There isn’t a salesperson alive who hasn’t encountered a purchasing agent who is “difficult.”  (And that’s a polite way to say it!) For most salespeople, few things can be more challenging than having to go toe-to-toe with a professional buyer. The sales process can be a minefield of tactics and tricks that help buyers get the upperhand on unsuspecting sales reps.

However, just like a trick or tactic, it loses its effectiveness if you see it coming. So to make sure you're prepared, here are six things purchasing agents and buyers love to do to get you, the salesperson, to cough up a better deal.

1.  Regardless of how attractive your offer might be, they simply reject it without giving a reason

Buyers love to do this by way of a late afternoon email that is short and to the point.  Their objective is to merely see if you will blink, and guess what most salespeople do? They blink and offer a lower price or more attractive deal.

2.  Delay giving any response

For some buyers, saying “no” to a salesperson can be hard, so the way they work around it is they simply don’t give any response.  If the salesperson is presenting the offer face-to-face, the buyer says they’ll have to analyze it and get back to them. 

Their comment might be something like, “I’ve got to run some numbers on it and compare it with some other things we’ve got going on, so I’ll get back to you.”  This sets up the delay, which a sharp buyer will stretch out until the salesperson comes back with a better offer.

3. During a face-to-face meeting, buyers are quick to look for any sign of body language that indicates you don’t believe in the price

A basic rule buyers use is to watch the salesperson’s facial expression and eye contact when they are talking about price or presenting their offer.  If the salesperson can’t give the buyer eye contact, it indicates one thing – the salesperson doesn’t believe in their own price.

If the salesperson’s body language is not firm, then it means there is even more price wiggle room.  The beauty is that many times the buyer doesn’t have to do anything other than remain silent. The salesperson who is already doubting their own offer winds up offering a concession without the buyer even saying a word.

4. Have competitors’ information on their desk when you come into to meet them

Few things scare a salesperson more than seeing their competitors’ information sitting on their customer’s desk. Many buyers collect sales materials with one intention – to use it against someone else.

5.  Provide salespeople with economic newsletters and other information that indicates how bad things are

I’ve known many buyers who will, on an annual basis, distribute economic news or other articles indicating how the only way for businesses to survive is by cutting their prices. Some will paint amazing pictures of distress merely to see how much they can extract from salespeople. 

6.  Buyers love to say: “Your price is simply too high, so I’ll have to buy from your competitor”

What they don’t tell you is that they don’t have a clue what the competitor’s price is and that the last thing they want to do is go through the hassle of setting up another vendor. The amount of work it takes to switch vendors can quickly eat up any cost savings, and that doesn’t even take into consideration all of the other issues that could arise from switching.

Selling effectively and profitably when working with buyers can be done, but you have to be diligent in paying attention to the tactics buyers use.  You can overcome these tactics by refining your own selling skills and boosting your confidence.

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price. He is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. He was named one of the Top 50 Influencers in Sales by Top Sales World.  To receive a free weekly sales tip and read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on Twitter, on Facebook and on Linkedin.

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