Top 6 Negotiation Techniques for Business Students

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The efficiency and success of any business-related negotiations depend on the level of participants’ training. Competence, knowledge, and elastic thinking are determinant factors in the negotiation process.

Another crucial factor that contributes to the success of negotiations is the knowledge and application of the techniques. These skills help steer the meeting on the right course and prevent confrontation. A good negotiator can lead the parties into mutually beneficial cooperation.

Business students need to develop soft and hard skills in only four years. Clear, that this process takes up time, demands effort and self-discipline.

They get lectures, homework, and tons of papers. For example, every student should know the answer to “What is an exemplification essay?” Business students write them weekly. If there is little time left for paperwork, anyone could refer to the paper writing service to get their writing done faster.

Anyhow, at some point, all students will have to face real-life tasks. Negotiating deals may seem easy to untrained people. Yet, it has a multilayered structure. If we look at the most common price negotiation, it may get so brutal that Game of Thrones may suffer in comparison.

The six main methods suggested in this article are:

Small steps technique
Power Shoulder
Inner Observer
If instead of No
Empty Cabinet Method and
One-sided game

To get a Win-Win, or Win-Lose scenario, if necessary, negotiators need to know and combine different methods.

1. Small steps

The essence of this technique is in tracking the reaction to your suggestions. Do not give away all the data you have prepared for the negotiations at once. Start gradually, step by step. It is necessary to lead the second-party members to the necessary decisions observing their emotions and answers.

If the reaction disagrees with what you expected, then it would be necessary to change the course of the conversation and continue observations. When it is clear that the second party understands everything right, continue the conversation in this vein.

Every student can master this method by writing any poetry analysis essay example in class. Writing could help see the point at which the conversation, for example, takes the wrong turning.

2. Power Shoulder

This technique usually comes forwards during tough negotiations. A suitable occasion for this method is when one interlocutor realizes that he or she can influence the final decision. There will be no space for constructive negotiations thereon. This happens because one side understands its weak spots and will try to defend them at any cost. The other side, in its turn, will use manipulations. This type of negotiation implies a Win-Lose scenario for the parties involved.

3. Inner Observer

This method demands a deep knowledge of other techniques, self-control, and the ability to tell one from another on the spot. Using it in practice suggests that you should be on alert noticing tactics used by the opponents. This technique helps prevent driving off from a Win-Win scenario. It correlates with the small steps method in terms of performance.

4. If instead of No

Experienced business owners, who want to turn the outcome of a business meeting in their favor, start their suggestions with If. This simple word, used in a suitable context, allows introducing your terms to the discourse without risk of direct expression. For example, instead of “I buy the equipment at this price,” try saying, “IF I buy this equipment at this price…”. Such phrasing allows introducing your conditions in the second part of the sentence in a covert manner.

5. Empty Cabinet Method

One can use this technique to make the seller drop the price of a particular product of interest. When the second party voices the price, for example, 10 000 USD, say that you do not have so much money, you have only 7 500 USD. The seller will usually make concessions. Yet, stick with the legend and avoid the seller’s tricks. For example, he or she is likely to lower the price gradually, but remember that the budget is limited to 7,500 USD tops.

6. One-sided game

This technique suggests that the negotiator cannot make any concessions or special offers until the bargaining stage. Any of those imply a similar action from the opponent. Yet, for success, the offer given by the opponent should be more profitable than the initial one.

When a second party makes a concession, take it for granted and continue negotiations as if nothing special happened. The main task in the negotiation process should be to achieve your goals.

The presented method goes well along with the If instead of No technique.

Besides the techniques, five tips will help reach the necessary joint decision:

Effective listening. If something remains unclear, immediately ask to clarify the issue. The key here is listening to the answers and asking a couple more questions afterward.
Look for inconsistencies in the arguments of the other parties.
Make a short resume of the other party’s arguments. Yet, do not present the intentions of the other party in a negative form.
Find and make notices on areas of common interest.
Apply leadership techniques. To get more favorable conditions, learn to say no. In tough cases, leave without reaching an agreement.

Conclusion

Most people are susceptible to influence. During negotiations, ask yourself whether both parties see the situation in the same light. To see through opponents, one should know non-verbal communication methods. It is a well-known fact that people rarely say what they think with words. Such college exercises as writing a causal analysis essay topics give enough time for a proper study, notices, and endorsement. Real-life negotiations are tough. They leave little time to prepare a proper answer and control body-language expressions.

From the psychological viewpoint, all negotiation techniques are different forms of manipulation. Yet, do in Rome as the Romans do. Sticking with high moral standards is not one of the techniques leading to success.