Clever Negotiation Strategies
Here are some clever negotiation strategies to consider:
Evaluate the amount of leverage you have to determine what concessions you’re willing to make.
Express your desire to achieve the best agreement for both.
Establish ground rules and criteria you’ll need and then state your case modestly, yet assertively.
Is the other person being open and direct? If not, ask “I have told you about my interests. I sense you may not have been as open with me. Is this accurate or are my feelings unfounded?” If the person starts to use a power tactic, see it for what it is and smile at it. The number one reason why negotiations fail is because both parties get too emotional.
Resist the urge to accept the first offer. Remember if you take their first offer, the person may feel there is something wrong with it or they didn’t get the best deal. It’s better to make them work for resolution because then it has value.
Silence is a very powerful negotiation tactic. Whoever breaks the silence is in the weaker position.
Don’t be lead away from the real issue. When you sense this happening, say “Let’s deal with that separately, first we….”
When someone uses the “vice” tactic by saying, “Oh, you’ll have to do better than that!” Respond by asking, “How much better do I have to do?”
Your conclusion or solution must show immediate relevance or value to meeting the other party’s needs and issues. Remember that if your conclusion or solution “depresses” the other party, it is unlikely to be of any interest. Negotiate for Results.