Negotiate Like A Pro
Category: Business English Skills | 2018-08-23
For anyone who has ever worked in a company, or even had a job interview, you know that negotiation is part of the game. You need to learn to negotiate with other people for many aspects of life: whether it’s buying a new house, a car, or closing a contract with someone.
Oftentimes, people are afraid to negotiate because they think it will be seen as rude, and they don’t want to offend the other person. However, this is not the case. Negotiation is an essential tool to have in your repertoire, so if you need a helping hand to negotiate your next contract or sale, read on.
How to Negotiate Like a Pro
Improve Your English Skills
With
1. Think Differently
Many people tend to think of negotiation as an adversarial thing, meaning that it’s you against the other person. This thinking, though, can be detrimental to your negotiation, as you will automatically see the other person and their needs as hostile to your own.
Think a little differently, and consider negotiation as problem solving between two parties, instead of a hostile, adversarial discussion. This will not only help you be more successful, but will also change your attitude about the negotiation itself.
Enter your negotiation with confidence, openness, and courteousness, and you’re sure to start off on the right foot.
2. Research
You would never go into a presentation unprepared, would you? Before giving a presentation, you always do your research on the subject so that you are informed and ready for any question that may be thrown your way.
It’s the exact same in a negotiation. Do your research beforehand on the company, the industry, the price range, pros and cons, anything you can think of, really. That way you will be well informed, prepared, and will help the negotiation run smoothly and quickly.
3. Strategize
Whether you know it or not, you always have a strategy for how you approach different situations. How you talk to the lady at the cash register at the grocery store, how you write your emails, and how you negotiate all use different strategies and approaches.
Before entering a negotiation, be sure to take some time to make your strategy. Think about what you want, what the other person most likely wants, and how you can find a happy medium.
Practice definitely makes perfect, so don’t be afraid to practice at home! Enlist some friends to play the other person in the negotiation so that you feel well-versed in your skills. Then practice negotiating in low-risk situations. All of this practice will make sure that you are well prepared for your next big negotiation!
4. Compromise
Some see compromising in a negotiation as losing. They think, “well, I haven’t gotten exactly what I wanted, so it was obviously a failure.” This is very much incorrect.
Compromising, in my mind, is the ultimate win. You can’t go through life always expecting to get exactly what you want on your terms. You have to learn to compromise to be successful, and compromising is really a win-win situation. Both parties should leave a negotiation satisfied, so don’t be afraid to allow for some wiggle room in your discussion.
7-DAY FREE TRIAL
It’s EASY, FUN and ADAPTS to
your personalized level
Putting it All Together
Negotiation is a necessary skill in business, but it doesn’t have to be rude, offensive or adversarial. Take these steps before your next negotiation and you will see an immediate improvement.
Are you a practiced negotiator? Share your tips and tricks with us in the comments below! If you want another way to improve your negotiation skills, sign up for our monthly newsletter and you will receive a 7-day FREE TRIAL of our online English course. Also get more tips, articles and exclusive deals. Thanks for reading!
Cheers!
About the Author
Erin Duffin
Erin Duffin is a writer, teacher, and yoga instructor. Her love of languages inspired her to move to Germany and to share language with others. You can find her work on the MacPherson Language Institute, Bespeaking, and erinduffinyoga.com.