Negotiation is an important part of doing business in any industry. In fact, it’s not a matter of whether or not you will negotiate but rather how well you negotiate. No matter your industry or your position, you are bound to go through some sort of negotiation every day. From promoting a new product to a customer to negotiating a raise, every professional will find themselves negotiating at some point in their career. That’s why you’ll want to be equipped with the right strategies to help you land a better deal. The secret to achieving a positive outcome is the combination of thorough preparation and utilizing some of the most effective negotiation strategies. Here are some essential negotiating strategies that can help you succeed in a variety of business interactions. 

Do Your Research

One of the most important steps happens well before you sit down at the negotiating table: research. When you walk into a negotiation, you should already know as much as possible about the other party. What are their objectives? What are their values? How eager are they to reach a deal? This not only helps you to build a relationship with your counterpart, but it also arms you with the knowledge you need to approach the negotiation in the most advantageous way. 

Listen to the Other Party

All too often people spend a great deal of time preparing what they will say during negotiations and they fail to realize that listening is more powerful than speaking. Be prepared to actively listen to the other party so you can gain an understanding of what is most important to them. Not only will listening empower you with pertinent information, but it will make the other party feel like you genuinely care about satisfying their needs. 

Know Your Goals as Well

Not only is it important to learn what goals are important to your counterpart, but you also need to define your own goals as well. Prior to entering into discussions, think about what is most important to you and what you hope to achieve as a result of the negotiation. This will help you stay on track and work toward a mutually beneficial agreement.

Prepare Your Concessions Ahead of Time

Negotiations are all about give and take so it’s expected that both parties will make some concessions before reaching an agreement. That said, you don’t want to make concessions right there on the spot without giving them any thought. Otherwise you might end up conceding too much too soon. It is important to prioritize your concessions ahead of time so you can slowly concede as needed. Also, make sure that for every concession you make you get something in return. 

Identify Their Pressure Points

People naturally bow to pressures. Whether you’re a purchasing manager on a tight budget, a salesman trying to meet a quota, or a project manager facing a deadline, you have certain pressures to keep in mind and you know it. Now, as a negotiator it is important to look for these pressure points in your counterpart and use that to your advantage to forge a better deal and create a win-win solution for both parties. 

Work Toward a Win-Win Situation

A successful negotiation ends with both parties leaving the table feeling like they got a win. Rather than approaching the negotiation with a win-lose mentality, effective negotiators know the value of problem solving in order to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. It’s always best to propose solutions that address the needs of both parties, as this will lead to a better outcome and a stronger foundation for future negotiations. 

When it comes to negotiating professional perks most people assume that includes salary, vacation days, flexible work schedules, and stock options. However, one perk many people don’t think about is negotiating for a bigger or better office space. For many people, having plenty of space to organize their things can make them more efficient and productive workers. After all, there’s nothing as disruptive as piles of clutter and a disorganized work environment. Working in a private and more spacious office can improve your productivity and can ultimately be more beneficial for you and your company. When it comes time to negotiate better perks for your position, don’t be afraid to start by asking for a bigger office. Here are some tips for approaching your boss about improving your office setup. 

Explain Your Dilemma

When you approach your boss to ask for a bigger office, you need to have a reason why this is so important. Provide a general overview of the issues you are currently experiencing such as lack of space to organize paperwork and files or difficulty concentrating in a cubicle with other workers so close. Describe the impact this bad working office space has had on your productivity and ability to reach your company goals. Make sure your boss is aware that your sole purpose for wanting a bigger office is to improve productivity and efficiency in order to become a more valuable asset. 

Describe Your Idea and Possible Solution

Explain to your boss that you have put a lot of thought into this issue to try and resolve these problems and you think the best solution is moving into a bigger office. Be clear that you have considered the pros and cons as well as some alternative options and be prepared to give your opinion on these. Finally, offer to help move furniture, set up your own computer, and do whatever else is necessary to minimize the workload for transferring spaces. 

