Negotiating Strategies

There are nineteen negotiating strategies, techniques and tactics in the following list, spread out over five pages. Learning all of them is best, of course, at least for self defense when they are used again at you. For your own use you will probably naturally gravitate toward a few that go well with your personality.

1. Limited Authority

Limited authority may be a reality, or may be a negotiating tactic. In real estate it is common to say something like "I'm not sure if I can do that. I have to okay it with my wife." That may or may not be true, but it is a way of putting off the issue, or possibly getting the other side to drop it, or making your rejection of the idea less personal ("Sorry, my wife said no").

When it's used against you, a subtle ego-attack may reveal it to be just a tactical move. Try something like, "If you can't make that decision, who has the authority to decide? Should I wait and talk to someone else?" Sometimes he'll feel inclined to "prove" he has some authority, and will make the decision after all.

When you use the tactic yourself, try it in a way that encourages the other side to concede something. You might say, for example, "I don't know if my partner would be okay with that or not. I'll tell you what; If we can cut the price by $2 per unit I can probably get him to agree." Also, if they try the ego-attack on you, just smile and say, "Sorry guys, they insist that I do the negotiating, even if they won't give me total authority."

2. Stingy Concessions

Negotiating is full of emotional elements and needs. One of the most important is the need for a negotiator to feel he has done well - that he's "won" something. He won't get that feeling if he asks for ten things and you casually say, "okay." Even with points you can easily concede, be stingy in your concessions, so the other side can go to battle and emerge victorious. They will be more likely to give you what you really want if they feel they have already "won" on many points.

A related negotiating strategy is to use each concession to get a bit for your side. If there are things you win, but don't need, these can be offered up later in order to get what you really need.

3. Win-Win Solutions

Always look for win-win solutions, and present them as such. When I was selling real estate, it was common for sellers to think that buyers wanted the lowest price they could get. The sellers often wanted the highest price, but buyers usually wanted an easy transaction, lower costs and lower payments. A seller that gives these things can get a higher price and both sides will win.

If you need to get the garage cleaned, and your son wants a new watch, you have the makings of a win-win negotiation. You might tell him, "Look, you want that watch, and I want a clean garage. Let's both get what we want okay? Clean it up today and we'll get your watch. How's that sound?"

The key to good win-win solutions is to find non-conflicting needs or wants. Notice how some conservation groups negotiate to stop private land development. They want the land left wild, and the owners want to get some value out of the land and still be able to use the house, ranch, etc. So the groups buy a "conservation easement," preventing development, but leaving the title with the current owners. Both sides win, which makes this one of the best of these negotiating strategies.

Continues here... Negotiation Strategies - More strategies and techniques you can use.