Impact Negotiation Group

Impact Negotiation Group supports clients with their commercial challenges. We work closely together with our clients by providing support in negotiations, improving and integrating negotiation processes, and offering specialized negotiation training. 

Our experience covers a variety of industries.
✅ 	Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
✅ 	Pharmaceutical
✅ 	Private Equity
✅ 	IT Services

Additionally, we work across various functional areas, such as:
✅ 	Sales and Business Development
✅ 	Procurement
✅ 	Human Resources (focusing on employee relations)
✅ 	Market Access

For more information visit: www.impactnegotiationgroup.com or directly book a call with me with the link above.

Founding Partner & Negotiation Consultant

NPM Capital

As Manager of Procurement Services I:
➢ Helped NPM Capital participations companies increase their commercial results
➢ Improving the ROI for NPM Capital
➢ Advisory: support NPM Participations with strategic negotiations (both sales & procurement).
➢ Buying optimization: identifying and executing joint procurement projects.
➢ Establishing networks between (ex) participations functions for knowledge sharing.
➢ Establishing a database for best practices & setting up gross group learning and developing initiatives.

Manager NPM Procurement Services

The Gap Partnership

As Senior Consultant & Client Director I helped my clients in different industries (Retail, Pharma, FMCG and Oil & Gas) with their commercial challenges by supporting all aspects of the negotiation process. My role focused on realizing the optimal result of any commercial challenge:
➢ Strategy Development.
➢ Tactical Planning.
➢ Communication Planning.
➢ Risk identification and mitigation.
➢ Negotiation Coaching.
➢ Business Development.
➢ Key Account Management.

Senior Consultant & Client Director

As Consultant & Client Director, I helped my clients with:
➢ Negotiation consultancy (tactical and strategic).
➢ Negotiation coaching.
➢ Workshops on negotiation, aimed at long-term behavioural change.
➢ Business Development.
➢ Key Account Management.

Consultant & Client Director

Shell

As Procurement Manager, I was responsible for the Capex and Opex spend for the BeNeLux Retail Network (500+ retail stations), annual spend 100+mln EUR. I provided: 
➢ Contract management (EPCM & FMCG contracts).
➢ Tender development & execution.
➢ Claim management.
➢ Continuous improvement.
➢ Change management.
➢ Negotiations.

Procurement Manager Retail Networks

As Contract Engineer Wells, I was responsible for the commercial management of major well contracts of the Majnoon Oil Field (Basrah, Iraq, annual spend of 150mln USD). I provided:
➢ Tender development and execution.
➢ Claim management.
➢ Contract management (EPC and Service contracts).
➢ Contract & commercial negotiations.
➢ Relationship management with internal and external (government) stakeholders.
➢ Management over a team of 6 Iraqi graduates, training them in procurement.

Contract Engineer Wells

I worked on the ultra fast track FCP Gas Project for the Majnoon Oil Field, Iraq, responsible for CAPEX spend of 80mln USD. I provided:
➢ Project Management.
➢ Contract management and ensuring proper contract execution.
➢ Commercial negotiations.
➢ Risk identification and control.
➢ EPCM contractor management and managing the contractors' procurement departments.

Contract Engineer- Projects (Majnoon Iraq Gas)

➢ Responsible for the procurement and contract management of four capital projects at the Pernis Refinery with a combined spend of US$200 plus million.

Contract and Procurement Lead

➢ Responsible for C&P Management Reporting and driving continuous improvements.

C&P Upstream International Reporting Analyst

LifeTunes

➢ Operations manager for the startup LifeTunes.

Operations Manager (start-up)

Early on in my career I was tasked with negotiating a contract worth over 200 million dollars. 😮

I had no formal training in negotiation and felt ill prepared for the challenge😟. Over a period of 9 months (and some notable moments such as a the other negotiator dropping his pants and showing me his backside🙈) the deal concluded with us realizing a cost saving of 45%.

That experience has been lifechanging💡, and for the past 7 years I have dedicated my career to helping others maximize their deals. Leading to me co-founding Impact Negotiation Group in 2022. 

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨:
We support organisations with their critical negotiations through thorough preparation, planning, and execution. Our approach empowers you to proactively take control and achieve the best possible results.
We radically challenge what our clients think negotiation is all about. 97% of negotiation work does not take place at the table, in front of the other party. It’s all in the preparation and strategy. 

