What happens when more than 30 years of sales experience meets 24 years of FBI negotiation experience? In this episode, Joe Dalton sits down with Chris Voss, former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference, for a practical discussion on what really makes sales and negotiation work. This is more than an interview. It’s a conversation between two practitioners comparing the methods, principles and best practices they use to understand people, uncover what is really being said and move important conversations forward. Joe brings decades of experience in sales and commercial conversations, while Chris draws on lessons learned from some of the highest-stakes negotiations imaginable. Together, they explore tactical empathy, listening, mirroring, handling objections, reading the person across the table, uncovering hidden information and knowing when to walk away from a bad deal. They also discuss why great salespeople are often quieter than people expect, why “that’s right” can be more powerful than “yes,” and why the strongest negotiators focus less on convincing and more on understanding. Along the way, Joe and Chris discover a number of striking similarities between the principles they each use in sales and negotiation. A fascinating conversation about human behaviour, communication and the skills behind better commercial outcomes.

Now that you’re here, take a minute to introduce yourself. Tell us a little about who you are, what your business does, who you work with, and what you’re hoping to get from the group. It doesn’t need to be a big introduction — just enough for everyone to get to know you. Looking forward to having you here.

Discovery is where better sales conversations begin. Too many Business owners rush to explain what they do before they really understand what the prospect needs. Sales Craft is about slowing that down. Ask better questions. Listen properly. Understand what is really going on in the business, what matters, what is getting in the way, and what needs to change. The stronger your sale conversation, the easier everything else becomes. Your craft gets sharper. Your objections get clearer. Your close gets stronger. Sales Craft™ gives you a standard for how that conversation should happen. Before you move on, ask yourself Am I really discovering, or am I just waiting for my turn to talk?