Be an Expert Negotiator
Edited by Mary Lloyda, Lynn, Ephraim, Christine dela Cruz and 2 others
Sharpen your bargaining tactics and have your way with just about anything!
Negotiation is a form of conversation between two parties, with the objective of overcoming certain differences in view point in order to arrive at an understanding and gainful end. This term is most often used in business, particularly in sales, where the ultimate goal is to reach an agreement from the client to avail of the products and/or services.
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Strategies in Negotiation
- 1This is usually used in extremely formal and highly professional settings where an expert negotiator is hired by a company to represent them during negotiations.Formal Negotiation.
- 2This is typically used in situations that do not require very extensive dialogue with a lot of technical information. Sales meetings where scope of services and pricing usually fall under this category.Informal Negotiation.
Situations
- 1You are the driver and your main objective is to stop him from issuing a ticket. Key moves here are to look sheepish and speak calmly. Let the traffic cop feel he's in command, and that he's the boss. Address him as "Sir" or "Boss" at all times. This show of subservience will disarm him, whether he shows it or not.A traffic cop flags you down for a violation.
2
You have to get on a plane
. 3
You need to buy a car on a budget
. 4
A robber has approached you at the ATM
. 5
Your company has assigned you a project that you know is doomed from the start
. Terms of Negotiation
These are the proper way to negotiate when you are in the different situations mentioned above.
- 11 -- If you've been a driver for a long time, you'll know these traffic cops have heard all sorts of crazy reasons to justify traffic violations. You'll also know that a number of them have gotten used to motorists forking over money. It's not a good idea to shell out cash, because one, you don't want to hand over money to corrupt cops, and two, you don't want to get slammed by an honest cop. The best way to avoid getting a ticket is to offer to give the traffic cop something in kind. The best things to offer are souvenirs, magazines, cologne or food. You can say something like "Sir, I'm sorry. I was confused with the road. Is it okay to give you a gift? There is an emergency situation with my family." Then you hand them the gifts. At first, they'll laugh and rib you about it. Just banter with them. In about 20 to 30 minutes max, they'll let you go.Situation No.
- 22 -- If the counter person is not buying your spiels, it is time to hunt down a sympathetic passenger on the same flight who would consider giving up his or her ticket for you. Use the same reasons and tactics you used on the counter person. In this case, you can offer to buy the legit passenger's ticket. You can even offer to add an extra amount to the original price of the ticket. You can both have the airline personnel take care of the switch. In this case, there's no need to feel guilty. You wanted to be on the flight and he or she could afford not to take it. You even paid for the ticket. It's a win-win situation for both of you.Situation No.
- 33 -- First, find out why the seller is putting up the car for sale. If he tells you, then that means his need for cold hard cash is urgent. Judge the situation according to the degree of his desperation. If he's not that desperate, bring up the car's flaws subtly. After that, ask him how much his asking price is again. If he says it again, you could trim down the price. For example, if the price is $1000, you can ask for $800 and say an excuse like, "I have to repaint it or repair the damages, after all." Keep up this haggling until the seller is worn down and states his last price. If the seller says $900, say, "I can come up with $850 cash in two hours. We can withdraw it from the bank." Don't underestimate the power of cold hard cash. In this case, it pays to put your money where your mouth is.Situation No.
- 44 -- If you've already given him the cash and valuables you have and he still insists that you clean out your account, it's another story. When this happens, tell him calmly, "Oh no, my ATM card has a withdrawal limit and I've already exceeded It." If he insists that you put your card back in to withdraw money, simply key in the wrong PIN. If he accuses you of being sneaky, tell him simply that the PIN is automatically rejected when the withdrawal limit is exceeded. If he continues to threaten you, tell him that you'll hand over your ATM card to him so he can use it himself. You can just give him the wrong PIN. Of course, you'd have your card reported stolen way before then. However, if the robber seems rabid or high on drugs, you just have to give him what he wants. Remember that property or cash may be recovered later or replaced. There's no getting around the fact that you just have one life to live.Situation No.
- 55 -- Within the first three days of taking on the project, you should make it clear that you don't quite understand what is expected. A day or two later, inform a higher up that you're extremely concerned that you don't have the necessary skills to see the project through. Hint that you're also dealing with stress at home. By the fifth day, submit your "It's not the project, it's me" resignation letter. Submit it at the end of the workday so you won't be subjected to requests of withdrawing your resignation. If you really want to get out of it badly enough, say, "I feel that members of the team don't trust me. I can't work effectively if they don't trust me. I am willing to be assigned to other projects that I know I can excel in. Sadly, I feel I am not equipped to excel in this one. It'd be a disservice to the company if I stay in the position." By doing this, it establishes the fact that you are a perfectionist who looks after your company's well-being.Situation No.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
