The thought of negotiating can often bring people out in a cold sweat, but it is a valuable skill that we all need to master. This guide takes you through some basic negotiation skills that everyone should know. We start with how to haggle. Often, people just accept the price they are given for an item, but you should always bear in mind that often, people are asking for more than they are willing to accept. Be brave, undercut them and take it from there.
Mindset is also important as you need to remember there is more than one party involved in any negotiation. As well as getting a good deal for yourself, you need to ensure that the other people also feel as though they are getting a good deal as they will be much more likely to help you in the first place if they think there is something in it for them. Ask yourself why it would be a good option for them as well as thinking about your case.
Confidence is a vital skill when it comes to negotiations. Smiling and being polite will definitely help: even if you don't feel confident, you need to act it. If you come across too timid and shy then people are less likely to give in to you as they might think that you don't want something enough. You need to be able to state your case with confidence so people can see that you're really passionate about it and that you're worth conceding to.
It's also important that you know your arguments inside out when you are negotiating. Practice is important here, so find someone you can perfect your speech with before you go to the real negotiation. This is really important as you will need to know when to deploy your arguments and the best way to phrase them, as well as actually knowing what they are. This is so you will always have a good answer if you are challenged on a subject.
Finally, an important negotiation skill is knowing when to walk away. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try or how well you sell your case, you simply aren't going to win. You need to know not to take this personally and to accept the loss graciously so you can part on good terms with the other person. This is vital as you might find yourself needing to negotiate with them again in the future and it will be much easier if you accept your loss well.
Mindset is also important as you need to remember there is more than one party involved in any negotiation. As well as getting a good deal for yourself, you need to ensure that the other people also feel as though they are getting a good deal as they will be much more likely to help you in the first place if they think there is something in it for them. Ask yourself why it would be a good option for them as well as thinking about your case.
Confidence is a vital skill when it comes to negotiations. Smiling and being polite will definitely help: even if you don't feel confident, you need to act it. If you come across too timid and shy then people are less likely to give in to you as they might think that you don't want something enough. You need to be able to state your case with confidence so people can see that you're really passionate about it and that you're worth conceding to.
It's also important that you know your arguments inside out when you are negotiating. Practice is important here, so find someone you can perfect your speech with before you go to the real negotiation. This is really important as you will need to know when to deploy your arguments and the best way to phrase them, as well as actually knowing what they are. This is so you will always have a good answer if you are challenged on a subject.
Finally, an important negotiation skill is knowing when to walk away. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try or how well you sell your case, you simply aren't going to win. You need to know not to take this personally and to accept the loss graciously so you can part on good terms with the other person. This is vital as you might find yourself needing to negotiate with them again in the future and it will be much easier if you accept your loss well.
