www.acquisition-international.com • February 2026 Featuring: Top 10 Strategic Planning Tools to Keep Your Team Aligned How Can Sales Teams Improve Their Negotiation and Closing Skills?
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Contents 4 News - Control Point Associates, Inc. Strengthens Mid- Atlantic Presence with Rouse-Sirine Acquisition - Yellow Wood Partners Portfolio Companies Suave Brands and Elida Beauty Complete Merger to Create Evermark, A Leading Global Platform of Personal Care Brands 6 How Startups Should Actually Build AI That Customers Trust 8 Top 10 Strategic Planning Tools to Keep Your Team Aligned 10 Retention and Productivity Top Advantages of Health and Wellbeing for Companies With Overseas Staff 11 How Can Sales Teams Improve Their Negotiation and Closing Skills? 12 10 Simple Ways Small Companies Can Gain Control Over Business Costs 14 How to Find the Perfect Domain Name? 10 6 14
NEWS Control Point Associates, Inc. Strengthens MidAtlantic Presence with Rouse-Sirine Acquisition Control Point Associates, Inc. strategically expands its land surveying and geospatial services by acquiring Virginia-based Rouse-Sirine Associates, increasing its office footprint to 12 and solidifying its MidAtlantic presence. Control Point Associates, Inc., a professional firm specializing in land surveying and geospatial services, has recently completed the acquisition of Rouse-Sirine Associates, Ltd. This strategic move incorporates the Virginia-based land surveying and subsurface utility engineering (S.U.E.) firm into Control Point Associates, Inc.’s operations. The acquisition signifies Control Point Associates, Inc.’s entry into the Virginia market and reinforces its footprint within the Mid-Atlantic region. To explore the expanded range of services and enhanced capabilities now available through this integration, interested parties are encouraged to visit Control Point Associates, Inc.’s official website at https:// www.cpasurvey.com/ or contact their regional offices for more detailed information. “Expanding into Virginia through the acquisition of Rouse-Sirine Associates allows us to better serve our clients with localized expertise and expanded regional support,” said Richard A. Butkus Jr., President of Control Point Associates, Inc. “We’re proud to welcome their team and continue building on a shared commitment to quality and service.” This integration is designed to benefit clients by offering broader geographic coverage, access to additional technical expertise, and strengthened regional support for various projects. Rouse-Sirine Associates, established in 1972, has built a solid reputation for delivering quality, precision, and reliable land surveying and S.U.E. services across Virginia. The transition brings the Rouse-Sirine Associates team into the Control Point Associates, Inc. organization, ensuring continuity for existing clients. The acquired firm will continue its operations with its current team, preserving established client relationships. These operations will now benefit from Control Point Associates, Inc.’s extensive resources, advanced technology, and comprehensive regional support infrastructure. No interruptions to ongoing projects or existing service agreements are anticipated as a result of this change. Control Point Associates, Inc. brings over three decades of experience in land surveying and geospatial services, operating from 12 office locations along the East Coast. The company has a history of growth through carefully planned acquisitions that aim to: • Preserve Local Expertise: Maintaining the valuable knowledge and relationships of acquired firms. • Expand Service Capabilities: Introducing new and advanced services to a wider client base. • Broaden Geographic Reach: Extending the company’s operational footprint into new territories. • Enhance Long-Term Value: Providing greater resources and support for client projects. This strategic expansion is expected to bolster Control Point Associates, Inc.’s capacity to manage and execute complex projects throughout the Eastern United States, leveraging the combined strengths of both organizations.
