Matias Campiani a top business professional understands the power of negotiation. Negotiation is not just a skill required by the Special Forces to deal with terrorists; it is a skill we use every day as humans and especially in our work or business. In business terms we will negotiate new contracts either with suppliers or new team members.

So here is the best way to negotiate successfully:

  1. Make sure you know what you are aiming for. This sounds simple, but the hardest part is sticking to your guns. A way to think this through is to think what the best result for you would be. Then, what is the most you can change this by to still be successful in your goal. Also thinking through what you will do next if the deal isn’t negotiated on your terms is a necessary requirement. In this way you won’t get flummoxed into either accepting a deal that won’t financially work for you or telling the person no, when in reality they are your best or sometimes only option. When you have a clear plan of all of these things in your head, you will be able to do your best negotiating.
  • Create your negotiation strategy, this is more if you have a problem that needs solving and it is basically how you will present that problem to the other party or parties to ensure that they will take it seriously and work with you to come to a solution. When negotiating in a business setting this might mean that you have to explain to the other party why you can’t offer any more than you are already. If it is with a supplier than the obvious way is to ensure you have prices prepared from other companies to help you with the negotiation.
  • You will have a way that you negotiate which is referred to as your negotiation signature. This is the way you will do it; will you go in hard and fast or very calm and soft. Will you just chat along and then get down to business. This is very personal part of negotiating and probably something that you will change as you get more experience and see where you failed or succeeded. It may sound silly but you could always practice this with a friend or colleague who is an experienced and successful negotiator and who will give you feedback.
  • A skill used by some is to pretend to be reluctant about the deal. Human instinct will then kick in with the other party and they will be afraid to lose the deal so might actually settle for much less than they had hoped for. It is difficult to do this and you have to keep your cool. You can convey reluctance through your body language by leaning back in your chair, looking slightly disinterested, perhaps with your hand on your chin now and again. What you say and how you say it can also make you seem reluctant. Use negative language such as I am not sure, or I don’t think we can do that.

So, now you know the best basic tactics, go and get that deal!