Category Archives: Negotiating Tactics

Summary: Sometimes you need to toss your counterpart a rope or build a bridge that provides a path to a win-win negotiation. Example Squeaky Clean, a window washing company, is trying to get a large…

Summary: Offering less than a counterpart is asking for, hoping to make her go away. This tactic is designed for all the really nice people in the world who find it just too difficult to…

Summary: Walking away from an unacceptable deal. In any relationship, the side with the least commitment to continuing the relationship has the most power. Being able to walk away from the bargaining table when the…

Summary: Using empathy to show understanding for a counterpart’s concerns and to explain one’s own point of view. Feel, Felt, Found is effective for helping your counterpart understand your point of view. Example The buyer…

Summary: Putting the terms of the agreement in writing to ensure that both parties are on the same page. Whenever you and a counterpart reach agreement in a negotiation, you should be the one to…

Summary: Using competitive bids to put pressure on a counterpart. In most businesses, The Power of Competition can be devastating. The seller, who knows that a customer can easily go to the competition for the…

Summary: Conceding on a deal point that is not as important to one as the larger goal. To promote the long-term best interest of a relationship or accomplish a larger goal, conceding a deal point…

Summary: Appealing to a counterpart’s sense of power to get him to make a decision. Asking a question like, “Do you have the power to make this deal happen?” can be an effective tactic. Some…

Summary: Delaying a negotiation or decision to encourage the impatient counterpart to make a better offer. Salespeople are typically short on patience when they smell a deal in the air. In fact, sales trainers sometimes…

Summary: Stalling a negotiation by creating the perception one is too busy to respond to a counterpart’s request. To be an effective negotiator, you need access to the person who has the knowledge and ability…