Discuss the Benefits

If you focus the conversation on the benefits of your idea, you are more likely to succeed in getting what you want. Use concrete examples to back up your ideas including increased productivity and efficiency. When you have more space to organize all of your work related belongings, you will feel less stressed and overwhelmed and more prepared to conquer your daily tasks. You will also have fewer distractions which translate into better performance throughout the workday. In addition, since you will be spending less time looking for misplaced documents, you can focus more of your attention on collaborating on important projects. 

Know Your Value and How This Relates

Finally, be prepared to brag on yourself a little bit. Share some of your most recent accomplishments such as a successful project you worked on, a presentation you delivered, or a new client that you brought on. Be prepared to show tangible examples of these successes so that your manager can see how valuable you are to the team. Let them know that you can bring even more value given the right working conditions. If your boss sees what an asset you are to the company, they are more likely to meet your needs in order to help you succeed. 

Salary is not necessarily the most important aspect of a job, but it certainly makes an impact on your overall job satisfaction. Therefore, the ability to negotiate a raise is one of the most important skills you will need in your professional career. That said, negotiating a raise can be a nerve-wracking process and it requires adequate preparation and a keen understanding of current market conditions. Successfully negotiating a salary also requires poise, confidence, and professionalism. Here are a few helpful tips for handling this challenging scenario in order to increase your chances of getting the salary you desire. 

Know Your Worth

If you feel you deserve a raise, you need to be prepared to explain why. This begins by tracking your accomplishments and making note of any specific achievements, successes, awards, or projects that you have completed. This will serve as tangible evidence of your value and can help you quantify your value to your company. You want to be prepared to show how your abilities have contributed to the overall success of your company. You need to be able to demonstrate that the value you bring to the company is worth the extra investment in your salary. Without actual evidence of your success, it appears that you are simply asking for more money. You need to be prepared to show your worth and make it clear that you are deserving of a raise. 

Research Current Salary Data

Aside from the skills you bring to the table, there are plenty of other factors that are important when it comes to successfully negotiating a raise. These include things like your geographic location, the cost of living in your area, and the current salary data for positions like yours in the area. Rather than just pulling a number out of the air, you need to make sure that the salary you are proposing for someone with your qualifications is in line with what similar positions are getting paid. You can research this information by using sites like salary.com or glassdoor.com. You also want to consider your years of experience, the current status of your company, and the size of your company to come up with a target salary that is fair based on your value and research.

Ask For More Than You Expect

You can’t expect your boss to value you if you don’t value yourself. Therefore, don’t sell yourself short. Be prepared to ask for a slightly higher salary range than you actually expect to get. This is especially true if you have evidence of accomplishments and your performance has been recognized. Your range should include the lowest amount you would actually take and the highest amount you feel you can respectfully ask for. It’s expected that you will negotiate until you reach a salary you both agree on. If you start with your bottom line, you may end up compromising on less than you want. 

Rapport is a powerful predictor of how well negotiators trust one another in order to reach an agreement. When there is a strong rapport between negotiators, you are likely to find a greater willingness to cooperate, more honest communication, and willingness to share important information. A good rapport also prevents misunderstandings, hostility, and frustration at the bargaining table. The ability to connect with people is the key to a successful negotiation, so here are some tips for developing rapport during negotiations. 

Earn Their Trust

Building a strong rapport with someone begins with establishing trust. Trust is the catalyst that pushes two parties forward to work together in a mutually beneficial way. You can earn the trust of someone else by taking a genuine interest in their needs. Rather than trying to come in and establish your position, you try to listen and understand the needs of the other person. This sincere effort immediately creates a feeling of trust between you and the other party. Rather than looking for an opportunity to advantage yourself at the other person’s expense, relationship-focused negotiators seek win-win solutions. This will help to build a legacy of trust between you and your counterpart which in turn will strengthen your rapport. 

