Episodes
Negotiation Tools: Because “I Thought We Agreed…” Is Not a Strategy
“Just sign the contract. It’ll be fine.”Possibly one of the least reassuring sentences in business.In this week’s Tea and Timbits, we’re talking about negotiation tools — and not the kind that require another software subscription, three dashboards and a consultant to explain the dashboard.We mean t...
The Negotiation Playbook: Prepare the Plays, Don’t Script the Customer
Negotiations have an annoying habit of refusing to follow the script. In this episode, we look at why a negotiation playbook isn’t about memorising clever lines or predicting every possible objection. It’s about doing the thinking before the pressure is on. We dig into setting principles and walk-aw...
Don’t Let the Contract Kill the Deal
A deal can survive months of selling, negotiating and relationship-building… only to wander into legal and emerge looking like it’s been through customs twice. In our latest episode, we talk about contract reviews and one of the biggest mistakes we see: treating the legal stage as a handoff. It isn’...
Negotiation Without the Arm-Wrestling: Why Collaboration Wins
Negotiation has a bit of a reputation. It can sound like two sides digging in, guarding their territory, and waiting to see who blinks first. In this episode, we talk about why the best negotiations rarely feel like that. We explore the difference between collaboration and negotiation, why the two s...
Stop Buying Tools. Fix Your Sales Process First.
This week, we’re talking proposal tools… although, in classic Tea & Timbits fashion, we spend a fair chunk of the episode explaining why the shiny tools probably aren’t the first thing you need. We start with a reminder that good sales often comes back to the basics: a defined process, clear next st...
Proposal Formats: Give the Buyer What They Need (Not Just What They Asked For)
Proposal templates are useful. Until they aren’t. In this episode, we talk about one of those deceptively simple sales questions: what format should a proposal actually take? A polished PDF? A PowerPoint? A response inside the buyer’s RFP template? A simple statement of work? A video? A one-page web...
RFPs: Win It, Reshape It, or Walk Away
RFP arrives. Cue excitement. Then, occasionally, several days of frantic proposal writing followed by the dawning realisation that perhaps we should have asked a few questions first. In this week’s episode, we talk about the three broad choices we think businesses have when an RFP lands: Try to win ...
Proof Before Promises: Building Proposals That Make “Yes” Easier
Most proposals explain the solution. The best proposals prove the decision. In our latest episode, we explore “proof architecture” — the combination of evidence, structure and story that helps a buyer feel confident saying yes. A strong proposal should show: • Why the problem matters • Why acting no...
Executive Visibility Without Becoming LinkedIn Wallpaper
Visibility without direction is just noise. That was one of the slightly uncomfortable conclusions we reached in our latest bonus episode. It is easy to assume that building an executive profile means posting more, speaking more and generally making sure our face appears everywhere short of the side...