Negotiation ideas….

Avoiding the Deal-Killers

One key to successful business deals is avoiding the major deal-killers while minimizing the minor gaffes that don't necessarily prevent an agreement but lead to less than ideal outcomes. These include:

• Going too fast
• Failure to establish your walk-away position
• Assuming the other side looks at the deal the same way you do
• Taking a short-term view
• Proving the other person wrong
• Failure to conduct your internal negotiations
• Negotiating against yourself
• Improper use of concessions
• Not knowing when to stop

 

Dealing with Hardball Negotiators

From time to time you will run across negotiators who like to play by their own rules. These people, referred to as "hardball negotiators," tend to have rigid thinking patterns, are unwilling to compromise and have an overwhelming need to be right. Worse, they tend to pursue win-lose outcomes. Negotiating with these people requires a careful assessment of the situation and a slower, more deliberate approach to the deal.
When faced with a hardball negotiator, the following is recommended:

1. Take a hard look at all the implications of the deal and what you stand to gain from it.
2. Hold fast to your walk-away point.
3. Don't get caught up in an auction mentality.
4. Watch out for individuals who just want to win.

Successfully negotiating with hardballers requires a three-pronged approach:

1. Step aside. Never go head-to-head with a hardball negotiator because you will always lose. Instead, strive to defuse the conflict they're looking for by acknowledging their concerns and focusing on building communication and trust.
2. Attract their interest. Give the hardballer plenty of air time to talk about what they value, what they are looking for, and any "hot" items the company has to have. To keep them talking about their interests, ask plenty of open-ended questions.
3. Close the deal. Find a way to make the hardballer look good to their boss so they will champion your position within their company. In order to cut a deal, they have to feel like they got a better outcome than they would have received from your competitors.

If these steps don't work, you may have to walk away from the deal. However, in today's environment the business that you don't take will affect your bottom line more than any business that you do take. Knowing when to say 'no' so that you can maintain margins is the sign of a good negotiator."

Chris Wilkinson.