There are many potential scenarios in your career where you’ll have to negotiate. Although each type of situation will require different negotiation tactics, there are a few principles that increase the chances of success whatever it is you’re negotiating for. Here are some tips to help you succeed at the negotiation table regardless of whether the discussion is about salary, hours, employee relations, new business opportunities or any other workplace or business issue.
1. Know You Deserve It
Whatever it is you’re asking for, you’ll have to convince the people you’re negotiating with that you deserve to have it. If you’re negotiating a contract with a potential new client, for example, think about why you deserve to have work coming your way from this person. Once you’re confident that you’re the best candidate, you’ll be able to instil that same confidence in others.
2. Get Examples
Put your case forward by presenting examples of individuals comparable to you getting what you’re asking for. For instance, if you’re in a results-based profession and you think you can still hit your targets while working different hours, negotiate a new working arrangement with your boss by finding examples of people in your field who’ve been trusted to produce the goods without working the traditional 9-to-5 and have repaid that trust.
3. Role-Play
Fine tune your negotiation technique by role-playing. Get someone to act out different scenarios with you so you’ll get a feel for how things might play out once you’re face-to-face with the real negotiator and will be ready for anything.
4. Set Boundaries
Before getting into the negotiations, think about to what extent you’re willing to compromise. For example if you’re negotiating the salary for your new job, what’s the minimum amount you’d be willing to accept? Asking yourself this question beforehand will give you a clear mind at the negotiation table and gives you room to be flexible without selling yourself short.
5. Build a Business Case
Approach the negotiation process as if you were presenting a new business idea to potential investors. Just as a would-be entrepreneur needs to present a business plan to the bank when applying for a loan, you need to present hard evidence to negotiators to convince them that they should give you what you want. Let’s say you’re a contractor who’s trying to get a new client on board – you need to present them with a business case that includes quantifiable information such as the level of your output for existing clients, or the percentage of a client’s revenue that your services or products have been directly responsible for.
6. Have a Confidant
Having someone to confide in and bounce ideas off of can help you develop a winning negotiation strategy. Pick someone who knows you and your situation well and who you can trust. This person might be your career or life coach, a mentor or a former colleague you’re still on good terms with.
7. Ask for Help
The negotiation process isn’t necessarily just between you and whoever you’re negotiating with. There may be other people involved in the situation, people who you can get on your side. For example if you’ve been offered a new job through a recruiter or head-hunter and are now negotiating the terms of the contract with the employer, see if your recruitment agent is willing to act as an intermediary on your behalf. They really should be willing, seeing as it’s in their best interests that you accept the job offer.
8. Get Inside the Negotiator’s Head
Whoever you’re negotiating with will be coming to the table with their own motives, objectives and responsibilities. By seeking to understand the needs and desires of your negotiator, you’ll be in a position to show them what would be in it for them if they were to give you what you want. You can get an idea of what’s going on for your negotiator by looking at what their function within the company is, what the purpose of that function is, what issues they focus on in meetings and emails, and so on.
9. Think Offers Over
If you’re negotiating something quantifiable like hours, wages or prices don’t feel pressurised into accepting the first offer on the spot. Tell your employer, supplier or whoever it is that you’ll need time to think the offer over and will get back to them.
10. Be Creative
If you don’t get your ideal result, think creatively about what alternative outcomes you’d be happy with. Even if the negotiator can’t or won’t give you what you want, they may still be able to help you achieve the objective that was the motivation for you putting in the request in the first place. For instance if you work shifts and have failed to get more weekend shifts to free yourself up for other commitments during the week, ask your boss if you can have more evening shifts instead so you can still get some daytime free-time.