crossed over from childhood to adolescence.

My repertoire has expanded since then, and frankly, sometimes I surprise myself. But, I still consider myself to be poised, polite and professional…so I choose my audiences and timing carefully.

Is it appropriate to swear in a negotiation? Does it hurt your cause? Or can it actually move you forward? Let’s take a closer look at the 3 things you need to consider before dropping a bomb…

Get Into the Rhythm Of Negotiation

When I was a little kid, I was really into dancing. We’re talking ballet class 3x a week, pointe shoes and all. And for the rest of my life I will never live down being in a store with my Mum when I was little and announcing with a flourish that “I live to dance!”

Outside the safe confines of my kitchen, I don’t do a whole lot of dancing anymore. Well, except when I’m negotiating that is.

Bring Your Business Clarity With Plain English Contracts

In your business, you’re a dynamo. Knocking items off the to-do list like a champ. Building connections. Delivering amazing service to your clients and making sure all of your customers are beyond happy when they receive your product.

But all of that can be brought to a standstill when something goes wrong with a contract.

A lot of contracts – with clients, vendors, partners – contain a whole lot of legal jargon. This legalese can be confusing, and if you’re not familiar with the terminology you can find yourself in trouble, fast.

Having clear contracts that support the priorities, requirements and desires of both you and your negotiation counterpart is essential and the easiest way to get those in place? Use plain ol’ English.

Here’s why you should make the switch from legalese to something that reads with ease…and my tips for how to make it happen.

Small BusinessDevon SmileyMarch 14, 2017contracts, article, negotiation consultant, communication

4 Tips For Negotiating With A Friend

Business is all about creating personal connections. Whether it’s meeting face-to-face at networking events, following each other on Twitter or sharing your experiences in a mastermind or workshop – it’s all about connections.

As an entrepreneur or indie business owner, you’re also likely connecting with people that share similar outlooks on business and life – these are folks that just ‘get it’.

Doing business with a friend can be an opportunity to help each other out or to collaborate on an exciting project. Your work together may feel more like a passion project than real business. Which is why breaking up the fun with a – gulp – negotiation may be something you try to avoid.

But you don’t have to.

Negotiation and friendships can (and should!) co-exist, and having one in your life doesn’t have to mean rejecting the other. It won’t always be easy – but here are my top 4 tips for how you can make this work. You can have your friendships and your great business deals too.