Improve Your Negotiation Skills by Leaving Needs at the Door
When you are negotiating, needs can kill your position. If you absolutely need something, the other party can use it for a better deal. Try to leave as many needs outside the door as possible to better negotiate.
While it’s true that you can’t do without certain needs, personal finance site Free to Pursue explains that when we think of certain needs as “wouldn’t that be nice,” it’s easier for us to leave. In fact, we often think of some optional things as “needs,” when in fact they are not. This way of thinking makes it difficult to refuse. And if you cannot say no, you cannot negotiate effectively:
When we categorize every potential acquisition as “would be good,” it means that we know that we have the ability to withdraw from negotiations at any time. When we negotiate “it would be nice,” we use logic and hold back most of the emotions — those things that make us act stupid and unpredictable. This transforms us from bums to bargainers because we become more patient, self-confident, and less likely to seek a quick solution.
For example, if you are going to buy a car, you might think that you “need” extra trunk space. After all, you have children. However, by thinking of this need as “however good,” you have more opportunities to leave. While this may not work for everyone – it’s hard to turn down a job offer if you’ve been looking for six months – there are usually many areas where our “needs” are something we can get away from. And it’s easier to negotiate with them.
Here’s What Kills Our Ability to Negotiate – Part 1 | Free to use via Rockstar Finance