Having trained more than 5.500 people, after 40h of your time over a 12 month period, we will give you a competitive advantage in your negotiations.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬:

Our consulting business generates 65% of our revenue, with every partner actively engaged in negotiations daily. We work across various industries, including FMCG, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, private equity, professional services, IT services, labor relations, and retail. This broad exposure has equipped us with the insight to distinguish between theoretical concepts and practical applications.

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: 
✅Annually, we support over $1 billion in negotiation value. Since our start, we have worked with 50 clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to scale-ups, providing advice on every imaginable negotiation scenario. The results - A staggering 17.3x return on investment. 🚀

✅We train commercial professionals at Fortune 500 companies to scale-ups and our intensive training program have resulted in a recorded 14.9X return on investment within the first 12months!🚀

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐲:

"Enriching, instructive, and immediately applicable insights." - Lily Libeert, Commercial Director

"An excellent program that perfectly balances theory and practice, infused with humor." - Mike Franke, Sales Manager, VodafoneZiggo

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐓𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬? 
Send me a LinkedIn DM and let’s explore if we’re a fit on a 15min call.📲

Marc Saris

The Biggest Threat to IT Service Companies In 2026

Hourly billing.

We see that many of our clients active in the IT service still heavily rely on hourly billing. Why? Because that’s what they have been doing since the 90s. 
However: Hourly-based models are biggest commercial risk for IT service providers going into 2026. 

Why?

❌ AI is compressing delivery times: the same work is delivered in a fraction of the time. If you get paid by the hour you will see your revenue evaporate. 
❌ Procurement is more price focused then ever: AI is helping them benchmark quicker pushing downward on rates.
❌ Hourly fees commoditize your expertise: it is difficult to argue why your senior developer should be 30% more expensive than the competitors.
❌ Competitors are already shifting to value-based or outcome-based models: don’t be left behind.

The companies that don’t evolve their pricing strategy will see revenue evaporate cost rise and margins erode. Those that do will separate themselves from the pack.

At Impact, the past two years we’ve engaged in a number of projects working with IT service and software development companies to help them:
✔ Transition away from hourly-based pricing to value based pricing
 ✔ Adapt their negotiation approach to focus on value based deals 
 ✔ Strengthen their negotiation capability with clients and procurement
 ✔ Confidently price based on value, outcomes, and strategic impact,  not time

The key isn’t “just changing pricing.”

The real unlock is understanding the full commercial process and the negotiations that support it.

Pricing is only as strong as your ability to defend it, position it, and get buy-in from stakeholders.

If you’re an IT service leader still wrestling with how to make this shift, or you know your team is too dependent on hourly billing, 2025 is the last safe window to fix it.

If you want to explore what this transition could look like for your company, send me a message.

The companies preparing now will dominate in 2026. The ones sticking to old models… won’t.

Negotiation Strategy Consultant │ Co‑Founder @ Impact Negotiation Group │ €1.77B+ in Deals Advised │ Sales & Procurement Negotiator │ Trained over 1,200+ Commercial Professionals

Negotiations in 2026: The Shift No One’s Talking About ⚠️ 

I’ll never forget my first big negotiation at Shell.
Excited. Nervous. A little terrified.
Sitting across from a seasoned account manager, I felt every emotion at once.

Then came the training that changed everything.
It showed me the behaviours behind great deals: what to say, when to act, when to stay silent.
That was the start for a decade-long career in negotiation.

For years, those skills were enough.
But in 2026? They’re not anymore.

Negotiations Have Changed ⚠️ 

That old picture of two people in a room, trading proposals until they shake hands…
 🕰️  It’s quickly fading from reality.

Now:
✅ Deals unfold across email threads, Teams chats, shared docs, WhatsApps
✅ A new generation of leaders is more comfortable typing than talking.
✅ Negotiation isn’t a snap shot moment, it has become a process across channels, people, and time.

And that changes everything. ➡️ The Skill Shift

Reading the room still matters.

But it’s not enough. ⚠️ 

The leaders who win in 2026 know how to:
 ✅ Manage stakeholders across multiple touchpoints
 ✅ Design the deal before the first proposal lands
 ✅ Sequence interactions according to a plan
 ✅ Steer the process, not just the conversation
 ✅ Align internally and externally long before proposals hit the table

This isn’t optional.
It’s the new reality!

Why It Matters
If your organization still treats negotiation as something that happens in the meeting… you’re leaving money on the table.

What you need:
👉 Clear negotiation processes
👉 A deal architecture framework
👉 Teams trained in end-to-end negotiation management

That’s what we’ve been building at Impact Negotiation Group since day one  helping commercial teams capture more value by mastering what happens before, during, and after the conversation.

