Yearly Archives: 2012

Summary: Making a final, specific demand to force a counterpart to make a decision. From time to time it may be in your best interest to “draw a line in the sand,” or create a…

Summary: Getting something in return for everything that is given up. A good rule to remember in negotiation is to get something in return every time you give up something. Example A home buyer states,…

Summary: Using statistics to support an offer or a point of view. Anytime you can incorporate Facts and Statistics into your presentation, you have a tool that your counterpart will find difficult to handle. Reliable…

Summary: Saying that the last offer is unsatisfactory in order to get a counterpart to make a better offer. The idea behind this tactic is very simple. When someone makes you an offer you think…

Summary: Pretending to be on a counterpart’s side while consulting another party who keeps vetoing deal points. The Good Guy/Bad Guy technique is very similar to the tactic of the Higher Authority but is much…

Summary: Consulting someone else before accepting an offer. The tactic of Higher Authority can work for either counterpart in a negotiation. Sometimes you cannot get a situation resolved by working with the counterpart assigned to…

Summary: Expressing disbelief to encourage a counterpart to make a better offer. Successful negotiators are good at acting surprised. They communicate the YIKES! You’ve Got to Be Kidding! message with a flinch, a sour face,…

Summary: Holding firm on an issue. Sometimes the most effective tactic in a negotiation is simply to say, “No, I am not going to do that” or, “That will not work for me.” This is…

Summary: Using silence to get a counterpart to talk. When your counterpart is a talker and you want to learn as much as you can about the product, service, or counterpart without making any type…