Whether you realize it or not, you are negotiating every day.
You might negotiate with yourself, your partner, your kids, coworkers, boss, friends, family, clients, or customers. Negotiation is a part of daily life, and improving your negotiation skills can significantly impact your success.
You don’t need to be a seasoned executive, a professional salesperson, or a corporate lawyer to negotiate effectively. With some knowledge and practice, anyone can become a skilled negotiator. Here are ten tips to help you negotiate like a pro:
1. Be Clear on What You Need
- Know your needs: A negotiation is only successful if you clearly understand what you need. Before entering any negotiation, take time to reflect on what you must achieve to feel satisfied with the outcome. This clarity will help you stay focused and prevent you from settling for less than you need.
- Stay firm on your needs: By knowing your needs ahead of time, you’re less likely to compromise unnecessarily. Establishing your priorities gives you a solid foundation to negotiate from, ensuring you get what is essential for your satisfaction.
2. Be Clear on What You Want
- Identify your wants: While it’s crucial to secure your needs, it’s also beneficial to aim for what you want. Define your desires before negotiating. Being aware of what you want allows you to negotiate more effectively and increase your chances of achieving more than just the basics.
- Be prepared to compromise: Understand that while you should aim high, you may need to make concessions. Be ready to prioritize your needs over your wants if necessary. Achieving what you want in a negotiation is a big win, but it’s important to be flexible when required.
3. Understand the Other Party
- Recognize their needs and wants: Take it a step further by understanding the needs and wants of the other party. Knowing what they value most can give you a strategic advantage. This knowledge allows you to craft a proposal that satisfies both parties, leading to a more successful negotiation.
- Create mutual benefits: A successful negotiation is one where both parties feel they have gained something valuable. If you can help the other party get what they want while achieving your goals, you’re more likely to build a positive, long-term relationship. According to a study in the Journal of Business Research, negotiations focusing on mutual benefits result in higher satisfaction for everyone involved.
“Negotiations that emphasize mutual benefits lead to greater satisfaction and long-term success.” (Journal of Business Research, 2019).
4. Find a Solution That Satisfies Both Parties
- Strive for a win-win outcome: Ideally, both sides should benefit from the negotiation. When both parties achieve their primary objectives, there’s a greater chance for future collaborations. Avoid creating an adversarial environment; instead, focus on finding a solution that benefits everyone involved.
- Build positive relationships: When you negotiate with the intent to help both parties win, you create goodwill and trust. This approach can lead to more productive negotiations in the future and a more positive overall relationship with the other party.
5. Use Silence as a Tool
- Leverage strategic silence: There’s a time to speak during a negotiation and a time to remain silent. Silence can be a powerful tool in negotiations. Often, the first person to break an uncomfortable silence may inadvertently put themselves in a weaker position.
- Create pressure with silence: A little silence won’t hurt you but can make the other party uncomfortable, potentially leading them to make concessions. Silence gives them time to think and might push them toward making a more favorable offer. A study in the International Journal of Conflict Management found that strategic silence can be an effective tool in negotiations, as it increases psychological pressure on the other party.
“Strategic silence can enhance negotiation outcomes by increasing psychological pressure.” (International Journal of Conflict Management, 2020).
6. Be Prepared
- Do your research: Prepare for a negotiation like you would for any significant event. Understand the other party’s strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. Being well-prepared shows that you are serious and committed, and it also helps you anticipate possible objections or counteroffers.
- Avoid surprises: Thorough preparation helps ensure that you won’t be caught off guard during the negotiation process. Knowing as much as possible about the situation and the other party enables you to respond more effectively to any unexpected developments.
7. Let Go of Your Ego
- Focus on the outcome: Your ego can easily interfere with the negotiation process if you let it. Stay focused on achieving the best possible outcome rather than trying to “win” for the sake of your pride. Sometimes, swallowing your pride and making a concession can lead to a better overall result.
- Stay objective: Keeping your ego in check allows you to remain objective and consider all options. A study from the Harvard Negotiation Law Review suggests that negotiators who prioritize the outcome over their ego tend to achieve better results.
“Negotiators who prioritize the outcome over their ego achieve better results.” (Harvard Negotiation Law Review, 2018).
8. Always Get Something for Any Concession
- Trade concessions wisely: Negotiation is a give-and-take process. Whenever you make a concession, ensure that you receive something of value in return. This approach helps maintain balance in the negotiation and ensures that both parties feel they are gaining from the exchange.
- Use concessions strategically: Concessions can be used as strategic tools to get some of the things you identified as wants. By carefully managing what you give up, you can create opportunities to receive more of what you want in return.
9. Be Willing to Walk Away
- Have a backup plan: The ultimate power in negotiation is the ability to walk away. This isn’t always possible, but it’s beneficial to identify other potential solutions before entering any negotiation. Having alternatives can greatly strengthen your position and make you less dependent on the outcome of a single negotiation.
- Know when to quit: If the terms aren’t favorable or don’t meet your needs, be prepared to walk away. This willingness to leave can create leverage and often leads to better offers as the other party realizes you are serious.
10. Stay Calm
- Maintain composure: A calm and relaxed mindset helps you stay alert and focused during negotiations. If you feel your emotions getting the upper hand, take a few slow, deep breaths to calm yourself and maintain control.
- Keep emotions in check: Staying calm allows you to think more clearly and make better decisions. Emotional reactions can cloud your judgment and lead to poor choices, so practice keeping your emotions in check during negotiations.
By mastering these negotiation tips, you can become more successful in your interactions with others. Remember, you don’t have to be born with the skills of an FBI hostage negotiator to have more productive interactions. Practice every day with friends, family, or coworkers, and see if you can improve your ability to get what you want. There are many opportunities each day to negotiate and achieve better outcomes!
