Negotiate Anything With This Three-Point Plan
Negotiation is a confusing, stressful process. But redditor B1aze688 breaks it down into three main elements : the deal you want, the deal you will take, and what you will do if you cannot get either. Never enter into negotiations until you know all three.
The deal you want is called the point of your aspiration . Make it ambitious, yet realistic, with the best offer you can expect from the interviewee. You can reveal this point during negotiations, but only if you are sure that the other party is not ready to surpass it. Research similar deals ahead of time to know how ambitious you need to be.
The worst offer you will accept is a place to book . Never disclose this to the other side, otherwise they will understand that they do not need to exaggerate. Try to find their booking point instead.
Your Plan B is called BATNA: Better Alternative to Negotiated Agreement . It should be worse than getting a booking point, but better than any worst deal the other party has to offer. If you are negotiating a salary, your BATNA may be a different job. You can call your BATNA during a negotiation, but don’t act like you want more than a good deal.
Know the appropriate tone and volume of your negotiations; maybe you’re missing out on some kind of sweetener to the deal, or forgetting that you have to work with the other party for years to come. But always keep these three points in mind.
More tips can be found in the original Reddit post and in the comment thread; for example, you can apply the same three points to personal goals, to negotiate with yourself and decide when to use BATNA, such as outsourcing or abandoning a project.