It starts in childhood, when we agree to take bitter medicine only in exchange for candy. We master negotiation skills during all our life, negotiating with relatives, friends, real estate agents, and, of course, our clients, partners, and employees.
Success of your business highly depends on how good you negotiate. If you are an owner of a small business, you need to know how to communicate with clients. If you have an excellent relationship with them, if the atmosphere at meetings is always warm, and if you manage to fulfil their desires, at the same time reaching your goals, it all shows that you are a master of negotiations.
If, on the other hand, you are not satisfied with the results of meetings, you have to learn how to negotiate. The following tips, although only a drop in the ocean, will help you in this task.
1. First of all, you should always remember that a negotiation is not a conflict, or an argument. Negotiation is a very wise and helpful way of getting rid of the gap between you and your client, it helps both sides to come to a mutual agreement. Therefore, you must always be open to negotiations.
2. Before any negotiations, you must have a very clear vision of your goals. If you do not know where you are going, chances are you will arrive at the wrong place. But, what is even more important, you have to define how flexible you can be. If you have only one ultimate goal, you may end up with nothing. So, you must define which compromises you can allow yourself to make with the other party in the negotiation, and what will be absolutely unacceptable.
3. It is absolutely necessary to do "homework" before any negotiation. You will be much more confident and professional if you collect all possible information about the company or businessperson with whom you have a meeting. Your speeches should be laconic and persuasive. You must support all objectives with any information you think will be relevant - statistics or cases, or something else, depending on the nature of your business. Make sure that all information is correct, or do not use it.
4. Try to organize the whole situation to be as comfortable for you as possible. Meet in a place where you have already been before, especially if it's new for the other party. Arrange all of your materials in the most convenient way. Dress for success.
5. During the meeting, listen carefully to your opposition - their wishes might be closer to yours than you think. If it's your first meeting, allow the other party to start the meeting. This will allow you to adjust your home-prepared strategy using the new information, estimating the general attitude of the other party, their objectives, and even their body language.
6. Always take notes. Do not be afraid to ask questions, if needed. Use this information when speaking. Make the other party feel that you care not only for your own benefit but want both sides to reach any mutual goal. If you agree with anything they have said, tell it to them - it will make your positions closer. If, on the other hand you believe they are wrong about something, don't make a barrier by saying it straightforward. Instead, tell them that you understand their position, and if you were in their shoes, you also could've made such conclusions. But, you have an additional information that will change their view.
7. If you see that your negotiation is resulting in discussing the same issues over and over, try to break the circle. Try to concentrate on one small issue of your discussion and solve it. Offering a small compromise from your side could make the process more result-oriented and provoke the other side to compromise on something else. However, offer compromise only if the other side already asked you about it; do not use your feelings or anxiety take control of you.
8. Never take things personally, otherwise you might lose control of the situation. Also, try not to be anxious, or overexcited with anything. You can express your emotions but only those which might be appropriate for the moment.
9. In the end of the meeting, even if your goal was only partially reached, write down all positive results and state them to the other party. By doing this, you will consolidate successes. Also, closing the negotiation on a positive statement will leave a good impression about you in the minds of the opposite side.
10. And finally the most important thing - never eat right before an important negotiation! Eating a big meal will make you relaxed and lazy and you have to be energetic and hungry, not just literally but figuratively. Your opponents should feel your enthusiasm about the matter of negotiation. Just drink a cup of coffee, eat chocolate, and your brain will help you find the right solution in the most complicated situation. You will be enthusiastic and you will get what you want!
Each successful negotiation will make you more self-confident, and the ball will start rolling. Let your business prosper and master the skills of successful negotiations wherever and whenever you can!
Success of your business highly depends on how good you negotiate. If you are an owner of a small business, you need to know how to communicate with clients. If you have an excellent relationship with them, if the atmosphere at meetings is always warm, and if you manage to fulfil their desires, at the same time reaching your goals, it all shows that you are a master of negotiations.
If, on the other hand, you are not satisfied with the results of meetings, you have to learn how to negotiate. The following tips, although only a drop in the ocean, will help you in this task.
1. First of all, you should always remember that a negotiation is not a conflict, or an argument. Negotiation is a very wise and helpful way of getting rid of the gap between you and your client, it helps both sides to come to a mutual agreement. Therefore, you must always be open to negotiations.
2. Before any negotiations, you must have a very clear vision of your goals. If you do not know where you are going, chances are you will arrive at the wrong place. But, what is even more important, you have to define how flexible you can be. If you have only one ultimate goal, you may end up with nothing. So, you must define which compromises you can allow yourself to make with the other party in the negotiation, and what will be absolutely unacceptable.
3. It is absolutely necessary to do "homework" before any negotiation. You will be much more confident and professional if you collect all possible information about the company or businessperson with whom you have a meeting. Your speeches should be laconic and persuasive. You must support all objectives with any information you think will be relevant - statistics or cases, or something else, depending on the nature of your business. Make sure that all information is correct, or do not use it.
4. Try to organize the whole situation to be as comfortable for you as possible. Meet in a place where you have already been before, especially if it's new for the other party. Arrange all of your materials in the most convenient way. Dress for success.
5. During the meeting, listen carefully to your opposition - their wishes might be closer to yours than you think. If it's your first meeting, allow the other party to start the meeting. This will allow you to adjust your home-prepared strategy using the new information, estimating the general attitude of the other party, their objectives, and even their body language.
6. Always take notes. Do not be afraid to ask questions, if needed. Use this information when speaking. Make the other party feel that you care not only for your own benefit but want both sides to reach any mutual goal. If you agree with anything they have said, tell it to them - it will make your positions closer. If, on the other hand you believe they are wrong about something, don't make a barrier by saying it straightforward. Instead, tell them that you understand their position, and if you were in their shoes, you also could've made such conclusions. But, you have an additional information that will change their view.
7. If you see that your negotiation is resulting in discussing the same issues over and over, try to break the circle. Try to concentrate on one small issue of your discussion and solve it. Offering a small compromise from your side could make the process more result-oriented and provoke the other side to compromise on something else. However, offer compromise only if the other side already asked you about it; do not use your feelings or anxiety take control of you.
8. Never take things personally, otherwise you might lose control of the situation. Also, try not to be anxious, or overexcited with anything. You can express your emotions but only those which might be appropriate for the moment.
9. In the end of the meeting, even if your goal was only partially reached, write down all positive results and state them to the other party. By doing this, you will consolidate successes. Also, closing the negotiation on a positive statement will leave a good impression about you in the minds of the opposite side.
10. And finally the most important thing - never eat right before an important negotiation! Eating a big meal will make you relaxed and lazy and you have to be energetic and hungry, not just literally but figuratively. Your opponents should feel your enthusiasm about the matter of negotiation. Just drink a cup of coffee, eat chocolate, and your brain will help you find the right solution in the most complicated situation. You will be enthusiastic and you will get what you want!
Each successful negotiation will make you more self-confident, and the ball will start rolling. Let your business prosper and master the skills of successful negotiations wherever and whenever you can!
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