Negotiating Tips: Tip 1 of 8

Hello All:

If you have read my blog for any length of time, you will know that I have given a lot of negotiating tips to you to use in your personal and professional lives. That being said, I would like to give you another 8 tips over the next eight posts; these too will allow you to have the edge on your opponent when negotiating!

Be willing to Negotiate:

Some people are too shy to talk about money. Others think it's rude or demeaning. And in many cases they're right. However, when it comes to doing a deal - and we all have to sometimes - being unwilling to engage in "money-talk" can be a very expensive business.

There are a lot of experienced negotiators out there. If you're buying a house or a car, or taking a new job, you can be sure you'll have to deal with such a person. If they can see you're timid about the whole business, many will take advantage of that fact.

You also shouldn't be shy about turning something that may not immediately appear to be a negotiation into one. If I'm buying a few expensive things from the same store, I'll often ask them to throw something in for free or reduce the price. Just because there's no sign saying you can do that, doesn't mean you can't. Often, simply by asking for something extra I'll get a better deal.

Until next time be well.

James A. Gage

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Negotiating Tip of The Month Feb 2010

Never be the first person to name a figure

This is an expensive lesson to have to learn, but a good one. I do a lot of contract work, and one of the first questions I'm usually asked is "What's your hourly rate?". This is a high pressure question, and I often found myself blurting out a figure that was lower than what I really wanted.

These days, I've learned the importance of getting the other person to say a number first. Now, I respond to that question by asking "What's the budget for this contract? Or, what were you expecting to get for this....". Often, I'm surprised to discover they're offering me a better deal than I thought they were.

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Negotiating Tip: Arriving at The Negotiations

Hello Everyone:

Today we will talk about arriving at the location you will be negotiating at. Now I know a lot of negotiations are done over the telephone, but today we will concentrate on in person negotiating.

When arriving at a location designated for the negotiations keep these tips in mind:

--> Always call the day of the negotiations to confirm! Nothing worse then to be the only one showing up!

--> Arrive 5-10 minutes early so you can scan your surroundings

--> Dress appropriately, always dress like a professional

--> Always present your business card to the receptionist

--> Shut off all cell phones and electronic devices

these are just a few tips you should keep in mind.

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Until next time - be well.

James A. Gage