Some people are born "hagglers" and love the sport of negotiations just for the sake of negotiating. Others, perhaps most of us, don't relish the idea of formal negotiations because we view is as an adversarial process and we aren't comfortable. But business negotiations, be it personal like negotiating the price on a car or professional as in negotiating a sale or contract, doesn't have to be an adversarial experience. Just follow these simple tips to make negotiating an easier task to accomplish.
1. Know what you want
Know what you really want specifically. Just saying you want the lowest price on a car doesn't really describe what you desire. You may want the lowest price on a car that is loaded with options and comes with free maintenance and a five year warranty. What you want will cost more than simply the lowest price on a car.
2. Do your homework
Know as much about the item you are negotiating as you can. Having accurate information allows you to make informed decisions rather than relying on emotional responses. It also prepares you to counter offers effectively.
3. Negotiate the deal not the negotiator
Particularly in business negotiations, separate the relationship you have with the person from the subject you are negotiating. Keep personalities out of it and focus on what you really want to achieve.
4. Focus on the easy stuff
Find areas that you can agree upon and focus on those. Try to present your side in terms of how it will help the other person accomplish their goals and needs. The easiest way to do that is to demonstrate what you both agree on and then work from there.
5. Turn negotiations into a team effort
If you start out thinking that negotiations is a contest where someone wins and the other person loses, then it's obviously going to become adversarial. If however you can foster the idea that the two of you are there to work as a team to accomplish both parties' objectives, then it becomes a problem solving process with the two of you working towards a common goal. This will result in the compromises necessary and in all likelihood, a better deal than could be reached otherwise.
6. Avoid ultimatums
If you reach an impasse in the talks, don't be pressured into issuing an ultimatum. Take some time away from the negotiation and reflect on the progress so far. Look at the issue from the other person's side and try to determine what the real reason for their sticking point is. When you know this then you can brainstorm ways to accommodate in and go forward.
7. Best strategies
Follow these quick tips and be a better negotiator. Try to avoid deadlines when possible. A deadline just adds pressure where pressure isn't needed. Avoid personal opinions. Everything you present should be based on logic not opinion. Summarize frequently as this keeps the talks focused and gets another "agreement" from the other person as to progress. Never lose your sense of humor; it is after all just a negotiation not a declaration of war.
Following these simple tasks should make your negotiation easier to face and have far more effective results.