Let the Sales Kids Work it Out

"Listen man," I told the VP of Marketing, "This clause in your contract is a poison pill. Tell your attorney we can't have it."

It must have been the 10th conversation we'd had about the damn contract. Yet another conversation regarding what our respective attorneys and bosses wanted. Whether we would work together had been decided six weeks before. But attorneys and bosses just don't like to let the kids work it out.

You ever been there? With the deal "done" and just the contract left to sign? Granted, nothing is done until the ink is dry and you get paid, but you and your prospect have met enough, talked enough, gotten to know each other enough to build trust and know you want to work together. Then the lawyers and bosses have to step in and screw up your relationship.

It reminds me of bar-b-ques with my friends. Seems every weekend we end up at one house or the other to kick back Mojitos and eat more red meat than we should. Best of all, our kids are similar ages. Once jacked up on orange soda they will play for hours in the safe confines of the back yard. And the little rug rats leave us alone. That is until they crash off the sugar high.

Once the buzz goes, chaos ensues and someone gets narced on. No matter which parent gets the complaint, we all say the same thing: "work it out...now go play." If one of us does intercede, the losing kid always resents the winner. When the kids work it out, they realize its much to do about nothing and go back to having fun.

Wouldn't it be refreshing if companies let us play like second graders during contract negotiations? Instead, most companies require you to run to daddy. It doesn't matter if you are selling cars or B2B, at some point the boss or corporate attorney is going to want to step in.

Problem is that person couldn't possibly know the back story, relationships and dynamics of the sales bond. Instead they want to crush play time with rules that most likely don't apply. This can make "playmates" into adversaries quicker than orange soda hits the blood stream. 

Don't get me wrong, I understand companies have to look out for their "best interests" but most of the time, the haggled legalese never comes up again. Beyond screwing up the deal from a lack of understanding, laying down "the law" can ruin hard fought relationships and sour working together down the road.

Executives can learn from our bar-b-ques and let the sales kids work it out. Relax, dad. Everything will be okay.

Comments

[Dave McMinn]

The main difference between salespeople and lawyers: Salespeople are trying for a win-win. Lawyers are just trying to win. Therein lies the problem.