NEWS and love. Dana, Tad and the rest of the Yellow Wood team have been instrumental in executing on this vision, and I look forward to continuing to work with them, along with the Elida team, to establish Evermark as a premier platform for some of the world’s most loved personal care brands.” “Bringing these two companies together creates a platform of leading personal care brands that are valued and used daily by tens of millions of consumers across the globe,” said Dana Schmaltz, Partner at Yellow Wood. “With its new larger scale and diversification, Evermark will be able to build on its extraordinary brand portfolio to better reach and serve consumers, retail partners and stakeholders. Utilizing Dan and his team’s agile managerial expertise, we can continue to bring innovative new products and solutions to the consumer market, and are excited to see the portfolio of Evermark brands evolve to meet our customers’ needs. We look forward to building on the existing platform and potentially adding additional great brands and product lines to the Company as we build and maintain a world-class consumer personal care packaged goods company.” Full scale integration efforts are underway. The transition to the Evermark name will occur gradually across systems and materials in the coming months. The Company will continue to work closely with retail, supplier, and strategic partners throughout this transition. Morgan Stanley served as financial advisor to Suave and Houlihan Lokey provided a fairness opinion to Yellow Wood. Latham & Watkins served as legal advisor for Elida and Fried Frank served as legal advisor for Suave Brands Company. Yellow Wood Partners Portfolio Companies Suave Brands and Elida Beauty Complete Merger to Create Evermark, A Leading Global Platform of Personal Care Brands Suave Brands Company and Elida Beauty announced that they have completed a merger to create Evermark, LLC, a leading global platform of iconic personal care brands. Both businesses are portfolio companies of Yellow Wood Partners, a leading consumerfocused private equity investment firm. The new name, Evermark, reflects a commitment to the Company’s millions of customers who use and trust these personal care brands on a daily basis. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The joint power of this combined platform under the new name, Evermark, will build upon the existing legacy of both Suave Brands and Elida to ensure continued growth of brands that have stood the test of time and established themselves in daily routines for customers around the world. Evermark’s brand portfolio comprises iconic household names spanning hair care, body care, and lip care, including Suave, the top U.S. wash and care brand by volume – representing almost half of American householdsi, Q-tips, the top U.S. cotton swab brand by volumeii, and ChapStick, the leading U.S. lip balm brand by volumeiii, as well as Pond’s, Caress, St. Ives, Noxzema and TIGI. Evermark will also include established personal care brands in international markets, including V05, Brut, Impulse, Alberto Balsam, Timotei and Monsavon. As a unified organization, Evermark is positioned to be a leading independent personal care company in terms of household penetration, with annual retail sales of approximately $1.9billion. With its portfolio of brands, steady cash-flow and loyal customer base, Evermark is well positioned to benefit from operational scale and drive long-term value creation, with diversification across brands, categories and customers. Daniel Alter, Chief Executive Officer of Suave Brands, will serve as CEO of Evermark, and Alfie Vivian, formerly Chief Executive Officer of Elida, will become President of the European business. The current Suave management team, led by Alter, will remain in place to oversee the business with additional leaders joining from Elida. “Personal care brands play an important role in consumers’ daily lives, with loyalty built on trust and consistent performance,” said Alter. “By bringing Suave and Elida together, we can further strengthen our relationship with our customers, combine complementary strengths to invest in product quality, innovation, and accessibility, while preserving the product identities consumers already know Combined Company Comprises Leading Brands Representing Approximately $1.9 Billion in Annual Retail Sales
Feature 6 | Acquisition International, September 2025 How Startups Should Actually Build AI That Customers Trust It’s a Saturday afternoon. You feel a headache coming on. Not serious enough to panic, but annoying enough to need a solution. You check the medicine cabinet. The paracetamol has expired. The GP is closed. So you do what almost everyone does now. You reach for your phone. Within seconds, you’re buried in answers. Google suggests one thing. ChatGPT suggests another. A retailer chatbot recommends a product you’ve never heard of. Warnings conflict. Ingredients overlap. Dosage advice varies. Suddenly, choosing nothing feels safer than choosing wrong. That moment of friction is easy to dismiss as a poor user experience. It isn’t. It’s a preview of what happens when AI scales faster than trust in healthcare commerce. This isn’t a technology problem. It’s a credibility problem. And AI is about to expose it. The Weak Link No One Wants to Talk About AI is accelerating across every industry, and self-care is no exception. However, healthcare e-commerce has a hidden fragility that most people overlook. It relies entirely on accurate product data. AI can only work with what is attached to a product record. Ingredients. Claims. Usage instructions. Contraindications. Age suitability. Interactions. Even basic category labelling. Yet across brands and retailers, that information is still too often incomplete, inconsistent, or simply incorrect. One platform lists an ingredient, another misses it. One implies a use case, another contradicts it. A third repeats a claim that is not even approved. Those disconnects are not cosmetic. They are the foundations that the entire experience sits on. When AI sits on top of fragmented data, it does not fix the mess. It amplifies it. If the data says the wrong thing, the model will repeat the wrong thing, confidently and at speed. In healthcare, that is not a minor UX bug. It is a safety risk. This is why I keep coming back to a simple reality. The quality of the AI experience depends on the quality of the underlying product data. Right now, that