The best way to “win” in negotiating is to make the buyer feel like what is purchased is a gain rather than a loss of money. It really comes down to word choice. This is what was discovered in a recent study by researchers at Leuphana University of Lüneburg and Saarland University in Germany.

For example, the researchers ask you to imagine selling a car. After looking it over, you can either say “I would like 9,000 Euros for the car,” or “I’ll give you the car for 9,000 Euros.”

The content in those two sentences is the same; however, the second one is the version to say.

“Saying: ‘I’ll give you my car for 9,000 Euros’, draws the attention of your opponent on your car—which is what they can gain” said Dr. Roman Trötschel, one of the study’s authors. “If you do otherwise, you will emphasize the resource they would lose in case a deal is struck, namely the money he needs to shell out for the car. We were able to demonstrate that the party, whose loss is emphasized in the negotiation, is less willing to make concessions.”

The researchers conducted eight studies involving a total of 650 subjects. The results were always the same—bringing the offered resource to the foreground achieves favorable results. These findings apply to sellers, too.

For sellers, Trötschel suggests not lowering a price immediately, but add value to the offer.

“Offer to fill up the car. Throw in the winter tires, as well as a bottle of special cleaning fluid for the paintwork,” Trötschel said. “Emphasize what your vis-à-vis will gain—not the money that they would lose if you reached an agreement.”

(photo credit: The Open University (OU) via photopin cc)

It seems that sporting venues keep trying to outdo each other on a daily basis. The latest example is the Timsah Arena in Turkey. The soccer club Bursaspor are known as the Green Crocodiles, so it’s fitting that their upcoming facility features a crocodile around it with eyes and a mouth that lights up at night.

Check out the video above to see more of this reptilian venue in action. And as my co-worker asked, wouldn’t it be cool if a new trend in the U.S. was to design stadiums based off team mascots?

Amazon Local last week expanded its ticketing service to all 48 West End shows in London. The company previously offered tickets based around deals or discounted tickets. That has changed.

“Although that will still be the case for some shows, this is a move to being a genuine ticketer,” a spokesman for Amazon told The Stage. “We are moving away from deals to offering the full range of ticket prices, from bottom to full price.”

The spokesman told the publication “that Amazon Local now has access to every seat on sale in a production.”

And according to the Retail Gazette, “All costs are up front, with no additional charges appearing at the check-out stage when customers are ready to pay on Amazon Local.”

(Image: David King/Creative Commons)

Please welcome our newest members who joined IAVM in December 2014 through February 2015—a total of 507 new members. Our network of professionals is growing and we are reaching record numbers. Thank you for being a part of the association!

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IAVM is pleased to announce the nomination of Doug Booher, CFE, for Second Vice Chair of the IAVM Board of Directors, a prestigious honor denoting exemplary leadership and dedication to the sport, entertainment, and convention/exhibition industries. In this role, Booher will become a Senior Officer of the organization, serving a four-year term, ascending to the Chairman position for 2017-2018.

Booher currently serves as director of Indiana University Auditorium and University Events. Known for its presentation of a wide variety of events, from university ceremonies and conference events to the latest comedy, concert, and Broadway attractions, this 3,200-seat proscenium venue has been a model of campus and community programming and engagement since it was built in 1941. In 2010, IU Event Services was created to provide event staffing, management, and consulting for major university events including IU Athletics events at Assembly Hall, Memorial Stadium, and Bill Armstrong Stadium. As an integral facet of the university community, IU Auditorium and IU Event Services thrive on student involvement and participation. Each year, more than 1,000 IU students work in volunteer, internship, and hourly employment positions within the organization, for which Indiana University earned IAVM’s 2012 Venue Education Award. Together, IU Auditorium and Event Services serve more than one million visitors each year.

Throughout his 20-year career in venue management, Booher has presented extensively in the areas of guest service, event management, and artist contract negotiation—and serves as an adjunct lecturer in IU’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Booher joined IAVM in 1996 and is a graduate of the Public Assembly Facility Management School (now VMS) at Oglebay. He earned his Certified Facilities Executive (CFE) designation in 2010.

“I am so excited to have someone as smart and thoughtful as Doug Booher joining us as a senior officer of IAVM,” said Kim Bedier, CFE, chair of the IAVM Board. “Our membership can rest assured it is in very good hands for years to come.”

“I’ve worked with Doug in numerous capacities in my time here at IAVM, and he always provides thoughtful input,” said Vicki Hawarden, CMP, president and CEO of IAVM. “He is an accomplished professional and a strong leader, and I look forward to welcoming him to the IAVM officer team.”

Upon being notified of receiving the nomination, Booher added that, “IAVM is a venerable organization with a rich history of supporting its members’ efforts to enhance their communities. It is an incredible honor to have the opportunity to work with our 4,800+ members, volunteer leaders, and dedicated staff to insure that our association continues to be a source of unmatched educational programs and rich networking opportunities for generations to come.”

Booher follows in the path of a great number of predecessors that, over the past 90 years, have helped to shape the industry, and ultimately, the communities they serve. IAVM members will vote electronically on this nomination, and, if elected, Booher’s service as Second Vice Chair will be formally recognized at IAVM’s annual conference and trade show, VenueConnect, August 1-4, 2015, in Baltimore, Maryland.