Pay Attention to Non-Verbal Communication

You can also improve your rapport during negotiation by paying attention to your non-verbal body language. Maintaining eye contact, smiling, nodding your head in agreement, and leaning in to listen can all be indicators of openness and interest. Avoid crossing your arms, looking down, or furrowing your eyebrows as these nonverbal cues can indicate disinterest or frustration. 

Meet in Person

Whenever possible, it is always best to meet in person. It is much easier to build a rapport with someone through face-to-face interaction rather than through email or over the phone. Although the current pandemic conditions can make this more difficult, you should always try to connect via Zoom or another video conferencing tool if you cannot meet in person. It is still important to see each other and make that connection through more personal interaction. 

Learn About Them

Before just diving right into the discussion, spend some time making small talk with the other person and learning more about them. Talk about common interests, your family, or anything else that might help you connect with them. The more you know about one another, the easier it will be to find a commonality that builds trust. Besides, everyone wants to do business with someone they like, and asking about someone and taking a vested interest in them personally will help to strengthen your rapport.

The use of time can be a very effective tool when negotiating. That’s because people become pliable under time pressure and it has a way of convincing people to make decisions they may not have made otherwise. When used properly, time can work for either side in a negotiation and it can be very beneficial. There are several ways you can use time to your advantage. Here are a few ways to make a ticking clockwork in your favor. 

Don’t Wait Too Long

You should never begin any negotiation until the person you are negotiating with knows they have a decision to make and it needs to be done in a short amount of time. You want to make people aware on the front end that you are seeking an agreement as soon as possible. If you give people too much time to make a decision, it will usually not be to your advantage. Not only do you want to avoid dragging things on and on, but if you give people too much time you risk them changing their minds and walking away. 

Identify Important Deadlines

Deadlines can have a significant impact on negotiations. For this reason, it is important to figure out which deadlines exist for both you and your counterpart. For example, do you have a quarter-end deadline or a certain quota to meet? Does your counterpart? Identifying these deadlines can help you move things along faster. 

Apply Deadline Pressure

Deadlines have a way of helping ease people into making decisions. Sure, they can be stressful, but deadlines force action and make things happen. For example, if you have someone who is teetering and can’t decide whether or not to pull the trigger on your deal, it’s time to apply some deadline pressure. Saying something like, “I can only offer this price until the end of the month, which means we need to decide soon” might incentivize someone who is hesitant to go ahead and sign the agreement. The key is for the salesperson to leverage the short window of time that the customer has to make a decision. 

Understand Their Sense of Urgency

You need to know what the timeline is for your customer. Are they in a hurry to make a deal? Are they desperate for your product or service right away? If there is an urgent need for your product or service, you can use this to your advantage. You know the person is in need of a quick answer, so you have the upper hand in the negotiation. On the other hand, if your customer is in no hurry to make a decision, you need to create a timeline in which the negotiation will conclude. This prevents the other party from dragging things on and on. 

Prior to any negotiations, it is important to be properly prepared and this means collecting sufficient information about what is motivating both you and the other party. You need to have a solid understanding of both sides of the negotiating table so you can develop a strategy that will be beneficial to both sides. When you are trying to determine what is most valuable to the other side and how they will negotiate with you, one of the most important discoveries you need to make is to find out what is motivating them. 

Motivations are what drives someone to act a certain way. Basic motivations influence behavior and they can also influence the way the person approaches a negotiation. Their motive might drive them to employ a certain tactic to achieve their desired outcome. Therefore you need to answer this pertinent question: Why are they acting as they do? Understanding the answer to this question will help you navigate the negotiation process and have a better idea of the goals and objectives of your counterpart. 

There is a distinct relationship between motivations and objectives. Motivations are the ‘why’ in a negotiation while the objectives are the ‘what.’ 

Motivation: Why are they acting this way?

Objective: What are they trying to achieve?