foundation is not strong enough to support the agentic future we are racing toward. And once trust breaks, there is no easy reset. People do not give you infinite chances with their health. If a recommendation feels unreliable, the consumer retreats. They either self-diagnose in isolation or abandon the category completely. Either way, the system loses. AI Is Becoming the Decision Layer, Not Just the Search Tool Right now, people still search for products. Very soon, they will ask an assistant what to do. Instead of scrolling results, they will say, “What should I take for this headache?” or “What do I need for dry eyes?” and expect one clear answer. We are watching a shift from “show me options” to “choose for me.” AI shopping agents are becoming the first line people consult, whether the industry is ready or not. The pace of this will surprise a lot of people, because it is not waiting for perfect regulation or universal comfort. It is happening because it is convenient, and convenience always wins adoption. This future has two possible paths. Path 1: Confusion and mistrust: Consumers bounce between assistants, pulling from different datasets. Recommendations contradict each other. People lose confidence and retreat into self-diagnosis. Path 2: Clarity and safety: Consumers use an assistant inside a trusted retail or pharmacy environment. It draws from a verified OTC catalogue, follows humanwritten safety rules, asks clarifying questions, and escalates anything uncertain to a professional. Same AI interface. Completely different outcome. The difference is not the cleverness of the model. It is the discipline of the data and the human guardrails that sit underneath it. This is the part many people miss. In healthcare, you do not need a freerange genius. You need a supervised system that behaves safely. What “Human-Led AI” Actually Means Human-led AI is not about humans babysitting chatbots.It is about humans owning the truth that AI depends on. In healthcare, AI can scale decisions, but it cannot be left to define what is clinically correct, compliant, or safe. That responsibility stays human. In practice, this starts with the foundations that consumers never see. Traceability, verified supply, authenticity in-market, and product data that is clean enough to be trusted everywhere it appears. If any of those layers are weak, AI does not quietly fail. It fails loudly, at speed, and in a way that damages trust on behalf of the brand. This is where AI is genuinely powerful. It can automate the heavy lifting, spot inconsistencies, monitor marketplaces, and surface risks long before a human team could. However, the job of defining “correct,” setting safety thresholds, and continuously verifying what the system is allowed to recommend must be human-led. AI accelerates the work. Humans make it trustworthy. Many teams working in OTC e-commerce face this exact problem. AI can scale operations and surface issues quickly, but human experts still carry responsibility for verification and compliance because that is what keeps the consumer experience safe and reproducible. The specifics vary by brand, but the model is always the same: scale with AI, govern with humans. Why This Is a Startup Advantage, Not a Constraint This is also why the startup advantage in regulated markets is often framed the wrong way. People assume startups win by removing humans and letting AI run faster. In trust-heavy categories, the opposite By Ash Shah, Managing Director of World Products
September 2025, Acquisition International | 7 is true. Startups win when they use AI to multiply the best people, not replace them. If you operate in a space where a wrong recommendation creates harm, then trust is not a feature. It is the product. That means you need experts who set standards, verify outputs, and take accountability when something goes wrong. AI can extend its reach dramatically. It cannot inherit their judgement. Startups get to build this operating model from day one. You can hard-wire governance into the product instead of bolting it on later. You can move quickly without becoming reckless because the safety system scales alongside the business. Incumbents often try to automate judgement first, then spend years repairing trust when the system oversteps. Challengers can avoid that trap. The future belongs to startups in regulated and high-stakes commerce that treat AI as scale, and treat human expertise as the centre of gravity. The strongest teams will not be the ones with the fewest people. They will be the ones where top people can do far more, faster, because AI is built to serve their judgment, not substitute it. What Founders Should Internalise Now A few practical lessons fall out of all of this, and they apply far beyond healthcare. Get your data right before you chase smarter AI. Your assistant will only ever be as safe as your product record. If your catalogue is inconsistent, the model will be inconsistent. If your ingredients or claims are wrong, the model will be wrong. Clean data is not a back-office function anymore. It is a product strategy. Be explicit about where AI is used. Some founders treat AI like a secret weapon they cannot admit to. In healthcare, that is the wrong instinct. Transparency builds trust. If AI is involved in the journey, say so, explain how it is governed, and show what your human oversight looks like. Keep compliance human-owned. AI can support decisions, but humans must define the rules, monitor the outputs, and audit safety. Compliance should not be something you outsource to a model. It should be something you design around. Treat governance as a brand asset. Done properly, governance becomes credibility. It is not a cost centre. It is a reason people choose you. If you can make safety visible, people reward you for it. Healthcare is the hardest category here. If you can build trust-first AI in healthcare, you can apply the same playbook to finance, legal, safetyled retail, or any high-stakes space. Trust Will Decide the Winners, Not Intelligence The next breakout companies will not win because their AI is clever. They will win because their AI is trusted. AI is becoming the front door to self-care. The only question is whether that door opens onto clarity or confusion. Healthcare should never aim for full autonomy. It should aim for scalable capability under human responsibility. Trust is not automated. It is designed, governed, and earned. One correct recommendation at a time.
