Improve Your Negotiation Skills.

This is an important skill that helps you get what you want from others. It could be in business, marriage, or relationship. – Improve Your Negotiation Skills

Introduction

No matter the stage you are, Negotiation skills will help improve the quality of your life.

Maybe you are negotiating with a client for a project or trying to negotiate with your boss for increase in salary, or maybe negotiate with your employee to take on a task that will improve the company’s performance.

Sharpening your negotiation skills will help you get a favorable outcome from such negotiate.

There are few practice that can help improve your negotiation skills. Some of the most important practice are described below:

Be prepared

Adequate preparation is the key to favorable outcome in ever endeavor. It’s important you make research and be prepared before engaging in a negotiation.

Research about the person you want to negotiate with, who he is and what’s his personality? pay attention to how he talks so you can respond accordingly.

You can check his social media page to help learn more about him.

Research about the topic you will be negotiating, list out some possible questions he might ask and some suggestions he might make. Identify the ones you’ll accept and the ones that’ll depreciate the quality of the purpose for the negotiation.

Plan towards alternative suggestions you can make that’ll help you reach a favorable conclusion.

Define your expectation

Clearly define what you expect at the end of the negotiation, this helps you direct your negotiation effort towards the direction of your goal.

Have an alternative, in-case you didn’t get what you wanted. What else would be a good offer for you? So that you don’t leave empty handed.

Be clear about all of this before engaging in a negotiation.

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Be an active listener

You need to be an active listener to improve your negotiation skills. Listen attentively to the person on the other side. His thoughts and opinions are as important as yours.

Give him time to express himself and listen to all he has to say, avoid interrupting him while he’s speaking.

This gives you the opportunity to know more about him. You’ll also be able pick some points in his words that will help you as you proceed with the negotiation.

Once he’s done and it’s your turn to respond, prove to him that you followed up with his speech.

To do this, you can start your response by quoting one or two important points from his speech, emphasis on that a little, then connect it with your own speech and continue with your Negotiation.

Identify other person’s interest

During a negotiate, both parties usually look out for something to benefit at the end of the negotiate.

Identify what the other person want and channel your negotiation effort towards helping him get what he wants.

You can figure this out through active listening as mentioned above.

When you listen, you will be able to connect the dots to help you understand the reason why he engaged in suck negotiation and what he expect to benefit at the end of the negotiation.

Ask questions

There will be situations where you might not find yourself on the same direction as your prospect.

At this stage, it’s important you ask questions to help him expatiate on the topic. This gives you the opportunity to find a better ground for yourself when it’s time for you to express yourself.

Asking good questions help you understand the person better. Then, it becomes easy to reach a conclusion that will favor both of you.

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Make decisions promptly

During negotiation, there are situations when the other person will make a request or suggestions that does not align with your plan.

It’s best for you to decide promptly maybe to agree or disagree with his suggestion. When you choose to disagree, give a valid reason why his suggestion might not be the best decision for better outcome.

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Control your emotions

Negotiation is a conversation, not an argument. It’s not a good practice to argue with the other person.

It’s okay not to agree with his point, then you need to help him understand why you wouldn’t agree to his point.

That doesn’t mean he’s wrong, just that it might not be the best decision for the purpose of your negotiation.

Don’t disagree violently. Instead, express your objection by giving realistic points why he needs to drop such suggestions.

Solve problem

The reason we engage in negotiation is to solve problems.

During a sales negotiation, what you’re doing is helping your prospect understand how your business will help him solve a particular problem.

Focus more attention of how your product will solve such problem and what he stand to gain when he agree to your offer.

Accept mistakes

At times, people tend to cover up for mistakes before the person on the other side noticed it.

It’s not a bad thing to do, but there are situations where the mistakes might be a little costly and your prospect has noticed it already.

Then you don’t need to cover up anymore, as this might lead to unnecessary arguments. Accept your mistakes and be ready to make corrections.

Display positive attitude

It’s easy to tell when someone is positive towards you, just pay attention to what he says and his body language.

That’s the same way your prospect is paying attention to what you’re saying and watching your moves.

So be positive, be positive about yourself, about your prospect, and about your offer.

It’s not possible to will in a every negotiation. Whatever the situation might be, me remain positive and hope for the best.

Even when you lose the deal, you might be invited for a better deal next time because you are positive.

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Display Integrity

Integrity in negotiation is when you accept some suggestions that does not favor you but the suggestions are true, accurate, and valid.

Your prospect will understand that it was a had decision for you to make.

Your ability to accept such is a sign of honesty and integrity.

It means you are not only focused on winning the negotiation but you have the best interest at heart for both of you.

This will help you build trust with such prospect. You might not be the best fit for what you’re negotiating for, but he might offer you another deal where you will perform better.

And if you find out that based on some facts, you might not win the negotiation and you notice some other opportunities where you can perform better. You can propose that to him.

You stand a higher chance of a favorable response because of the integrity you’ve just displayed.

People feel comfortable around those they like and most importantly, that they trust.

Aim for a win-win situation

Don’t be self centered in a negotiation. It’s obvious you want the best for yourself, so the other person as well.

As much as you negotiate towards a favorable outcome for yourself, make sure you are also considering how your prospect can also get what he wants.

Once he find this element in your negotiation practice, this will help him reach conclusion fast because it’s a win-win situation.

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Believe in your value

To help you believe in your value, it’s important you keep improving on your value. If it’s your business, keep learning and always find ways to improve on performance.

You don’t need to be the best but try your best and let it reflect in your business performance.

Make sure your product or service will deliver the value you promise your prospect. This will increase your confidence knowing that you are giving good value.

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Don’t sell yourself short

When you have a good value to offer, all you need is to help your prospect understand what your value represent and how it will be the best decision for you.

You don’t need to force yourself on someone or try to force someone to close a deal.

Be open enough to help him see value in what you’ve brought to the table.

And if he doesn’t see it, then he might not deserve having it. Look for someone that your value will complement his personality. Such person will appreciate your value much more.

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Know when to walk away

You can’t win at every negotiation. At time you win, at times you learn but make sure to try your best and never leave without an substance that will be of help to you.

This could be winning the negotiation or lessons that will help you improve on performance during your next negotiation.

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