How to Achieve Negotiation Success Effortlessly

No one can run a business all by themself. If you want to succeed in the business world, you're going to have to learn how to deal with other people. Poor communication won't just stunt your growth, it will actively hurt your business and cost you money. 

Negotiation is one of the most important types of business communication and negotiation success leads directly to business success. Succeeding at negotiation is all about offering value to someone while receiving value in return — both things that will help you grow. 

Have you always wondered how to negotiate but didn't know how to go about it? This article will walk you through a couple of negotiation tactics to help you succeed.  

Listen 

The most important negotiation tactic is hardly a tactic at all. It's to use your ears and listen to what the person you're negotiating with is saying. They may be asking for something completely different than what you've expected; don't offer them the whole galaxy when all they want is a couple of stars.  

But it goes even beyond that.

Don't just use your ears, use your brain as well. Active listening means trying to figure out the meaning behind their words. Read them between the lines, and make them an offer they can't refuse. 

It might even help to improve your memory, so you can recall what someone said. 

Know Yourself 

However, it's not all about listening. If you don't know how far you're willing to bend, you can wind up swindled by the nicest person in the world. Heck, they don't even have to mean to swindle you if you just cave and give everything away. 

Understand what your business is about and what your values are. This isn't just a piece of philosophy, it's solid business advice. Steve Jobs' devotion to simplicity is what drove him to become as successful as he did. 

Don't Be Afraid to Walk Away 

When you're negotiating, you should always have one foot firmly out the door. Don't negotiate from a place of scarcity, but abundance.  

This will create an air of urgency. The person you're negotiating will try their hardest to get you on their side, rather than the other way around. 

In addition to this staying suspicious, staying skeptical, and being willing to kindly walk away means you're less likely to get taken for a ride. 

Develop Patience 

...that being said, don't walk away too soon. The idea that you could walk out is more powerful than walking out, usually. 

Patience wins negotiations. Often, the person who's willing to wait the other out longer and not get frustrated does the best in the end. 

Take These Tips for Negotiation Success 

At the end of the day, the best practices for negotiation success are very similar to things that great leaders do anyway. Learn to listen, but understand your own values; don't be scared to walk away, but hear everyone out first. 

Develop these skills and you'll succeed in negotiation and leadership. 

For more information on negotiation, contact us today.