All posts by Peter Barron Stark

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…

Summary: Selecting the midpoint between two counterparts’ offers. When two parties are apart on an issue and the negotiation seems to be at a stalemate, one counterpart can offer to split the difference with the…

Summary: Promoting full disclosure by informing a counterpart of both the positive and negative aspects of a proposal. This tactic is wonderful for promoting full disclosure in a negotiation, and it helps build stronger bonds…

Summary: Sticking to minor concessions in the opening rounds of a negotiation. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you are going to concede in the opening rounds of a negotiation, Concede Small. Example You…

Summary: Using an open-ended question to get more expansive or revealing information from a counterpart. Open-ended questions almost always start with who, what, where, when, how, or why. They play a strong role in negotiations…

Summary: Using a restrictive question to get a direct answer or specific bit of information from a counterpart. Anytime you are trying to win a concession or gain a deal point in a negotiation, Asking…

Summary: Citing the opinion of an authority to gain clout. One of the more powerful tactics to utilize when presenting information in a negotiation is to cite the opinion of an expert. Example A man…

Summary: Pushing a counterpart to provide his best offer by implying that the offer “on the table” is unsatisfactory. A great way to practice your negotiation skills is to simply get in the habit of…