Whether you’re at a flea market or hiring a vendor, see if these negotiating tips can help you get the deal you’re looking for.
Remember  it’s not personal. “As soon as emotions enter into the transaction, you’re going to lose,†says Kit Yarrow, a professor of consumer psychology at Golden Gate University, in San Francisco.
Do your homework. You’ll feel confident, and “if you tell the salesman that you know it’s last year’s model, you will disarm him,†says Ken Hall, the chief Teamsters Union negotiator for 215,000 UPS drivers.
Stay calm. Starting an argument won’t help your chances.
Start simple. Practice negotiating where the stakes are low, like at a yard sale.
Follow through. If you get the offer you were looking for, take it. “Don’t keep angling for more,†says Dominick Misino, a retired hostage negotiator for the New York Police Department.
Also, check out this article on How to Negotiate Anything.
ETS
KNOW YOUR WORTH! I know too many people who are “scared” to negotiate with an employer – especially young professionals.
If you think you’re being lowballed and especially if you have other offers on the table, encourage ALL of them to give you more. I never take the first offer – even with start dates. I try to make sure there is always some downtime between my last job and my new job.
June 4, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Fredric
couldn’t agree more gene. remember, we talked about getting to the negotiating table walking softly and carrying a big stick!
June 4, 2007 at 1:32 pm