How to Negotiate Effectively (Creating Success)

Emphasise the value of what you are offering. We do this by emphasising the apparent cost to us, using phrases like 'That would create a precedent' or 'That would be very difficult'. If there is no apparent or believable cost to us, we are really conceding or trading nothing in the mind of our opponent.

The more we can maximise the true value of what we have to offer, the greater the concession appears to be. Here is a simple checklist to help establish the value of any concession we make:

• Make it clear that it is very difficult to give - for example, because of your superior technology, the technicalities of the process involved or the cost involved.

• Where it helps your case, quantify that cost, and multiply it up - for example, the cost per annum, the cost if every buyer or user had the same arrangement. By doing this you can quite easily make it appear totally unreasonable and in doing so lower their aspiration.

• Refer to major problems solved, or obstacles removed. Refer to savings gained and quantify wherever possible.

• Refer to past gains either for this company or for other companies, which you can use as testimonial material.

• Imply that this is not your company policy.

• Refer to opportunities that it can open up.

• Refer to preferences it can satisfy.

• In all of this, remember to use MDSA©.