Without understanding the motives, you are merely guessing at what the other person is trying to achieve. How can you possibly contribute to a win-win solution if you don’t know what the other person wants? This is one of the reasons why motives are so important. They help you steer your negotiation in the right direction so you can find a solution that works for the other party. 

On the other hand, you also need to understand your own motives. This will help you when it comes time to make concessions. By establishing what your motives are and what is most important to you, you can stay on track to achieve your objectives. You need to be well aware of your motives so you don’t concede something that is important to you. It can be tempting to give in when pressure is mounting at the negotiating table, but having a clear understanding of your motives and objectives will help you refrain from conceding too much too soon. 

Motives also help to establish the value of things. If you want to know how motivated the other side is to take your deal, you need to consider how much they value what you are offering. The more value your product or service has, the more motivated they will be to reach a deal with you. The logic is simple: the greater the value you can offer, the more likely a deal can be reached. 

Motivation is what drives people during negotiation so it is so important that you take the time to understand what motivates both sides. This will help you to understand why they are making the decisions they are making and it will help you to create better solutions. This mutual understanding of motives will ultimately help you close the deal.

Whether you are negotiating the terms of a new job or you are attempting to close the biggest deal of your career, negotiations are always going to be part of your professional life. When you stop to think about it, most things in life are partially negotiable. You would expect to negotiate the price of a new car, the price of a house, or even divvying up household chores. What you may not expect is that there is usually more up for negotiation than you may realize. For example, did you know you can negotiate the terms of your auto loan? Did you know you can negotiate medical bills? Were you aware that you can even negotiate the interest rate on your credit card? The fact is, knowing what is negotiable can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in your personal life and this same principle applies to professional negotiations. 

How to Find Out What is Negotiable?

Gather Background Information: Walking into a negotiation blindly can ruin your chances of negotiating successfully. For example, if you are negotiating your salary, you need to know what people in similar positions make. If you are negotiating the terms of a service agreement, you need to know what kinds of deals and agreements similar companies are offering. The more research you do in advance, the more you will be able to bring up any knowledge or data during the negotiation. This will put you in a better position to negotiate additional items. 

Find Out What is Motivating the Other Party: You want to learn as much as you can about the person you are negotiating with and you should start by discovering their pain points. Let’s say, for example, you work for a printing company and you have a client that needs flyers printed for their upcoming conference. If you know that they are in a huge hurry, you have identified their problem and you can use this to your advantage. They would probably be willing to pay a rush fee in exchange for getting the flyers printed quickly. In another example, let’s say you are negotiating the price of a new car. If you discover that the salesperson is just one car away from meeting their quote, chances are they will negotiate with you to get the deal done. By identifying what is motivating your counterpart, you can get a better understanding of what is most important to them and what they might be willing to negotiate. 

You Don’t Know if You Don’t Ask: You never know what is negotiable if you don’t ask, and chances are, more things are negotiable than you would probably assume. When negotiating, think about all the factors that can affect your deal other than price alone. For example, when negotiating an auto loan, you can work to negotiate the length of the loan, the interest rate, or other terms. Ask the lender if they would be able to negotiate any of these factors? You might be surprised at what you find. If you are negotiating the terms of a new job, you should consider all of the factors that will affect your job aside from salary alone. For example, would they be willing to offer a flexible work schedule, better benefits, or more vacation days? Oftentimes, there is more to be negotiated than price alone.  All you have to do is ask. Don’t miss out on negotiating a potentially better deal for failure to ask.

People have different personalities and communication styles. For example, some people are extroverts and tend to be the leader of a group, while others are introverted and prefer not to be in charge. Just the same, there are different types of negotiators. Each individual has their own unique skills, experiences, and personality traits that affect the way they interact with others. This also translates into how they negotiate. As a result of these differences, five distinct negotiation styles have emerged: 

-Competition (win-lose)

-Collaboration (win-win)

-Compromise (split the difference)

-Accommodation (lose-win)

-Avoidance (lose-lose)

Let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of each style so you can find out which you seem to identify with the most. 

