Lessons In Negotiating From The Young: Picking The Right Approach For Your Sales Negotiations.

Have you ever tried to reason with with a 2 year old?

Were you surprised with their negotiation skills?

Well, my son is now almost 2 and half years old and has suddenly discovered that he has a will - a seriously strong will at that. Typical of children at this stage, he is far more interested in getting what he wants than with executing his mother or father's wishes.

It appears to me that as children we tend to be assertive rather than accommodating in our communication with others. We are only concerned with satisfying our own needs and wants rather than accommodating the needs and desires of those around us.

It is only as we age that we learn the world does not in fact revolve around us and that we have to fit into the world in a responsible and positive way. We learn that we can not only do as we wish but also have to consider the rights, feelings and desires of others.

This made me think about the 5 basic negotiation strategies and how you can use them to underpin the achievement of your sales negotiation targets.

1.Competitive negotiation

This is a style of negotiation that is primarily assertive and concerned only with your own needs, wants and targets.

2.Accommodating negotiation

This is a mode of negotiation that is primarily concerned only with the needs, desires and targets of your counterpart whilst ignoring your own needs. Sales training seminars often teach this negotiation strategy as the most suitable strategy.

3.Compromising negotiation

Probably the best known of all negotiation strategies. This is a mode of negotiation where you meet your counterpart in the middle. You get some of your needs, wants and targets met and you reciprocate for your counterpart.

4.Collaborative negotiation

This is a style of negotiation where you attempt to meet all of the needs, wants and objectives of your counterparts and they reciprocate.

5.Avoiding negotiation

This is a style of interaction where you do not regard negotiation as the best method to attain your targets.

The key factors which will determine which of the above approaches should be in your negotiations is to answer the following 3 questions:

a.What is the Importance of an ongoing relationship to you?

If the relationship is critical, then you will not be able to be only assertive, you will have to at least compromise with your counterparts. If you do not satisfy the requirements of your counterparts, then it is unlikely that a meaningful relationship will develop.

b.How many options are available to you?

If you have many alternatives available, you can afford to be more competitive. Conversely, if you have no alternatives, then you will be required to be more accommodating.

c.How much time is at your disposal?

If you have a lot of time available, then you can certainly be more competitive. The less time you have, the more accommodating you will have to be.

As you can see, it is important to ask yourself these three questions before you start negotiating so that you can select the approach best suited to the situation at hand rather than just following a negotiation strategy solely based on your preference.

It is also important to remember that you should be flexible in your approach. You may want to amend your strategy as new information becomes available during your negotiations.

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