5 Ways to Negotiate Like a Boss

In the last article, we established how important it is to negotiate without fear. In this article, we will discuss practical tips on how to negotiate like a boss.

These tips are based on life experiences, experiments and testimonials. in summary, they are tried and tested tips.

Remember, in life, you don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.

5 Tips to Negotiate Like a Boss

1. Observe: This is the first step to a successful negotiation. Observe the environment. Your negotiation strategy in a market will be different from your strategy in a supermarket. Observe the person – is the seller friendly, irritable, sad, happy, eager etc.? Pay attention to the body language and the people surrounding them. Observe the mood of the environment. If the other people around that person are tense, they might dissuade your seller. Know your seller. If you understand where they’re coming from, you can also explain things in terms that are meaningful to them, and you will be better prepared to adapt to the dialogue as terms change.
2. Be Realistic: Price is what you pay, value is what you get. Make a mental estimate – what is the best price to pay for this service or product in comparison to the value you will get? Be realistic. In fact, put yourself in the seller’s shoes. Don’t be inconsiderate (e.g. Don’t ask them to sell an iphone to you for $100. Be realistic).
3. Connect on a Personal Level: Say hello, be polite. To begin with, ask about their day. If they look sad, ask them to smile, genuinely care. Once you can connect, they will be more open to listening and negotiating with you. Information creates trust. When you keep your cards too close to your chest, people become wary. Open up and share as much information as you can with people to give them the full scope of your thinking.
4. Know When to Demand, Tease and Beg: Based on your observation, you will know what negotiation strategy to apply. Should you demand like it’s your right? Should you playfully ask and throw in a few complements? Do you just beg and admit the person is doing you a favor? Would it be better to just add more products and get a mass bargain? You need to know.
5. Know When to Push and When to Walkaway: Many people can’t deal with the pain of initial rejection. When they hear their first no, they give up. Others just keep pressing without threshold. In general, be sensitive to the other person and the overall situation. If you lose a negotiation, it’s okay; you will learn ways not to do it in future and find a better way to do it next time.

Most importantly, be Daring. As a matter of fact, dare to ask for what you want, dare to negotiate.

Finally, if you do not intend to compromise, you should not even bother negotiating (Negotiation is a back and forth, not an express decision between two parties).

With Love,

Blessing Abeng

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