Tips For Negotiating A Better Deal
As women in business, sometimes it can be hard to be taken seriously. The simplest things can switch potential customers or clients off; the way you are dressed, your tone of voice, or your choice of words. It seems that as women, we have to be pitch-perfect every day, every hour, every minute. This can be tiring, but thankfully, the world is changing. Day by day, it is becoming easier to make it as a female entrepreneur, and it is thanks to the tireless work of awesome boss ladies that we can make this progress.
Regardless of whether you are a woman or a man, negotiations can be tough. When you meet with a potential client, or you are the client meeting with a supplier, you go into the room with a set of ideals. This is what you want, and this is how you’re going to get it. The issue is, the person sitting opposite you has done exactly the same thing. Both of you want the best for your businesses, and both of you have bosses to answer to. So how can you negotiate a better deal? Here are three handy tips for when the pressure is on.
Asking Rhetorical Questions
Let’s say you are working with a supplier for iPhone LCD screens. You run a technical workshop and you need a new supplier for this increasingly popular product. The demand is getting more pressing, and you need to drive a hard bargain. How do you make sure your potential future supplier fixes the right price for you?
One way to do so is to ask rhetorical questions when trying to close the deal. A rhetorical question is a question with an answer so obvious that it does not need to be put into words. For example, ‘Aren’t the needs of my customers important to you?’ The supplier would never answer ‘No,’ because this would come across as unfriendly and counterintuitive. It drives home your point in a concise way that is difficult to argue with.
Preparation Is Key
If you are meeting with a potential client, you want to be the best-prepared person in the room. If you walk in with no research or prior knowledge of this person or their business, they will assume you aren’t serious about working together. They may even be offended. This is where your preparation comes in.
Learn at least three core facts about their business. For example, if you can remember how many years their business has functioned for; their last quarter’s sales figures; and some details about a specific product they sell, you will impress your colleague. They will know you are committed to this working relationship and be receptive to your suggestions.
Ensure you bring a notepad with pre-prepared ideas and notes into the meeting. This way you can write notes during the encounter, to show you are genuinely interested in what they are saying.
These handy tips will never go amiss when impressing a new client. Negotiation? No problem.
© New To HR