8 | Acquisition International, Month 2025 Top 10 Strategic Planning Tools to Keep Your Team Aligned hat to Look for in Strategic Planning Tools Tools for ensuring alignment can help organizations maintain clarity from the top down. They should include clear goal cascading to ensure that leadership priorities are translated into team-level actions. Progress tracking with defined ownership and deadlines drives accountability, so these tools often come with dashboards that highlight progress in real time, making it easier to spot delays or misaligned efforts early. Executive-level reporting can then turn data into insight, helping leaders steer strategy with confidence and agility as conditions change. What Are the Best Tools for Ensuring Alignment in Strategic Planning? Strategic plans succeed when everyone understands their role in achieving them. The best strategic planning tools for alignment foster structure and accountability. 1. AchieveIt AchieveIt offers a strategic planning platform that provides organizations with tools for ensuring alignment across teams. Its tools allow users to break down strategic plans into actionable items and monitor progress through automated updates and dynamic dashboards. The platform excels at unifying multiple plans in one place, providing real-time visibility for leadership and removing the confusion caused by siloed documents. It also offers dedicated support from strategy consultants, making it ideal for organizations looking to close the gap between planning and execution. 2. Cascade Cascade helps organizations align daily work with long-term goals through real-time visibility and data-driven insights. Its features include strategy mapping and initiative dashboards that tie performance metrics directly to strategic objectives. Cascade integrates with over 1,000 tools, which allows users to connect key performance indicators (KPIs) from various systems. In fact, 90% of its users report staying on track with their strategy. With its emphasis on clarity and accountability, Cascade empowers leadership to manage priorities and risks across teams. 3. WorkBoard WorkBoard is a strategy execution platform designed for enterprisescale alignment. It helps leaders and teams connect long-range strategic priorities with real-time progress tracking. Its tools enable users to set clear outcomes and automate status reporting to improve visibility across departments. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered features assist in drafting objectives and identifying cross-functional dependencies, while interactive scorecards and visual alignment maps keep stakeholders focused and accountable. WorkBoard supports over 30,000 users and is trusted by global organizations, which use it to manage alignment and results across fast-moving teams. 4. ClearPoint Strategy ClearPoint Strategy delivers a centralized platform for managing strategic plans and automating reporting across public, private and nonprofit sectors. Its tools allow users to align objectives and initiatives in one system, replacing spreadsheets with dynamic dashboards that highlight progress and accountability. ClearPoint Strategy supports over 15,000 users globally and features include AI-powered assistants and auto-generated reports that streamline communication and reduce administrative burden. Known for its flexibility, ClearPoint supports a wide range of strategic frameworks and enables leadership to focus more on execution. 5. Quantive Quantive helps organizations shift from static planning cycles to continuous, adaptive strategy management. Its core solution, Quantive StrategyAI, integrates planning, goal alignment and performance analysis in a single system. The platform connects strategic objectives to real-time data from over 170 sources, providing leaders with ongoing visibility into progress and emerging opportunities. The platform also features digital whiteboards for collaborative planning and AI-generated insights that identify bottlenecks or misalignments early. Over 15,000 business leaders use Quantive to drive outcomes with precision and agility, reinforcing its reputation as a tool that blends strategy and data intelligence to keep organizations resilient. 6. Monday.com Monday.com provides a customizable work operating system that supports strategic planning through flexible templates and automated workflows. Its platform allows organizations to track KPIs and visualize milestones using timelines and board views, tailored to fit strategic goals across departments. With AI-driven analytics and no-code automations, users can reduce manual reporting and focus on execution. Over 245,000 organizations worldwide use Monday.com to align strategy with operations, which The best tools for ensuring alignment in strategic planning turn strategy from a static document into a living, visible process. Strategic plans often fail when teams feel disconnected from their roles in execution. However, when goals and actions are unified in one system, leadership can track momentum and adjust plans before misalignment spreads. The best strategic planning platforms build a culture of ownership where teams understand how their efforts contribute to company-wide objectives, making strategic success more likely and measurable. W
Top 10 Strategic Planning Tools to Keep Your Team Aligned makes it one of the most widely adopted platforms. The system’s adaptability and real-time visibility empower leaders to monitor progress and maintain alignment as plans evolve. 7. Asana Asana links high-level company goals to day-to-day tasks and team activities. Its built-in Goals feature allows leaders to define strategic objectives and automatically update progress as work is completed. The platform includes customizable roadmaps and task dependencies that help teams map out strategic initiatives with clarity. With more than 150,000 customers across 200 countries, Asana supports global organizations in aligning strategy with execution at scale. Its strengths lie in visualizing goal hierarchies and providing realtime insight into what is progressing or falling behind. 8. Smartsheet Smartsheet supports strategic planning through real-time dashboards and collaborative project tracking. It enables organizations to align goals with initiatives by providing tools for timeline management and progress monitoring across teams and departments. With flexible views, users can adapt planning workflows to suit their operational style while maintaining strategic oversight. The platform also features automation and over 100 integrations, which allow teams to stay connected and responsive. Trusted by approximately 85% of Fortune 500 companies, Smartsheet is widely adopted for its ability to scale from tactical project work to enterprisewide strategy management. 