2026 will reward those who adapt.
And penalize those who don’t.

💡 Curious how your team stacks up?
 Let’s talk, I’d love to hear how you’re approaching negotiations in 2026.

What to do when clients demand hourly billing ⏱️ 

My last post, several people reached out stating:  “Marc, fully agree… but our clients demand hourly billing.”

What to do? 

Lets first understand why clients ask for hourly billing as it’s almost never because hourly billing creates better outcomes. 

❌ It’s because hourly billing gives them the illusion of control:

❌ They can compare vendors more easily. Hourly rates make it simple for procurement to benchmark and negotiate down

❌ They haven’t done the work. They don’t know what they want/need. 

❌ They believe hours = effort = value. We all know this is untrue

❌ They want predictability. Hours feel measurable, even if they aren’t tied to results.

❌ They lack confidence in the provider. When trust is low, clients try to control scope and effort.

The reality is: Clients don’t actually want hours. They want outcomes, speed, and a problem solved. Tracking hours is a burden.

How to shift clients away from hourly billing:
✅  Focus the conversation on the impact of the solution: “What’s the business impact if we get this right?”

✅   Focus on nailing down the scope: The problem, The desired outcomes, The value of achieving them

✅   Price the result, not the labor. Your expertise isn’t less valuable because you're faster with AI, it’s more valuable. Speed is an advantage, not a discount.

✅   Stop justifying hours. Start demonstrating impact. The more you talk about hours, the more clients focus on cost. The more you talk about value, the more they focus on ROI.

The biggest mindset shift?

Hourly billing is a supplier mindset.  Value-based pricing is a strategic partner mindset.

And clients want strategic partners,  especially going into 2026.

If your clients are still “demanding” hourly billing, it’s not a dead end.
It’s a signal that the value conversation hasn’t been had yet.

Final thought
The transition isn’t about convincing clients overnight. It’s about strengthening your commercial process, and professionals to be able to have the right conversations. 

If you're struggeling with that transition, or want your team to learn how shift shift their conversation then reach out.

#negotiation #valuebased

Going into the weekend with gratitude!
Wisdom from Jimmy Carr. 
Happy weekend when you get to it. 

https://lnkd.in/euQm63VY

Open video: We Are Living Like A King... on youtube.com

Rise & Run Media

Rise & Run Media is a results-driven digital marketing agency built for B2B businesses ready to turn online attention into real revenue. With over 7 years of experience across diverse industries, we've developed our signature 4 Phase Acquisition System—a proven roadmap: 

Awareness → Traffic → Leads → Sales

Our mission is simple: eliminate the overwhelm of digital marketing with clear, actionable strategies that actually move the needle. From growing your brand visibility to generating qualified leads and increasing conversions, we offer marketing services that are easy to implement and tailored to your goals.

At Rise & Run Media, we don’t just run campaigns—we build growth engines. Let’s turn your clicks into customers and scale your success.

Chief Executive Officer

University of Kentucky College of Social Work

The University of Kentucky College of Social Work promotes community and individual well-being through its translational research and scholarship, exemplary teaching, and vital community engagement. The College is committed to the people and social institutions throughout Kentucky, the nation, and the world. The College, like the University, is an organization that cultivates a diverse academic community characterized by interpersonal work professionals and scholars – leaders who will serve individuals, families, and communities through innovative and effective practices that are guided by cultural competence, systematic ethical analysis, and a keen and pragmatic understanding of the human condition.

Social Media Specialist

Synchronicity 

Social Media Manager

Bolt Marketing

Successfully developed and executed a B2B sales process, managing a team of 2 salespeople, resulting in two record months in a row and an 89% increase in revenue for the company.

Strategically leveraged LinkedIn ads to increase website traffic by up to 300%+ and improve the performance of the company's LinkedIn account, resulting in a 25% increase in lead generation, impressions, followers, and clicks.

Provided exceptional leadership and guidance to the sales team, helping the company get on track to achieve $1.2M in revenue while ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and retention.

Business Development Manager

Digital Visibility Concepts

Quickly progressed through the ranks, earning 4 promotions and ultimately landing a senior role thanks to exceptional knowledge and expertise in Facebook Ads, TikTok Ads, Google Ads, and social media marketing management.

Successfully helped numerous clients build effective social media strategies that increase business awareness, traffic, leads, and sales, leading to a prominent role as the lead generation specialist for all 5 of the company's divisions under the CEO's direct supervision.

