9 advices to be the best at negotiating
August 11, 2011 by deblewis
Filed under Ask Deb, Event Venues, Non-Profit Events, Ontario, Toronto, Uncategorized
1. Educate, educate
Before you walk into any negotiation do your homework, arm yourself with information, research the going prices and features then decide what you’re willing to spend. The more information you have the better bargainer you’ll be.
2. Act in a way your opponent feels comfortable with you
People like doing business with people they like. They’ll concede a point or two if they feel the other is honest and friendly. So set a pleasant and cooperative tone and your opponent will usually respond in kind. Start off slowly, banish the harsh sounding word NO, and find common interests.
3. Keep your cool
And put on your poker face when you walk in the door.
4. Find your opponent’s emotional needs and make use of them
Use a bit of psychology!
5. Trust yourself
Don’t diminish your credibility. Be polite but don’t back down. You’re your opponent in the eyes. Don’t pause and look away before answering.
6. Use silence
Silence almost always works in your favour. Hmmmm, I don’t know… and silence. Silence creates the impression of confidence and breaks the rhythm of negotiations.
7. Be direct about what you both want
Reveal your budget. Many people you deal with don’t like playing the negotiating game and would rather just make a quick and simple deal. All prices are negotiable; you just have to find the right person who can do the deal – and the courage to ask! A good line to use: “You’re entitled to make a profit, but if your competitors can do it for less, you guys probably can too.”
8. Ask and get the more information you can
And listen carefully to the answers. Watch the body language that accompanies the answers. Listening will also prevent you from revealing important and possibly damaging information of your own.
9. Control your feelings and be sure you leave in good terms
If you do make a deal, never let your opponent know what a good deal you received. And make sure your opponent feels good at the close of negotiations if you ever hope to deal with him again.
