Negotiation is a skill that you can learn, it’s not an elusive skill given only to those who were “chosen.” If you want to start getting what you’re worth, improve your chances of success in life, and improve your business communication skills… then you need to learn how to be a good negotiator.

It’s not that complicated, you just follow these simple rules

Know thy enemy and know thyself

Before you start any negotiation, the first thing you have to do is assess the situation. What are their needs? What are your needs? What do you have that the other party doesn’t?

Guess what will happen when you come to the table without any information about the other party. You’ll feel powerless. But if you come to the table with information about the other party’s situation, you’ll have ammunition.

Know exactly what you want to get out of the negotiation

Set your goals, and your fallback, and list what you’re prepared to offer in exchange. Knowing your goal and fallback position gives you clarity, it tells you what to aim for and what to settle for. Of course, knowing the other party’s goal and fallback position will also help.

Don’t tell the other party any more than they need to know

Is your annual report next week? Are you desperate for a new set of clients? Well, the other party doesn’t need to know that. Giving them information about your urgent needs is giving them ammunition, which they can use to their advantage during the negotiation. Remember, business communication skill isn’t all about talking. You need to learn when to keep quiet, too!

Negotiate all possible options before giving a discount

What do good negotiators know? Price isn’t the most important thing. Use good business communication skills to negotiate other terms of an agreement, such as delivery, payment options, contract length, marketing, and every variable available. Think about it, if you only discuss the price, then you’re not negotiating- you’re haggling!

This is where your business communication skills will be put to test; it’s also the point where you will need to use all the research you’ve done to create a deal that’s fair for both parties.

Know what’s most important to you, is it the length of the contract, or the money you will earn upfront? Conversely, know what’s important to the other party, and use it to come up with a fair deal.