Business negotiation

[Kasia]

While experienced negotiators sometimes refer to their methods as the ‘negotiating game’, for start-up companies it is not a game at all – it’s more a matter of life and death in a business world.

Learning how to negotiate effectively is possible by experience only. But for me, director of a small on line start-up company, there was no opportunity to get any experience in that field. I'm thus looking for business negotiation courses, seminars, one-to-one sessions which firstly, will help me to work on my negotiation skills, secondly, won’t cost the earth or even better: would be for free.


Could someone please help me?
Thanks a lot.

Kasia

 

[Sacha]

https://www.youtube.com/results?filters=long&lclk=long&search_query=negotiation+skills

I filtered the search for 'Long' duration (which displays results longer than 20 minutes).

I can pass on advice my dad gave me which has helped me a few times, which is: be positive. Avoid being negative. You'd be surprised how powerful that is.

 

[peggyprice]

I can pass on advice my dad gave me which has helped me a few times, which is: be positive. Avoid being negative. You'd be surprised how powerful that is.

Good advice. Also, the only things I remember from the negotiation skills course I did donkey's years ago, but which have stood me in really good stead for some big negotiations over the years:
- start higher than you expect to get
- start lower than you expect to give
- look for the deal that you can both walk away from happy with
- but always be prepared to just walk away - and make it clear that you will.

 

[telabadmanwot]

Good negotiators have the personality to win an argument and let the (loosing) person walk away happy. It is something that really can not be learned, however people will try and sell you ways to improve your 'negotiation skills'.

The best thing you can do is practice. Be firm and diplomatic.

Would you like to try and negotiate something with me here, so we can see where you are at?

 

[Paul_Rosser]

For a start forget about winning and loosing, a good negotiation is all about finding an outcome which all parties are happy with, or as they call it a win-win.

If you are looking to build a long term relationship then you don't want either feeling they have lost.

 

[MOIC]

There are many inexpensive books on this subject, which I would recommend as your starting point.

Knowing the basic way negotiations take place, what your starting point and finishing point should be, as well as how never to commit at a meeting can all be explained and taught.

However, as previous posters have said, you will gain experience with every negotiation you attempt.

It hard to give specific advice unless we have specific details of the purpose of the meeting or negotiation.

Each meeting will have their relevant points which must be "argued" and agreed.

The purpose of negotiations is to agree an outcome, preferably more towards your aims than the other party.

As negotiations are give and take, make sure you have enough to give, in order to take.

Preparation is key!

If you need any assistance, feel free to send me a PM or email me directly:

[email protected]

Best of luck.

 

[RogerBa]

Lots of excellent advice in the posts above, over the years I have found that negotiating is one of those areas where role play of scenarios really does work, often things come out that you haven't thought of in your preparation and it teaches you to evaluate comments/requests from the other party and respond accordingly.

Also be sure to look at what costs you little, but has high value to the other party, these are the things to give on, and of course things that cost you a lot that the other party might ask for are things that you should avoid giving in on.

1.Never ever open with you best proposition, always have something in reserve
2.Its not just about the cost, service, quality, reliability are all important
3.Always allow the other part somewhere to go in the negotiations, if they feel backed into a corner it will not lead to a happy outcome for everybody, and most likely for nobody.
4.While in negotiations always make detailed notes and confirm what they are saying

 

[Rob75]

Hi Kasia,

You may, or may not, find this an interesting read (for the principles contained within): Effective Legal Negotiations.

Apologies but as I cannot share links I have tried to spell it out for you to copy and paste the words into a search engine:

static.knowledgevision .com account thomsonreuters assets attachment effective_Legal_Negotiations.pdf

Regards,

Rob