9. ClickUp ClickUp blends strategic planning with daily task execution, enabling teams to align long-term goals with real-time progress tracking. Its built-in goal-tracking tools let users set measurable objectives, break them down into milestones and connect each to live tasks and timelines. With over 1,000 integrations, ClickUp makes it easy to maintain alignment without forcing teams to switch tools. Trusted by millions of users globally, it has been shown to deliver a 384% ROI over three years, which helps organizations save thousands of work hours annually. 10. ServiceNow ServiceNow offers robust strategic planning tools. Its Strategic Portfolio Management tools enable organizations to create visual roadmaps and monitor strategic progress using hybrid methodologies. Core features include goal-setting frameworks and interactive dashboards that enable leadership teams to track real-time progress and assess the business impact. Built on the broader ServiceNow platform, the solution integrates AIpowered workflows and analytics to streamline planning and execution across departments. Its end-to-end integration allows strategy leaders to connect planning with operations, which is ideal for large enterprises navigating complex portfolios and shifting priorities. How Strategic Planning Tools Support Leadership Tools for ensuring alignment are advantageous. They can give executives real-time visibility into strategic progress and emerging risks, helping them guide priorities with clarity and control. These platforms reduce the need for frequent check-ins by connecting goals and updates in one system that everyone can access. With centralized data and automated reporting, decisions are based on real performance trends. This can create a shared understanding of what is on track, what needs support and where to pivot. Making Strategic Alignment a Daily Practice The best strategic planning tools for ensuring alignment in strategic planning make execution visible and easy to manage across departments. These platforms foster shared accountability by linking goals to real-time progress, so teams stay focused without extra follow-ups. When alignment is built into daily workflows, strategy becomes an active process.
10 | Acquisition International, Month 2025 Retention and Productivity Top Advantages of Health and Wellbeing for Companies With Overseas Staff Companies with overseas employees put staff retention and the boost to productivity at the top of the list of advantages in offering health and wellbeing support, according to research from the employee benefits team at Everywhen. Staff retention rates were the top reason for companies with staff abroad to offer health and wellbeing support, stated by 32% of employers, followed by 31% who saw the main advantage being the boost to productivity. Sarah Dennis, head of international at Everywhen, says: “It is positive to see that global employers recognise the commercial advantages in supporting their staff. Of course, duty of care is the fundamental reason to support the health and wellbeing of employees overseas, but there are clear commercial benefits too and these should not be overlooked.” This links to the fact that quiet quitting causes the biggest concerns for businesses with overseas employees, stated as the greatest issue by 35% of employers, well above other problems such as absence rates, cited by 23% of companies that employ staff abroad. Health and wellbeing support has to be in place for employees based overseas. With no NHS in other countries, and stipulations about health and wellbeing support being a part of many working visas, it is arguably even more vital than for UK-based employees. As Sarah Dennis says: ‘Offering health and wellbeing benefits is not a nicety, it’s a necessity.’ However, the commercial benefits are also clear. Companies offering robust health and wellbeing programmes to their global employees are likely to benefit from the rewards to the business as well as to the employee. With recruitment often an issue for companies looking to fill overseas roles, a full global health and wellbeing programme can be a very attractive proposition. Employers should not, therefore, shy away from the commercial benefits of health and wellbeing support, particularly employers with overseas staff. When the advantages to the business are evident, it is easier to make the business case for offering health and wellbeing benefits, keeping them, and adding to them if needed. In this way, it is a win-win situation of the business and its employees alike. Commercial benefits of global health and wellbeing programmes The commercial benefits of providing health and wellbeing support to employees overseas include making staff feel valued. When they are given good and relevant benefits, employees feel appreciated; and when support is poor, they are less likely to feel appreciated. In turn, employees who feel valued by the company can feel more engaged and are more likely to strive for the success of the business. Overseas staff in particular often expect and need rich health and wellbeing benefits. Those already based abroad or looking to relocate will actively seek out businesses that look after their staff, so a full and first-rate support package is good for both recruitment and retention. Offering a high level of support is a way to demonstrate that the business cares for its employees, no matter how remote they are from the head office. This is as much true for the now-common six-month assignments as it is for longer term relocation. It’s important to measure success When employees are spread across different and sometimes numerous locations, it is vital that the value of staff support is measured. The commercial benefits are many, and it’s important that companies recognise this when looking at what benefits to put in place for their staff. Sarah Dennis says: “We welcome the scrutiny of the value of health and wellbeing support. It gives focus and direction to the support, and helps us to advise employers on what to put in place to best support their employees, and the business. It comes down to striking the right balance. Employees must feel appreciated and supported and in that way they will give the best of themselves to the company. Loyalty and respect work in both directions and good employees recognise this as much as good employers do.”
