One Easy Negotiation Skills Method That Will Instantly Produce Improved Negotiation Results

There is one easy negotiation skills method that can be used by anyone to immediately and positively impact their negotiation outcomes. This method is to always (yes always) overstate your expectations at the negotiation table.

Henry Kissinger, the well-known American Secretary of State stated: Effectiveness at the conference table depends upon overstating one's demands, a well known quote referred to in both negotiation training and sales training courses. There are several grounds why it is key for you to begin with high aspirations when you participate in negotiations:

1. Research has confirmed that high aspirations will steadily outdo low aspirations. It could be said that if you want to hit the moon, you must aim for the stars. You will be surprised by the effectiveness of something so straightforward. Many of my customers are thrilled when they realise that they can accomplish much more from their negotiations by simply requesting more!

2. Having high aspirations will allow you to 'anchor' the negotiation around your goals. It is much better 'anchoring' negotiations around your aspirational level rather than your minimum acceptable level. Having high aspirations express self-assurance and serves to emphasize the quality of your suggestions.

3. Perhaps most importantly, having high goals will present you with the opportunity to be flexible in your negotiations. Research tells us that most people compare their achievements at the negotiation table with their ability to achieve concessions from their counterparty. The reality is that the other side will have no motivation to be flexible or to make concessions to you if you are not prepared and able to grant concessions to them.

Therefore, if you do not permit yourself some 'room to move' then you risk coming across to the other side as someone who is uncompromising and unprepared to make concessions. Please note that I am NOT suggesting that you start your negotiations with elaborate and unrealistic demands. Your opening offer must show a level that is realistic and that you are able to rationalise using a solid, factual argument. It can be high risk using unrealistic requirements and offers as your counterpart may well decide not to negotiate with you at all.

Some time ago I worked with a large multi-national business who used an approach of 'the price we demand is the only price we sell at'. As they are a well recognised and old company in the USA, they have become known as the type of business that has a conservative approach to business and have learned to live with this approach. However, when using this method in Poland, the company realised that they were being seen as being inflexible by the other side because they would never budge on their prices.

In Polish business culture this method was not acceptable and they found it exceedingly difficult to finalise transactions in the Polish market place. The simple remedy was for them to ask for a little more than their standard prices so that they could permit clients the chance to negotiate with them and to gain some concessions from them. This method proved to be very successful for them.

Of course, bear in mind that 9 out of 10 times your counterparty's first offer will be an aspirational goal, not their minimum anticipated results. This means that you should never agree to any first offer that is made - you should always negotiate!

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