7 Tips to Help You Do Better at Negotiations

Negotiations are vital to any business. Some tips offered tend to be manipulative -- the idea, for instance, that you should pretend to have other buyers for your product when you don't. What follows, instead, are simple, practical ideas on how to go about a direct and honest negotiating process.

Do it in parts

Negotiations often fall apart for the simple reason that the parties at the table believe they must get everything they came for, and not give an inch. The best way to deal with such a situation is to break the negotiations down into their components. Some components are likely to be easier to deal with than others. Any progress made is likely to put the parties involved in a more productive mood.

The everybody-does-it approach

In this approach, you emphasize how what you ask for is only in line with industry standards, or market standards. You won't need to justify your position as much. When you claim to be in line with industry standards, you shift the burden to the other party to show why you shouldn't be granted the reasonable thing that you ask for.

Objectivity approach

Negotiations are often made harder than they have to be because both parties focus not on the problems that they need to get past, but on one another, fixating on personality traits they find difficult to take. It's important to separate emotion from the substance of the negotiations, however, and look at the work at hand. It's a good way to neutralize conflict and create an environment where the focus is on solving the problem.

Control the agenda

Sometimes, the person who steers the conversation is the one who is seen to be in charge. Among lawyers, for instance, the attorney who drafts a contract is commonly felt to be in charge. In negotiations, it is the party who frames the questions and summarizes how things stand is seen to be in the driver's seat. It's an important advantage to have.

Be clear about what the top priorities are

Before you head in, think of what the most important points of the negotiations are, and make sure they are at the top of your mind. Think about why it's the most important part of the deal and rank all the other priorities one below the other with understanding of why they rank where they do. This can help you keep your eye on the target that you need to achieve.

Make sure that everyone feels they have won something

Never, at any point, should you reveal your bottom line. If you do, you will have no concessions to offer the other party, and they are likely to feel unhappy at having won nothing. Rather, give yourself wiggle room at all times. This way, you'll be able to offer concessions, and still remain on top. If the other party is happy with their position, they are even likely to be generous and hand you more than you hoped for.

Ask questions

If the other party seems to take a hard line on anything, don't simply push for concessions. Instead, ask why it is important for them to not relent. The more you question things and talk about them, the easier it becomes to learn about ways around the problem.

Finally, go in having done enough research. For instance, if you've made inquiries about a house on sale, you may come to know that the seller is in a hurry to sell. This gives you an advantage. Information is power.

Winning at negotiations is about treating both the process and the other party with respect. The idea isn't to grab and run, but to create an atmosphere where both parties are able to express what they feel and arrive at a mutually beneficial understanding.