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Negotiation Tips: How to Negotiate Successful

Definition, Explanation

Negotiating has as a goal, to unite conflicting ideas and needs by communication to a result that satisfies all parts. If both parties of the negotiation are satisfied with the agreement in the long run, that is do not feel pulled over the barrel once thinking twice, you speak of a win-win-situation. A general requirement for negotiating successfully is, that the parites are ready, from the beginning, to come to accordance compromises. The following is primarily about negotiating ability in business and at work. This includes contract negotiation, salary negotiation and negotiating services and prices with clients.

Tips, Checklist

• Negotiating can be learned through practice. Therefore, use also private situations to pracitce and train yourself
• Be aware of the interests of your opposite. How important is the matter to them, what is their motivational background, their motives and reasons, including official as well as personal
• spearate person and matter as possible. This is not always easy, since the opponent party usually know their interests and how to represent them
• Remain sober objective and explain your own aspect comprehensibly. The clearer you depict to your opponent your needs and desires, the more likely a satisfying compromise is found
• Treat your opponent partner-like, rather than seeing them as an antagonist. Kindness, humour and interest for the others and their situation help creating a good ambience even in a tensed discussion. Consider this when you choose the point in time and location of the negotiation. It can also be a reason for leading a difficult discussion for instance during a business lunch or on the golf court
• Prepare your negotiation thoroughly. Elaborate exactly what you want to achieve and define your minimal and maximal goals. Compose your arguments and chains of arguments. Take into account, here, the parties' interests and basic conditions
• Keep the number of people negotiating small and assure a balance among the parties concerning number and hierarchy. Bring in expertsfor single points, without their permanent attendance
• Make up a strategy to act, in advance. If you already know your negotiating partner, it should be attuned to them. Consider possible objections and compose, in advance, your answers and arguments. Even with a perfect preparation, it is always important to react flexible depending on your partner and the situation
• Do not forget to "sell yourself". It is important to describe your competence and thus create a situation "among equal"
• Make up a written negotiating guideline and try to negotiate on its basis
• Make clear in advance, whether all of the decision-makers will be present. If this is not possible, the solution will have to include that it is enforceable against the "invisible" decision-makers
• Begin a negotiation with small talk
• Ask questions, preferably open ones ("who, how, why, what for") and question the motives of the other. Listen actively. Use body language consciously
• Write the objections and the motivation of your opponent, and respond to them explicitely. Log the results and have them signed by the other party possibly instantly
• Bare your own factual constraints. This way, your opponent will more likely be ready to find solutions commonly
• Plan breaks to have, in advance, for internal exchanging of ideas and plans on either side
• Keep focussed on the goal. Once you feel that all arguments have been brought onto the table, you should urge to finish the negotiation. For this, you can resume the most important issues and aspects again, and ask for suggestions of a compromise
• Show from the beginning that you head to solving the problem and create a constructive athmosphere by bringing in suggestions
• If you feel like it, touch upon your state of emotion
• If, during the negotiation, new points or issues come up which you have not yet informed yourself about, write these down and ask for postponing the related discussion to find a solution another time
• Focus the negotiation to the issues that are really important to you and that are the most momentous (e.g. costs, long-term bonds)
• Despite all preparation and a good negotiation talk, it might happen that a retreat is imperative. Speak about this concretely and explain the backgrounds

Last update: 06/04/2010