Apr
20
2017
Top five negotiation tips
Knowing how to negotiate well can provide your organisation with fantastic results. It can help you solve problems and achieve your goals, whilst ensuring that all parties involved feel the outcome is fair.
Our Negotiating skills course will take wannabe pro-negotiators through the process of a successful negotiation, giving you the tools and knowledge that you need going forward.
To get you started, we’ve pulled together our top five tips for improving your negotiation skills.
1. Negotiate on everything
One of the best ways to get better at any skill is to practice, practice, practice. Give it a go in your everyday life; try to get a 10% discount off your taxi fare or maybe even a free cookie with your morning coffee! It may feel cheeky (and even a little scary at first) but if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Try negotiating once a day for a week to build up your confidence.
2. Aim high
When it comes to buying and selling, you want to achieve the best possible outcome. This could mean paying a fantastically low price for a scarf, or selling one with a much larger price tag.
Whatever you're doing, your first bid will set the limit on your best possible outcome. There's no moving it closer to where you want to go; it'll only move the other way. So start with lots of ambition - you never know what the other party will say!
3. Give more
Negotiating doesn’t mean you have to turn into an annoying, stingy, so-and-so that everyone tries to avoid. In fact, it pays to be polite.
The other party will only do you favours because they want to; maybe because there’s something in it for them, or because you have helped them out in some way, or maybe even because you gave them a compliment!
Give more and you will get more in return.
4. Be aware of the bigger picture
It’s easy to get lost in the excitement of negotiating, but always keep the bigger picture in your mind and be aware of how potential results could affect your wider situation.
Often buyers will separate individual issues or introduce new ones, eventually eroding your position bit by bit. Be aware of their tactics, and stand your ground if necessary.
5. Enjoy the negotiation
This last tip is a simple one, enjoy it. Negotiations don’t need to be stressful, you should embrace and enjoy the challenges that they bring. Let your personality shine, and take the opportunity to learn from each one; it will make you a much better negotiator in the future.
Want to learn more? Take a look at our Negotiating skills course , or browse our other communication courses.