Competition

A competition-style follows the “I win, you lose” mentality. Competitive negotiators tend to do whatever it takes to reach their desired outcome-even if it’s at the expense of the other party. They are results-oriented and are highly motivated by their desire to succeed. Typically, these negotiators are willing to use hardball tactics to achieve their goals and they are more concerned with “winning” the negotiation than building a working relationship with the other party. While this style may result in short-term success, it’s a risky move because it can be detrimental to the long-term relationship with the other party. Likewise, it can oftentimes end in a deadlock if you are dealing with another competitive negotiator. 

Collaboration

Unlike the competitive negotiator, the collaborative negotiator seeks a win/win outcome. This style focuses on making sure both parties have their needs met. In this style of negotiation, both the relationship and the outcome are equally important, and they seek to preserve and strengthen the working relationship for future success. While it can be difficult and time-consuming to reach a collaborative agreement, this style can be highly effective if you desire a long-lasting relationship with the other party. 

Compromise

Many people confuse this style with the collaborative style. However, unlike the “win-win” model in the collaborative style, the compromise style follows an “I win/lose some, you win/lose some” model. Often described as the style that “splits the difference,” a compromising style results in both parties agreeing to about half of the terms of the negotiation. In other words, some of the party’s needs will be met, but not all of them. You agree to give up some things for the sake of the other party. This style can sometimes result in the feeling that you gave up too much and didn’t get enough in return. 

Accommodation

This style is the direct opposite of the competitive style because it follows the “I lose, you win” model. This style might be used in situations where one party is trying to repair their relationship with the other party. It may also be used as a means for increasing the chances that the other party will work with you again in the future. It’s a great style to use when you are trying to strengthen the relationship between you and another party. Its focus is solely on the relationship, as opposed to the results. 

Avoidance

This style follows the “I lose, you lose” model and is used when neither the outcome nor the relationship are important. There are situations where the time and energy simply aren’t worth it and it’s better to simply avoid negotiating altogether. While this style is used infrequently, it can be implemented if a party wants to withdraw from the relationship with the other party.

Becoming a master negotiator involves a deep understanding of the negotiation process, as well as a tremendous amount of practice in developing a negotiation style. It is not something that happens overnight, nor is it an easy feat. You may not become an expert negotiator right away, but the chances of your success will improve if you follow a few basic rules. These seven rules constitute the most important guidelines for what to do in order to reach a  win/win negotiation. 

Rule 1: Be Prepared

Perhaps the most important rule in negotiations is simply being prepared. No amount of skill, strategy, or persuasive technique can compensate for lack of preparation. Preparation starts with knowing about the party that you will be negotiating with and what is motivating them. You want to learn as much as you can about their needs and goals so you can come up with a plan to meet their needs. Furthermore, you want to find out about their strengths and weaknesses as well as familiarize yourself with your competitors so you can look for an advantage. Finally, you want to be sure you are dealing directly with the decision maker. The last thing you want is to find yourself in a situation where you are about to close the deal only to find that they need to get approval from someone higher in authority. 

Rule 2: Know What You Want

It sounds obvious but too many people enter into a negotiation without having a clear understanding of what they really want. It’s important to define your goals right from the start. Otherwise, you may end up accepting an offer you don’t really want. 

Rule 3: Be Honest and Fair

No one wants to deal with someone who is deceitful. After all, what goes around comes around. The goal in a negotiation is to seek mutual benefit so it’s also important to do whatever it takes to reach a win/win outcome. This involves being honest with your counterpart and also being willing to compromise and make fair concessions. 

Rule 4: Never Accept the First Offer

It’s common for people to make an offer that they expect you to refuse, because they want to see just how firm you will be on your stance. Therefore, never accept the first offer, but rather use it to leverage what you really want. Chances are, if you accept the first offer, you will be leaving money on the table. 