Spearheaded the rebuilding of the company's social media marketing department, resulting in a 50% increase in client retention, and leading the company to achieve even greater success in generating leads and increasing revenue.

Senior Ads Specialist

Don Jacobs

Assisted in the planning and execution of Honda, BMW, and Used Car sales events, ensuring smooth and successful events that were beneficial for the company and its clients. 

Managed, created, and analyzed content for all social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, leading to significant growth in Twitter followers by 80% and Facebook likes by 50%.

Collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data for marketing campaigns, leveraging insights to make data-driven decisions that increased the effectiveness and efficiency of the company's marketing strategies. Additionally, collaborated with the Brand Identity & Graphic Design Intern to develop engaging website content, ensuring that the company's online presence was engaging, informative, and up-to-date.

Marketing Team Member

A few years ago, I was deeply unmotivated — working high-pressure jobs with low pay, trying to provide for my family, navigating toxic leadership, and burning out fast. At the same time, I had just gotten married and welcomed my first son into the world. Life was full — but not fulfilling.

And yet, I knew I was called to more.

The only thing that brought me joy outside of family was the small side hustle I had — helping local businesses grow through content, strategy, and social media. It wasn’t replacing my income yet, but it was the first time I felt energized and impactful.

That side hustle became Rise and Run Media — a digital marketing agency helping B2B businesses turn clicks into revenue through content, LinkedIn strategy, and paid ads that actually convert.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with a variety of businesses — from SaaS and HR consultants to barber colleges and DTC brands. Along the way, I’ve learned that digital success isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what works consistently across the right platforms.

🚧 Common Challenges B2B businesses face today:
→ Not knowing which platforms or formats to focus on
→ Struggling to create content that speaks to buyers, not just followers
→ Inconsistent or unclear lead generation systems
→ Disconnected brand messaging and visuals
→ Ads that cost more than they bring in

At Rise and Run Media, we help our clients fix those problems and implement lean, powerful digital systems built for growth:

Awareness → Traffic → Leads → Sales

💼 Results We're Proud Of:
✅ 431%+ Increase on LI Company page Impressions
✅ 4 closed deals in 30 days for a property management company
✅ 300%+ Increase on website traffic for a marketing agency
✅ $100K+ managed ad spend across (LinkedIn, Google, TikTok, Meta) 
✅ Managing ad spend for a six-figure brand 

💬 What some clients say:
"I have had an amazing experience with this company. They have gone above and beyond to help me reach out to more people, and Xavier has been amazing and patient with getting everything set up. I have been very happy with all the services I have gotten." 
— Alex Storms, CEO/Founder

"Professional, creative, and data-driven marketing solutions — exactly what we needed."
— Andrew Hunter, CEO, Willpower Resistance Bands

📩 Want to grow your B2B business with content, strategy, and paid ads?
Let’s talk.

→marketingwithxavierjohnson@gmail.com | 859-489-4486
Or DM me — always open to connect.

Xavier Johnson

After 7+ years in this industry, here's what no one tells you.

Business owners aren't confused because there aren't enough marketers.

They're confused because we all sound exactly the same.

We've built an industry where everyone copies everyone else's positioning, steals each other's frameworks, and competes on awards and follower counts.

Then we wonder why clients can't tell us apart.

Here's the truth I'm carrying into 2026: 

🎯 Differentiation isn't about being louder. It's about being clearer.

Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Get your niche dialed in. Then go deeper into your sub-niche.

When you can clearly articulate who you help and exactly how you transform their business, you stop competing altogether.

You become the only option for that specific person with that specific problem.

That's not theory. That's how you build a one-of-one market position.

The marketers who win in 2026 won't be the ones with the most impressive websites or the longest client lists.

They'll be the ones who made it crystal clear why someone should choose them over everyone else.

Not because they're better at everything. Because they're the only one who does what they do, for who they do it for.

-- ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to help others🚀 Follow me, Xavier Johnson for more LinkedIn growth tips

Turning B2B LinkedIn into a Revenue System | DM Sequences, ABM Retargeting, and Full-Funnel Ad Strategy | Founder @ Rise & Run Media

Your ideal clients are on LinkedIn right now, searching for exactly what you offer.

But they're scrolling right past you.

Not because your solution isn't strong enough, because your presence doesn't signal authority where it matters most.

Here's how to fix it:

1. Optimize for search, not just feed

- Add your core expertise to your headline, use keywords your ideal clients actually search for, and make your about section scannable with clear problem-solution language.