Month 2025, Acquisition International | 11 How Can Sales Teams Improve Their Negotiation and Closing Skills? n today’s competitive marketplace, sales effectiveness is anchored in two core capabilities — negotiation and closing. These competencies distinguish average performers from elite sales teams that consistently achieve targets, foster long-term client relationships and deliver sustainable performance improvements. How can sales teams improve their negotiation and closing skills? The answer lies in a structured approach that integrates strategy, practice, reinforcement and performance measurement. This is an approach that top sales performance firms like Janek have refined over decades of research and realworld engagement. The Strategic Importance of Negotiation and Closing At its best, negotiation is not about “winning” at the expense of your customer — it’s about creating value that both parties can recognize and embrace. It combines preparation, communication, empathy, and tactical flexibility to achieve agreements that strengthen relationships and support business growth. Closing, which is the act of securing a commitment, is the culmination of that process. Leaders who understand that negotiation and closing are skills to be developed, rather than innate talents, position their teams for success. Prioritize Preparation and Insight Gathering Top negotiators enter discussions with a thorough understanding of the prospect’s business challenges, objectives and constraints. This means conducting research, segmenting buyers and tailoring messages to their context. Preparation sets the stage for informed dialogue and positions your team to influence outcomes effectively. Know Your Value Sales professionals should communicate value in business terms that resonate with buyers. Rather than leading with features or pricing, focus on measurable outcomes and benefits that align with the customer’s key performance indicators. This strengthens credibility and frames negotiations in the context of mutual success. Cultivate a Collaborative Mindset Negotiation isn’t a zero-sum game. Encourage your team to approach discussions with a win-win mindset that seeks to find solutions that meet the needs of both parties. This collaborative approach fosters trust and enhances the likelihood of securing agreements that buyers support wholeheartedly. Formalize Training Around Proven Frameworks Rather than leaving skill development to chance, implement a structured sales training program grounded in research and real results. For example, Janek unifies consulting, training and enablement technology within a single ecosystem that helps organizations turn negotiation knowledge into consistent execution at scale. Its methodology, developed from years of research and battle tested across industries, ensures that training sticks and impact can be measured. Master Active Listening and Powerful Questioning Active listening, which involves fully engaging with what the buyer communicates, verbally and non verbally, builds rapport and uncovers unmet needs. Open ended questions prompt buyers to share deeper insights into their priorities, constraints and decision criteria, giving your team leverage to shape value propositions and navigate objections effectively. Role Play Varied Scenarios Practicing with realistic sales scenarios and role-plays enables sellers to experience negotiation challenges in a safe environment. Incorporate common buyer objections, competitive pressures, and price sensitivity into simulations that strengthen adaptability and tactical flexibility. Role playing situational variations also enhances confidence and prepares teams to think on their feet. Blend Skills Training With Behavioral Reinforcement Sales training programs should go beyond one off workshops. Sustained reinforcement through coaching, on the job support and performance feedback helps embed new behaviors into daily practice. By pairing innovative technology with ongoing coaching, Janek ensures that the skills and behaviors developed during training are consistently applied and sustained over time. Use Data and Analytics to Guide Improvement Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as negotiation success ratios, average selling price variance, objection handling effectiveness and closing rates. Data provides objective feedback on performance trends and helps leaders tailor coaching where it’s needed most. Integrate AI Powered Coaching Artificial intelligence (AI) platforms can analyze real sales conversations, identify patterns and deliver personalized coaching recommendations in real time. This blend of human expertise and machine insight accelerates learning and fosters continuous improvement. As sales expand globally, negotiation training should address cross cultural communication and virtual selling dynamics. Simulations that reflect diverse buyer contexts prepare teams for complex engagements and enhance performance in distributed sales environments. Develop Emotional Intelligence High-performing negotiators read emotional cues, manage stress effectively and respond with empathy. Emotional intelligence (EQ) enhances trust in negotiations and enables sellers to navigate tense moments with composure and clarity. Encourage Adaptive Tactics Teams should be trained to pivot between strategies. For example, they can offer flexible terms, explore creative packaging options or use strategic silence to prompt more revealing responses. Flexibility allows salespeople to maintain leverage and keep negotiations on track. Close With Confidence and Clarity