Yearly Archives: 2012

Summary: Asking a counterpart what he would do if the position were reversed. If your counterpart asks for something that is totally unreasonable or does not make good business sense to you, a great question…

Summary: Telling a counterpart to go ahead and act on a “threat” or “challenge” she has issued. Once in a while, one party in a negotiation may say something outrageous in the belief that his…

Summary: Asking a question to redirect the conversation. It may not be in your best interest to answer a counterpart’s question if you do not have enough information to make an educated or appropriate response….

Summary: Apologizing for making a mistake or failing to meet all agreements. The ability to say, “I am sorry,” or, “I made a mistake,” is a strength, not a weakness. When you are humble, your…

Summary: Forcing a counterpart to let go of past issues and look at what’s ahead. Sometimes counterparts get into conflict and start blaming each other for negative things that have happened in the past. (This…

Summary: Attempting to upsell a counterpart by offering extras. One of the challenges everyone faces is the aggressive salesperson who pushes additional products or services. The perfect model of this tactic is the fast-food cashier…

Summary: Asking questions to reveal any hidden motives behind a counterpart’s rejection of a deal point. To be an effective negotiator, you have to learn to Uncover the Real Reason behind a counterpart’s resistance. Example….

Summary: Putting conditions on an agreement in order to protect oneself. The Safeguard is employed when a relationship is new or you have little or no trust in it. The tactic is designed to protect…