Negotiation should lead to win-win

Submitted by Mitch Seigel on Wed, 06/22/2011

Many people do not like to negotiate because it leads to confrontation. That is understandable for certain circumstances. In most cases, however, negotiation should lead to all parties involved being satisfied with the end results of the agreement. Everyone should feel like a winner.

If you do your homework carefully, negotiation can actually be avoided. The only reason negotiation is needed is when one party or another feels they are not getting a fair share of the deal, whether that represents money, service or product. So if you know the other party’s tendencies on purchasing, level of quality needed in product or service, or other aspects relating to the agreement in question, you can make adjustments prior to presenting a proposal.

Asking Questions Will Save Time, Not Take Time

Knowledge is power, as has been said before many times. So ask the questions to gain the knowledge, and then use the knowledge for positioning. How will the other party react to what you propose? And when they do react, listen to them with open ears, take notes, mentally or virtually, and respond in a way that will lead toward a mutual understanding and agreement.

Giving in is an Art in Negotiation

When working with the other party it may be that it comes down to one small piece of the agreement that is hard to determine how it should go. Often the time it takes to fight for a small piece of the agreement is worth more than the piece of the agreement itself. Think smartly and efficiently when negotiating. Giving in may be worth more than the fight.

Avoid confrontation during negotiation and think win-win. Ask questions first and react second. Giving in will be worth more than the time it takes to hold your position. Make it a fun part of business, not a challenge. It should lead directly to closing the deal.

What are your challenges when it comes to negotiating? I look forward to hearing your comments.

Until next time …