Two Negotiating Tips from Childhood

Your earliest negotiations may well have been with a sibling over who gets the bigger slice of cake or who gets the first turn on the swing.

If you think back to how you came to an agreement that worked for both of you, you might be able to come up with a few tactics that would still work. Here are two sales negotiation tips that you can adopt even in today’s business environment.

1. Be a bit of an actor. Do you know how to “flinch”? By reacting to a proposal with obvious surprise or upset, you may make an opponent so uncomfortable that s/he will concede (or at least be open to) your point of contention easily.
   
   
2. Take your time. Remember that experienced negotiators often ask for more than they expect to receive. So don’t cave in too fast. The “price” they quote or the terms that they offer may not be what they really want or need. Negotiating successfully is an art that often requires a bit of posturing and a bit of patience.