Negotiation Skills: Jemma’s Top Tips for Negotiating Better

There is definitely an art to negotiation. Learning to negotiate in business and the workplace can be difficult but it is an important skill for those wanting to effectively advance their career or supercharge their business. Having good negotiation skills is a key part of my role as a lawyer; clients trust me to negotiate successfully on their behalf to achieve the best results. 

Negotiation skills are key to obtaining the best outcome for clients but how do you improve your negotiation skills? This article sets out the most important skills for female leaders to adopt if they want to boost their success rate when negotiating contracts, pricing or simply negotiating with a colleague! 

• Do your research -  before approaching a negotiation, make sure you do your research and prepare your negotiation strategy. Rather than aggressively approaching the negotiation, you should provide valuable thought driven responses which show why you should get what you want. 

Negotiating a price with a supplier? Make sure you have researched the market beforehand and know what your competitors are offering. 

Negotiating a contract? Make sure you have obtained advice and understand the terms of the contract, so you know which are important to you and your business during the negotiation process.

• Adapt your negotiation style by reading the room and practicing social intelligence - it's important to craft your conversation depending on the recipient. Adopting the correct negotiation style may impact how successful you are. Aggressive negotiation tactics may not be the way forward - some individuals will be more receptive to questions and conversation during a negotiation, whilst others will want you to progress your points as quickly as possible. 

Work out who and what you're dealing with and adapt your negotiation style accordingly. Depending on what is at stake, you may choose to take a softer approach or work collaboratively to achieve a solution which benefits both parties.

• Be confident when deploying negotiation tactics - Negotiating and influencing requires a degree of confidence. The more you practice negotiating, the better you will become, but good preparation and the right mindset can also help. 

Try and banish self-doubt before entering a negotiation. Having a negotiation plan or strategy in place, speaking clearly and being direct will help project an air of confidence.  

• Listen and learn -  you should acknowledge the other parties’ points during the negotiation, whether you agree with them or not. Listening intently will allow you to respond with well thought out points. 

Talking over the other party can make you appear rude and it is likely to create a barrier to settlement. If you want to negotiate properly, and influence the ultimate outcome, then you must listen carefully. Listening is a key negotiation skill which should not be underestimated.

Taking on board these negotiation tips should help you become more comfortable when feeling uncomfortable in a negotiation scenario. Improving your negotiation strategy is key to being a successful business owner or entrepreneur. Remember, negotiations might take place with your boss, a co-worker, a business partner or a supplier so it is important to be prepared. Improving your negotiation skills will help you negotiation that pay rise, get that new client or reach a certain goal. 

Our workshops, seminars and events can help you improve your negotiation skills. We focus on personal and professional development. Keep an eye out for our blogs, content and events as we will be sharing more tips on negotiation skills in the future and how to create confidence in the workplace.