How to Negotiate

Getting what you want is the goal in everyone’s life. Admit it. You want what you want when you want it. But sometimes, not everyone else agrees with you. So, you have to negotiate for what you want. The subtle art of negotiation is something that not everyone is comfortable doing, but if you want to get the things you want out of life, then you’re going to have to learn how to talk to someone else about what you want…and hopefully talk them into what you want.

Know Your Argument

Before you can begin to talk someone else into something, you need to be crystal clear about what you want from the other person. Take some time to look into the argument you want to make, why you want to make it, what the benefits are, what the downsides are, etc. Being prepared with every single possible counter-argument will allow you to be effective when you negotiate. When you are aware of both sides of the situation, this will allow you to be more engaged in the conversation and not come across like a jerk when you state your points. You’ll be a well-thought out jerk instead.

Encourage the Other Person to Please You

Other people are always looking to please others; even if they say they’re not. When you sit down with another person to negotiate, you might want to spend some time thinking about how the things you want will please you. Bring up these points during your discussion so that the other person can see just how much their decision to agree with you will help you too. This will allow them to feel good about changing their tune since they are seeing a benefit in the way that you feel. You might want to be sneaky about this, though, as some people already know that you are trying to manipulate them. Focus on letting them know the benefits of their decision, not only to you, but also to those around them. They will come around all the more quickly.

Listen to their Concerns

You will also want to make sure you are listening to the other person’s concerns, even if you have no intention of following through with addressing their concerns. Focus on showing them that you can listen and that you are going to be open to hearing them out. In doing so, you will allow yourself to seem like the good guy or gal. Address each of their concerns and validate these concerns. In doing so, you will allow the other person to be a part of a conversation, even if you aren’t going to accept any other answer but the one you want.

Negotiation could be seen as a contact sport, but it’s more like a discussion with only one end result. When you go into the conversation prepared, the other person will not know what hit them and they will nearly always nod their head yes in the end.