Closing techniques are not an afterthought. They are an extension of the negotiation. Effective closers summarize value, address lingering concerns and confidently ask for the buyer’s decision in a way that naturally aligns with the customer’s interests. Benchmark Performance and Celebrate Success Define clear metrics for negotiation and closing proficiency. Regularly assess where teams excel and identify opportunities for improvement. It’s also vital to recognize high performers and use their approaches as internal best practices. Institutionalize Learning Loops Make knowledge sharing a routine part of sales culture. After significant deals — both won and lost — conduct reviews that surface insights and reinforce learning across the organization. Encourage teams to document best practices and negotiation strategies so that lessons can be easily accessed and applied by others. Turning Negotiation and Closing Into Predictable Sales Success Enhancing a sales team’s negotiation and deal closing capabilities requires a comprehensive development strategy that combines thorough preparation, structured training, advanced technology, ongoing coaching and measurable performance tracking. I
12 | Acquisition International, Month 2025 hat it means to control business costs When you “control costs,” you are not just cutting everything. You are making smart choices about where money goes. You see what is important and what is not. Good cost control helps you keep cash in the bank and pay bills on time with peace of mind. It also gives you room to grow and invest in things that really help your business. Track Every Expense You Make You cannot fix what you cannot see. That is why tracking every expense is so important. Even small payments matter, because they add up over time. Instead of saving receipts in a box or trying to remember things later, use an expense tracking for small business tool to record every payment and keep everything in one place. It also helps to check your spending at least once a week. Look for charges you forgot about, tools no one uses, and costs that keep rising. When you spot these early, you can act fast and protect your cash. Build a Simple Monthly Budget You Can Follow A budget is like a map. It tells your money where to go so you do not lose track. Keep it simple. List what comes in, what goes out, and what you plan to save, then check those numbers every week. A good budget helps you stay steady even when the month gets busy. You can flag high costs, catch mistakes, or shift money when needed. A simple budget protects you from surprises and gives you peace of mind. Cut Tools and Subscriptions You Do Not Need Small companies love tools, apps, and monthly services. They also forget to cancel them. Before you know it, you are paying for things no one uses. Take time once a quarter to look at every subscription. Ask yourself a few quick questions: • Do we need this? • Do we use it often? • Does it help us earn money or save time? • Is there a cheaper or simpler version? Buy Only What Helps You Grow It is easy to fall into the trap of buying things because they are “nice to have.” New software, new office gear, or fancy upgrades can be fun, but fun does not always grow your business. Make spending rules that help you stay focused. Before buying anything, ask if it helps you: • Make money • Save time • Improve quality • Serve customers better If it does not do any of these, skip it. A simple rule like this keeps you from wasting money on distractions. Negotiate With Vendors and Service Providers You would be surprised how often vendors are willing to lower prices. Many small companies forget to ask. A polite conversation can open doors. You can ask for a lower rate, a discount for early payment, or a smaller plan that fits your needs better. Keep Your Inventory Lean If your company holds products or supplies, inventory can eat your budget alive. Too much inventory ties up cash and too little inventory causes delays. However, you want a good balance. Start by checking what sells fast, what moves slow, and what sits too long. When you understand your flow, you stop buying things that gather dust. You keep more cash free for important needs. Lean inventory is one of the smartest ways to protect your bottom line. Train Your Team to Spend Wisely Cost control is not only your job. Your team plays a part too. When everyone understands how the company spends money, they make smarter choices. A short meeting or a simple guide can work wonders. Teach your team to avoid waste, turn off lights, reduce printing, or care for equipment. Small habits create big savings. When everyone works together, your company runs smoothly and spends less. Review Your Costs Every Month Money changes fast, prices go up, you needs shift but Plans change. This is why you should review your spending at least once a month. A simple checkup helps you stay on track and adjust before problems grow. • Your biggest expenses • New rising costs • Spending that looks out of place • Areas where you can cut back • Places where you can invest more Running a small company is not easy. Costs keep going up, and you feel them in every part of the business. When you do not watch your money, it starts to walk away on its own. The good news is that you can change this. You do not need a big finance team or complex tools. With a few simple habits, you can see where your money goes and keep more of it. In this post, you will learn ten easy ways to gain control over your business costs, step by step. W 10 Simple Ways Small Companies Can Gain Control Over Business Costs
