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.

Leverage Email for Smooth Communication

Email is wonderful. It lets us increase efficiency, get files around the world in a jiffy, and if you're signed up to the right newsletters it can even deliver nuggets of wisdom into your inbox each week. So we should use it all the time. Right?

Not so fast. Email is great, but there are a few drawbacks that make it less than ideal for your next business discussion or negotiation. Here's what to do (and very importantly, what not to do) to make the most of that keyboard under your fingertips.

Small BusinessDevon SmileyFebruary 13, 2019article, negotiation, negotiation consultant, guidelines, advice

A Simple Move To Improve Your Negotiation Results

Negotiation TipsDevon SmileyAugust 29, 2018article, negotiation, negotiation consulting, strategy, guidelines, advice, sales, prep work

Setting Ambitious Goals For Your Next Negotiation

Negotiation Tips, Contract NegotiationDevon SmileyJuly 18, 2018article, negotiation consultant, negotiation, motivation, growth, strategy, advice, prep work, credibility

Worried About Looking Greedy? You May Not Have To.

Small BusinessDevon SmileyJune 27, 2018article, advice, negotiation, negotiation consulting, mindset, money, inspiration, motivation

5 Habits of Highly Successful Negotiators

Small Business, Negotiation TipsDevon SmileyApril 6, 2018article, negotiation consulting, guidelines, advice, strategy, negotiation

The Bad Habits Keeping Your Business Small & Stuck

None of us are in business to struggle. Or not have fun. Or spend our days frustrated with where we are and where we know we could be with our results.

Yet, most of the time, most Ambitious Entrepreneurs are in that exact spot.

And most often it’s because one of these bad negotiation habits is getting in their way and stopping them (stopping you!) from going after what you want, need and deserve.

Here are the Top 6 worst habits when it comes to negotiation. Ditching them will take you far.

Small BusinessDevon SmileySeptember 21, 2016negotiation consultant, negotiation, guidelines, article, communication, advice

What You Need To Know About Sales vs. Negotiation

There are a lot of different hats you wear as an Ambitious Entrepreneur. You've got to get a handle on writing copy, planning social media, marketing your business - and of course there's sales.

But your professional development doesn't end there.

Today, I'm sharing some straight talk on why mastering sales and negotiations are two different beasts. And why you need both of them to thrive.

Negotiation Q&A: Who Goes First?

Working up the courage to share your proposal (and price...) with a potential client can be tough. So it's best to let them go first, right? Ask them what their budget is, and then work from there.
Nope. Nuh-uh. No way.
Shying away from making the first proposal may seem like the easier option, but if you're looking for your best business results, it's time to put on your Courageous Ambitious Entrepreneur hat and throw your proposal into the ring, first.
Read on to find out why.

The Power of Fearless Follow-Ups

Courage can feel as though it runs in limited supply. VERY limited supply. So after you’ve made the bold move of sending in a pitch, or making an ask for your business, the thought of finding even more gumption where that came from is overwhelming.

This week's Smiley Sessions video gives you the boost to be fearless in your followups.

Small BusinessDevon SmileyMarch 24, 2016negotiation consultant, video, advice, sales, negotiation, guidelines, motivation

Protecting Your Boundaries So Your Business (and life!) Can Prosper

Perseverance. Tenacity. Stick with it –ness. All excellent traits, and especially prized among the entrepreneur set. There’s no space for ambitious entrepreneurs like us to pout, sulk or give up because ‘it’s hard’. But this isn’t the same as stubbornness. Or blind pursuit of an outcome. Can you tell the difference?

Small BusinessDevon SmileyFebruary 18, 2016video, negotiation consultant, The Smiley Sessions, boundaries, negotiation, advice

The Rookie Pricing Mistake Even Experts Make

Pricing mistakes happen to everyone. And anyone. Even me. And I'm sharing a pricing mistake I made in today’s Smiley Sessions.

Did making this mistake suck? Yup. Am I embarrassed to share it with you? Nope. Because I know that by giving you a sneak peek at a boo-boo even us experts can make, I can save you from making the same mistake in your business.

Check out the video for my big mistake, and bigger lesson learned.

Small BusinessDevon SmileyJanuary 28, 2016negotiation consultant, pricing, video, guidelines, advice, profit Comments