Here at Nouri.sh we appreciate the skills involved in negotiation. If you don’t ask, you certainly don’t get.

There are some instances where negotiation is almost a prerequisite, for example a car boot sale or market. Equally there are situations when it is probably not going to happen, like in a restaurant or high-street store. This is not to say it is impossible, just less appropriate and more complicated as the person you are dealing with is not likely to be the decision maker.

Here are 5 tips to prepare you for your next negotiation.

• Be prepared

You need to understand who you are negotiating with. What drives them and what are their priorities? If you can figure out how they do business you should be able to deduce how to push their buttons.

• Be attentive

Listen very carefully to what the other person is saying and don’t get carried away talking. You will talk yourself in to a hole. Listen, and try to understand what you are up against. Ask them what they want to get out of the deal to give you a starting point for the negotiations.  This can be a tricky one as you will both want the other to make the first move, but find the right tone and you have nailed it.

• Add value

If you are selling something, your aim is to add value without lowering the cost of the item. Perhaps you know of extras you could offer which are of very low cost to you but could help you seal the deal. If you are prepared, you will already know what adds value to their business.

• Justify your offer

If you are making a lower offer you need to present your justification. Does the item/service come with additional features you don’t require, or can you source it cheaper elsewhere? Explaining the logic behind your offer ensures your credibility and it highlights that you have doubt. If you simply say, what is your best price, that shows that you are already interested and will not always yield results.

• Everyone is a winner

A deal must be win-win otherwise both parties would not agree. If the seller agrees a really low price they must have some motivation for this, desperation could be one of them! Both parties should understand what they want to achieve from the deal, then you can discuss how to best meet most of these requirements.

If you need to negotiate an email marketing solution for your business, click here to contact the Nouri.sh team.