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If you encounter a very tricky sales problem, I suggest you consider three possibilities: first, the most optimistic outcome; second, the worst outcome; third, a compromise. The best outcome is that all our demands are met; the worst is that we accept all the other party's demands; the compromise is that both sides give a little. This is actually the art of negotiation; negotiation is inherently the art of compromise.
Don't be anxious, because the worst outcome: you won't lose the opportunity, just fall into a passive position. The best outcome rarely happens because in most cases the buyer takes the initiative, so they won't fully accept our proposals. The compromise gives both sides a way to save face and is acceptable to both. In most cases, the final result will be a compromise.
Lack of confidence. Ma Yun said: "If you use someone, don't doubt them; if you doubt them, don't use them"—that's a kind of helplessness. "Use someone but still have doubts; doubt someone but still use them"—that's the real realm. Throwing valuable things on the ground and mounting discarded things on the wall—that's called taste! The greatest freedom in life is not doing whatever you want, but being able to not do what you don't want to do! If Obama invites you to the White House for tea and a chat, and you say, "Oh! I've got plans to go fishing with friends this afternoon, no time"—that's freedom!
I don't quite agree with Ma Yun's remarks about "trust." If you don't trust people, how can they have the time and space to showcase their talents? They'd spend all their time guessing their boss's preferences and thoughts, leaving no time for work. Being cautious is necessary, but it's not about distrust; it's about using systems and management to guard against human weaknesses. Two months ago, when a project ended, someone said to me: "I was worried you might have ulterior motives for the project." Then it dawned on me—a perfectly good project, with all the early efforts, had basically revived everything, but in the end, it came to nothing. The overall project contract was negotiated down to a regional market support deal. That's sheer incompetence—what else but foolishness? And he had the nerve to accuse others of having ulterior motives—it's like burying one's head in the sand!
Someone shared a story on Weibo: A girl got her first job through connections. The night before she started, her father told her three things: "If you meet a good leader, work for him loyally; if the salary is high, you're lucky, so be grateful; if the salary isn't ideal, then learn skills by staying close to your leader." She took these words to heart. Later, she was the youngest and lowest-ranked clerk on the list for overseas training. But this is just a story—don't take it seriously.
We used to say: "Fear not a god-like opponent, but a pig-like teammate." But now, things might be different, because you might encounter a pig-like "leader." It's entirely possible. If you don't believe it, the example above is one!
Marketing: just do it! Opportunities are definitely not planned out, especially in the Chinese market. If someone tells you they'll help you create a 10-year career plan or strategic plan, don't believe them—they're absolutely a big talker, because they don't even know what they'll be doing in 10 years. Besides, with changes in environment, competition, resources, etc., would such a plan still be useful? If you always wait and see, opportunities will become someone else's.
Did the big shots in various industries 20 or 30 years ago know they'd be where they are now? Absolutely not. Even Ma Yun, the e-commerce giant, probably didn't know he'd achieve such scale. They all moved forward by groping. Opportunities don't come from waiting; only action can create better opportunities. Walk, look, and adjust as you go.
Marketing: just do it!