This is an
interview that I conducted with Jennifer Smith, who is the Marketing &
Promotions Director at Townsquare Media Group in Northfield, NJ. Jennifer has
been with Townsquare Media Group for 3 years, and before then she was at
Millennium Radio Group, LLC for 11 years, where she held the same title. She
has over 10 years experience in developing and implementing events, including
sales and charity.
Townsquare Media Group is a diversified media; entertainment and digital marketing services
company that owns and operates market leading radio, digital and live event
properties across the U.S. The company specializes in creating and distributing
original and motivating media experiences that connect communities with content
they love, people they trust, products they want and things that matter
(Townsquare Media group, 2014).
I’ve had the
pleasure of working with Jennifer for the past three months, interning at
Townsquare Media; and I must say she was the perfect candidate for this
interview about negotiating and deal making.
GK: Hello
Jennifer.
JS: Hello
George.
GK: Thank you
for giving me the opportunity to interview you; it’s greatly appreciated.
JS: Anything for
you George. Thank you for choosing me for this interview.
GK: How
do you separate the people from the problem when you are negotiating?
JS: I guess I would say that I would work with the people to be
mutually beneficial for everybody. So, lets really look at what we are trying
to accomplish, and we the people will work together and make it the most
fabulous thing together. So, lets negotiate to make it a great partnership.
GK:
Okay. How do you
handle positional bargaining tactics?
JS: That’s
almost a similar question as the first. Okay. I bargain with clients or
potential clients to get what I need to get accomplished. I usually showcase
something to them to make them see that by giving me what I want is beneficial
to them in some way.
GK: I thank you
for giving me a little of your time for this interview.
JS: No problem
George.
GK:
This is my last question for you, being that you have to get to a meeting. Can you give me an example of how you worked toward mutual benefit
when you were negotiating a deal?
JS: I just
got off the phone negotiating a deal. We have this Insane Inflatable 5k Run,
and it is eight days away, and I still don’t have a hydrating beverage. So, our
sales team was working towards that, and it didn’t work out; so now it’s my
turn to try to hydrate 2,500 people, with no budget. I reached out to a good
partner, which is the first thing, I had to do (find a good partner). I had to
showcase to them what benefits they would get from it, and we still only have
eight days left. I had to do my best to bring things in the light to them, by
making things as beneficial as possible to this partner in order to achieve
what we are trying to get done.
GK: So,
you’re basically presenting this to them in a way that it’s a win-win for both
parties.
JS: Yes. You
want to make sure everybody feels good in the end.
GK: Can I
ask you one more question Jennifer?
JS: Sure.
GK: What
tips do you have for new negotiators who are trying to do this?
JS: To have
a plan before you try to negotiate with someone. It’s important to know what
you’re talking about, and never talk around what you’re trying to get across.
What I mean by that, is getting straight to the point, and be prepared for
whatever the person or people that you’re negotiating with has to say, because
most of them want to make sure that you know what you are talking about.
GK: Thank
you Jennifer.
JS: Thank
you as well George.
Reference:
Townsquare
Media Group. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.townsquaremedia.com
