Negotiating made easy

Negotiating is critical to an entrepreneur’s success. Yet when it comes down to it, the task is often avoided and despised. “Most people have no idea how easy it is to influence others,” writes Cy Charney in his book The Instant Manager. Charney identifies many simple techniques you can use to achieve your objective while negotiating.

• Prove precedence: Show examples of where your idea has worked before. The best precedents come from your work area or organization. If you can’t find examples close to home, look within your industry.
• Be legitimate: Make your idea look legitimate by using documentation. Written reports will enhance a verbal presentation. Information from trade journals, citing examples of success or quoting acknowledged experts will all improve your case.
• Be persistent: If water drops on a rock, it will eventually make a hole in it. Similarly, you will wear down your opposition if you are tenacious. Demonstrate persistence by not taking “No” for an answer.
• Point out competition: Let people know that you have choices. They will feel less secure knowing that your needs can be satisfied elsewhere.
• Demonstrate your knowledge: Let people know about your expertise. Show them your qualifications. The more impressed they are with your credentials, the easier it will be to influence them. Also, demonstrate your knowledge with facts and examples of where you have been successful before.
• Be rational: Give data to back up your opinions. Presenting it in writing will further increase your power.
• Pull rank (only if you have to): You can use rank positively or negatively. If people think that you will make a decision irrespective of their opinions because your rank allows you to, they will find ways of subverting the implementation. Use rank, only as a last resort, reminding people only momentarily of your position.