Negotiations can occur in many areas of life. Whether you're negotiating for a loan, a job, or for a better deal on a new car, there is an art to negotiating. By practicing some of the basic principles of effective negotiating, you can learn to negotiate terms and conditions more suitable for you.
Start High
Always start higher than where you want to be at the end of the negotiating process. Assume the party you're negotiating with is starting lower. If you have a particular salary in mind, for instance, begin by negotiating slightly higher than the actual salary you'd like. If the party you're negotiating with is starting lower than it is willing to go, a healthy back and forth (you come down, he goes up) should land you close to the figure you have in mind.
Leverage Information
Know as much as you can about the party you're negotiating with. Knowledge is power. Ask questions that can help you determine your negotiating position. If you're an employer negotiating with a potential employee over salary, learn before negotiations begin other avenues the potential employee has used to gain employment or how much the potential employee made at her last place of employment. Knowing this information can give you leverage you can use in negotiations.
Exude Confidence
It's important to maintain a confident demeanor when negotiating. If you appear desperate, the party you're negotiating with has an upper hand. Negotiating is bargaining. Even if you are desperate, show the party you're negotiating with that you know what you want and you are sure you can get it.
Give and Take
Give and take is the way negotiations happen. Chances are, you won't get everything you want in a negotiation. The goal is to get as much of what you want as you can. This will require the give-and-take approach. Consider what you can live without, then use those things to bargain for the things you feel you must have. When you bargain with the things you can live without, make it look as if you are giving those things up reluctantly. For instance, you may give up a portion of your salary requirements for more time off because the time off is more important to you. Reluctantly offer a cut in your salary for a better vacation package. Never let anything go as if it isn't important. Hesitating before you make a concession can help project the image to the other party that you are giving him something reluctantly.