This simple habit keeps you sharp. It also gives you better control over your long-term financial health. Keep Emergency Money for Surprises Every small company faces surprises, equipment breaks, bills come early, and sales slow down. When you have a little extra money set aside, you stay calm and handle problems without panic. Try to start small, save a little each month. Over time, your emergency fund grows. This fund becomes your safety net. Strong cost habits build strong companies Controlling costs does not need to be complicated. You do not need a big budget or a long list of tools. You only need simple habits, steady attention, and a plan that fits the way you work. When you track your spending, build a simple budget, cut waste, and teach your team to save, you set your company up for strong growth. You also gain peace of mind knowing you are in control, not the other way around. Take one idea from this list and start today. Then add another next week. Step by step, you will build a leaner business that stays steady and ready for anything. 10 Simple Ways Small Companies Can Gain Control Over Business Costs
14 | Acquisition International, Month 2025 Aug22499 How to Find the Perfect Domain Name? nderstanding Domain Name Fundamentals and Their Strategic Value Domain names are more than web addresses—they shape first impressions. A well-chosen domain boosts credibility, encourages word-of-mouth, and strengthens brand recognition. Amazon.com became iconic despite defying descriptive naming rules. The extension you choose, whether .com, .co.uk, .net, or newer options like .io or .shop, signals your business focus and target audience. Local firms, for example, benefit from .co.uk. Understanding these nuances helps align your domain strategy with broader business goals. Creative Techniques for Generating Memorable Domain Ideas Brainstorming the perfect domain requires balancing creativity with practical constraints such as availability, memorability, and brand alignment. Start with keywords that capture your business essence. Modern naming often combines words—Spotify (spot + identify), Pinterest (pin + interest). Phonetic appeal matters; domains that roll off the tongue encourage sharing and reduce errors. Avoid hyphens and numbers unless essential, as they complicate communication and risk traffic loss. Tools like domain checker help test availability quickly. Shorter domains usually perform better, though longer phrases can succeed if highly relevant. Technical Considerations When Evaluating Domain Options Evaluation goes beyond availability. Consider SEO implications, typing ease across devices, and international accessibility. Search engines may favour keyword-rich domains, but memorability and professionalism remain vital. Secure similar domains to prevent competitor misuse and customer confusion. Mobile typing is critical—complex combinations frustrate users. Ensure social media handles are available for consistent branding. Check domain history; spam-tainted domains harm SEO. For global audiences, avoid letter combinations with negative meanings or pronunciation difficulties. Legal and Trademark Issues in Domain Selection Navigating legal complexities prevents costly disputes and rebranding. Conduct trademark searches before committing, even if a domain appears available. Names resembling established trademarks can trigger infringement claims. Professional services especially value distinctive yet legally secure domains. Generic terms offer limited protection, while invented words demand strong marketing. Document your selection process—it can be invaluable in disputes. For high-value domains or competitive markets, consult intellectual property specialists to mitigate risks. Testing and Validating Your Domain Choice Before Purchase Before finalising, test your domain in real-world scenarios. Gather customer feedback on pronunciation, spelling, and brand perception. Check usability across email signatures, business cards, and verbal communication—confusion signals issues. Ensure the domain works smoothly in professional correspondence; awkward or lengthy names undermine credibility. Monitor smartphone autocorrect, as aggressive corrections can redirect traffic to competitors. Thorough validation ensures your investment is sound. Making Your Domain Decision Count Choosing your domain marks the start of your digital journey. It will appear on business cards, adverts, and countless touchpoints for years. Successful selection balances immediate availability with longterm strategic value, considering technical optimisation, memorability, creativity, and legal security. Register promptly through reputable registrars, secure variations, and configure DNS properly. Your investment extends beyond fees—it builds brand equity, marketing efficiency, and professional credibility. Take time to choose wisely; changing domains later is far more difficult and costly. Choosing the right domain name is crucial for your digital presence. It forms the foundation of your online identity, affecting brand perception and search rankings. Domain selection requires strategic thinking, whether launching startups, rebranding businesses, or creating personal portfolios. The perfect domain must balance memorability with professionalism, incorporate SEO considerations, and maintain your brand’s authentic voice—positioning your venture for long-term success. This guide provides a systematic approach to selecting domains, making the process manageable and strategic. U
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