Do you always find yourself getting a bum deal when

negotiating with people?



I'm not just talking about work here but also in your

personal life too?



We have to negotiate for all sorts of things nowadays

but many of us just do not have the know how to pull it

off effectively.



For example, you are negotiating a house price

that is worth hundreds of thousands...



Surely it pays you to have some knowledge about the

art of negotiation because a costly error or if they other

party comes out on top could cost you 20 grand!



So whether it be at work, rest or play here are my top

4 tips to ensure that you come out on top with all of

your negotiations from this point forward:



TIP # 1

OPTIONS ARE THE KEY



The person who has the fewest options going into a

negotiation often comes out losing.



Make sure that that you let the other side know that you

have options. Name names, name the locations of the

other houses, name other suppliers etc



This is one tip that I have to remind my wife with when

looking for new houses!



My wife Donna wears her heart on her sleeve and one

day when we were looking at a house we went in with

the Estate Agent and as soon as we walked into the

lounge she shouted "My gosh Seany, i can't believe the

first house we have set our eyes on will be the one for

us - I love it, I love it - I want it!"



Needless to say the Estate Agent was licking his lips!



Thus the other party knew we had limited other options

and duly when we put in the offers they were all rejected

because both the vendor and the Estate Agent knew

how much Donna wanted the property and that we had

no other options.



It was only when I called them up and said we were looking

at some other houses and for them "Not to call me again,

I will call them if we are interested" that they started to

be reasonable.



To cut a long story short, the vendor saw a property that he

loved, a new build which meant he had to move fast because

he would lose his plot. (Bad choice! Why? Because he had

no other options and he told me so!)



So the Estate Agent called me up and said the vendor was

willing to accept the first offer we had ever made because

he JUST HAD to move in within 28 days or lose the plot he

wanted.



I offered him my original price minus a further couple of grand

because I now knew that I had the power.



Guess what?



He accepted.



:-)



LEARN THIS LESSON - Make sure you have options when going

into any negotiation and make sure the other party know that.





TIP # 2

HOW TO REJECT A PROPOSAL



Someone has made you an offer or put a deal on the

table that you don't like and want to reject.



What do you say?



Say this...



"I'm sorry, you'll have to do better than that" then do not

say a word. Even if it is for 1 minute, 2 minutes, 1 hour!



The next person to speak will make a concession.



It may feel uncomfortable doing this but it works.



If you are on the other end of this and you have made a

proposal or offer that has been rejected say:



"How much better do we have to do?



LEARN THIS LESSON - Be comfortable with silence!





TIP # 3

MAKE SURE YOU NEVER OFFER TO SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE



You have a price or offer in mind and so do they.



You will most likely come out with a compromise but

make sure that the other party comes out with the suggestion.



The party that makes the suggestion loses the power

of the negotiation.



How do you get the other party to make an alternative

suggestion?



Say this...



"I think we are not a million miles away on this. I am sure

we can reach and agree on some middle ground with regards

to this" then be quiet!



Never offer to split the difference because they could get you

to split the difference again!



When they have offered to split the difference you can get

them to split the difference again or you can "reluctantly accept"



LEARN THIS LESSON - Do not give away your power





TIP # 4

SHOW THEM THAT YOU ARE NOT HAPPY



Forget about all of this Maloney about having a Poker Face

when negotiating.



Instead, when anyone makes you an offer or a asks you

for a concession that you do not agree with make sure

that it is written across your face immediately.



If you do not do this they might feel that they have a chance

and will persue it further.



This is very important.



Body language gives great signals without anything having

to be said!



LESSONS TO BE LEARNED - Show the other party that you

are shocked and surprised and it will do your case wonders!



So Meganathan, I hope you enjoyed some of my top tips

for effective negotiations?



We are just scratching the surface with this one!



We love running negotiation skills courses at MTD. We are

often asked to go into company's just like yours and run

a 1 or 2-day course on the art of negotiation and take some

of the specific negotiations that you face and use them

as case studies.



It's just great!



You want to know the part I love best?



It's the part of the course when I ask one of the delegates

to play "The other side" and I play "Their side" and we run a role

play of how it should be run!



Now that makes a refreshing change! A trainer actually up

out at the front doing a role play themselves!



rgds



V