Successful Negotiation: 5 Effective Techniques for Better Negotiation

As one of the most crucial components of modern business, negotiation occurs every day in a variety of forms, and the outcome of these negotiations can significantly impact your bottom line. Successful negotiations serve as the foundation for profitable interactions and allow you to cultivate valuable long-term business relationships. While every negotiation is different and features unique circumstances, there are certain techniques you can employ during any negotiation to enhance your position and increase the likelihood of reaching the best outcome for both parties.

Consider the five techniques below to discover how you can improve the negotiation skill set of your team, then contact Shapiro Negotiations to schedule training with our expert negotiators. When your employees participate in our strategic, interactive program, you can be sure they are prepared to secure the optimal results in the toughest of negotiations.

Encourage Conversation

In any kind of negotiation, your negotiating partner needs to know you value their perspective and take their priorities seriously. Encouraging conversation by asking open-ended questions allows you to gain valuable information and guide the negotiation process to a favorable conclusion. Display a commitment to reaching a win-win outcome from the very beginning of the negotiation and take time to resolve any remaining doubts so the agreement may be entered into with trust and confidence. Remain professional, polite, and friendly throughout the discussion and maintain open body language to signal your receptiveness.

Listen Actively

To enhance active listening skills, Shapiro Negotiations teaches “The 3 Cs” – connect, consider, and confirm. Connect with your negotiating partner by making eye contact and using their name frequently throughout the discussion. Consider your response carefully, pausing to reflect after the other party finishes speaking before formulating an appropriate response or counterargument. Confirm the goals for the discussion and the progress you have made in reaching them. By following this approach, you can learn what the other party feels is most important in the negotiation, as well as the limitations they face and the areas they may be willing to compromise.

Demonstrate Value

To negotiate effectively, you must retain an accurate idea of your product’s value and be capable of proving this value to your negotiating partner. Demonstrate your company’s expertise in the industry and highlight your record of proven results by sharing hard data concerning outcomes of past successful deals. Suggest potential clients explore reviews and testimonials to hear first-hand accounts of your company’s character, values, and dedication to delivering the highest quality products. If the product in question is only available from your company or in especially high demand, the value of your product is even higher, giving you more leverage in the negotiation.

Explore Alternatives

Negotiations rarely end after the first meeting, often involving extensive back-and-forth between both parties to adjust the terms of the deal until they feel they have achieved a win-win outcome. This requires thinking beyond the details of the initial proposal and exploring creative alternatives so you can reach a fair, acceptable agreement. You can discuss a variety of options, including requesting or proposing concessions, “expanding the pie” by widening your offer or providing compensation to make up for sacrifices made by the other party.

Know When to Walk Away

Recognize when the other party’s demands have become unreasonable or if the terms they suggest create an unprofitable outcome for your business and make the decision to walk away from the negotiating table. Before the negotiation begins, you should be aware of your limits and gather market data to support your assertion that an offer or price is not fair or reasonable. A potential client that does not value your offering or insists on drastic contract amendments will probably continue to be difficult to work with after the deal concludes, so sometimes the wisest course of action is to get out before the stakes become too high.

Learn More Negotiation Techniques with Our Training Program

Informed by science and strengthened by experience, the negotiation training program offered by Shapiro Negotiations has helped businesses improve their negotiating skills for more than twenty years. With training sessions customized for your business objectives, we can instruct your team on how to effectively utilize a wide range of techniques so they can conduct successful negotiations for years to come. Boasting an impressive 300% return on investment, our team has helped more than 250,000 people in all kinds of industries enhance their negotiating abilities and achieve the best possible outcomes in any future business deals.

If you would like to learn more about how we can prepare your business for a lucrative future, contact us today online, call (410) 662-4764, or email [email protected].