Rule 5: Concede Slowly

Successful negotiation is all about give and take. For this reason, you should always have an idea of what you are willing to concede before you sit down at the negotiating table. In fact, you should prioritize your concessions in order of which is most important and least important to you. As you progress through the negotiation, you want to concede slowly. Giving up too much too fast can make you appear weak and can lead your counterpart to push you even harder. Instead, be cautious with the concessions you make and only concede when necessary. You also want to keep in mind that anytime you concede, you should get something in return. 

Rule 6: Be Cooperative and Friendly

It’s easy to let your emotions get the best of you, especially when you are dealing with tough negotiators. However, it is important to maintain your composure and try to remain cooperative and friendly at all times. Always treat your counterpart with respect, even if things are getting heated. If necessary, stop and take a break and resume negotiations when everyone has calmed down. You are far more likely to make good decisions when you are calm and thinking clearly. 

Rule 7: Know When to Walk Away

Though the goal of any negotiation is to reach an agreement, the reality is that this doesn’t always happen. Before the negotiation begins, know your walk away point and stick to it. Deadlock cannot always be avoided and the best negotiators aren’t afraid to walk away from a bad deal.

Negotiation can seem like a tricky process and you may find yourself wondering what the other person is thinking. If only you could see into their mind. Well, you may not be able to look into their mind but you can tell a lot about how someone is feeling by their body language. Communication happens both verbally and nonverbally and if you only focus on the verbal exchange, you are likely to walk away wondering why things didn’t go your way. On the other hand, if you pay attention to things like facial expressions and body movements, you can get a much better understanding of how the other person is reacting to the conversation. Here are a few body language clues to watch for in your next negotiation. 

Eye Contact

There are a few telltale signs to look for on a person’s face and this starts with eye contact. If a person is showing increased and steady eye contact, that’s a good indicator of honesty and interest. On the other hand, if a person looks away or avoids making eye contact with you, that can indicate that the person is trying to hide something from you. You also want to pay attention to the way the person moves their eyebrows. A raised eyebrow, for instance, can often mean that the person is confused or disbelieving what you are saying. 

Red Face

If you notice your counterpart getting red in the face that’s a sign that it’s time to stop for a moment. A red face usually means the person is angry, embarrassed or both. If you notice a bulging vein in their face, this definitely indicates that the person is feeling stressed and their blood pressure has shot up. All of these signs mean you need to take a break and reassess the situation. 

Arm Movement

In addition to facial expressions, you can also tell a lot about how someone is feeling by their arm movement. Open arms generally indicate that the person is listening and open to what you are saying. On the other hand, crossed arms can mean the person is feeling frustrated or angry. It can also indicate that the person is feeling defensive. Furthermore, if someone turns one shoulder toward you, this can mean that they are defensive and are about to let you know. At this point, you may want to change your approach. 

Hand Gestures

Hand signals can also provide information about how someone is feeling. Open and relaxed hands are usually a green light that things are going well and the person is listening and engaged. In contrast, tightly clasped hands are a sign that the person is feeling a strong negative reaction and this can go along with a red face. If you notice the person constantly fidgeting with their hands and touching their face or clothing, this can indicate nervousness or tension. 

Body Angle

You may be surprised at how much you can learn from someone’s body angle. For example, if the other person is leaning forward, this means that they are listening and following you. This is a good sign that things are going well. On the other hand, if they are leaning back or turning their face away from you, this usually indicates that they are negatively reacting to what you are saying. If they are swaying side to side, this might show doubt or insecurity. At this point, you want to probe to see if they are uncomfortable or they have just lost interest. 

Whenever you are negotiating with someone, be sure and pay attention to these subtle body language clues. Look for shifts in their body movements or obvious facial expressions to better understand what they are experiencing. Be mindful of your own body language as well, as you may end up giving away more than realize by doing some of these same things.