2. Show proof in your featured section

- Pin case studies, client wins, or frameworks you've built to show what you've done, not just what you say you can do.

3. Create content that answers buyer questions

- Start answering the exact questions your prospects are asking before they buy (what objections do they have, what keeps them stuck) and the right people will find you.

4. Engage where your buyers already are

- Join conversations where your ideal clients are already commenting, add value without pitching, and show up where attention already exists.

The gap between being qualified and being visible is strategy.

-- 

♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to help others
🚀 Follow me, Xavier Johnson for more LinkedIn growth tips

Want to stop wasting time on LinkedIn content that doesn't drive B2B results?

Thanks to Drew Sutton for having me on the Drew Sutton Leadership podcast to talk about this exact challenge.

What if you could focus on one platform that actually connects you with decision-makers? 

Check out the full episode here → https://lnkd.in/eaTkZGSk

#Linkedin #B2B #Marketing #Leadership #DrewSutton

I spent 30 minutes this morning filtering through LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

I turned 11 million potential leads into 11 perfect matches who'd already viewed my profile and posted recently.

This is the kind of filtering that can change your outreach for the rest of 2025 and into 2026. Most people are still guessing. You're about to stop.

Most B2B professionals treat LinkedIn like a phonebook. 

They scroll, they guess, they hope someone responds, but Sales Navigator lets you reverse-engineer warm leads. You're not cold calling. You're reaching out to people who've already shown interest in what you do.

Here's exactly how I do it:

- Start with job titles. I filter for CEOs, founders, co-founders, marketing directors. That's my ICP.

- Add location. I'm in Kentucky, so I narrow it to my state. 11 million drops to 18,000.

- Filter by profile views. Now I'm looking at people who've actually checked me out. Down to 27.

- Add LinkedIn activity. I only want people who post. That gets me to 11 results.

These aren't random strangers. They're warm leads who already know my name, live nearby, and are active on the platform. 

That's who I'm reaching out to.

What's your lead generation strategy right now? Are you filtering this tight, or still guessing?

-- 
♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to help others
🚀 Follow me, Xavier Johnson for more LinkedIn growth tips

Last month, one of my clients spent $502.56 on LinkedIn ads.

The result?

24,000+ impressions. 217+ clicks. 66 booked demos with highly qualified prospects.

That's $3.62 per conversation with someone ready to buy.

Most people spend months posting organically and never get a single demo request. This client got 66 in 30 days.

Here's the difference:

1. They stopped guessing what worked

No more throwing content at the wall. We tested hooks, offers, and targeting until we found what converted. Then we scaled it.

2. They focused on the right metric

It's not about impressions or clicks. It's about cost per qualified conversation. At $3.62 per demo, the ROI was immediate.

3. They paired paid with organic

Ads brought visibility. Content built trust. The combination turned cold prospects into warm leads faster than either could alone.

4. They committed to consistency

$502.56 isn't a fortune. But it was consistent, tracked, and optimized. Small budgets work when the strategy is tight.

The gap between being qualified and being booked is execution.

You don't need a bigger budget. You need a system that connects your expertise to the people who need it most.

-- ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to help others
🚀 Follow me, Xavier Johnson for more LinkedIn growth tips

B2B teams overcomplicate LinkedIn DMs.

They build multi-step sequences with perfect timing and value stacking.

But when it's time to actually talk like a human? They 
freeze.

This year I've watched teams struggle with the same 
gap:

Beautiful frameworks. No human like touch.

Here's what I learned:

Avoid:

• Treating DM flows like email sequences.
• Sending assets without context or warmth.
• Following scripts word-for-word.
• Ghosting after the first reply.
• Building perfect systems without considering the human factor.

Do instead:

• Write like you're texting a colleague.
• Frame assets as conversation starters, not downloads.
• Use frameworks as guides, not scripts.
• Show up consistently in the follow-through.
• Train teams on being human, not just following steps.

You can design the perfect system.

But if people don't know how to be human in the execution, it falls apart.

The best DM strategy isn't the most sophisticated one.

It's the one your team can actually execute without sounding like a robot.


-- ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to help others
🚀 Follow me, Xavier Johnson for more LinkedIn growth tips

taplio

The Battle

Marc Saris

Xavier Johnson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreMarc Saris's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreXavier Johnson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Marc Saris

Xavier Johnson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Marc Saris's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreXavier Johnson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMarc Saris's LinkedIn Performance