Start Small

In order to make progress towards achieving a goal, action must be taken. This idea is true when considering the desire to learn how to negotiate. Negotiation is an essential part of life that many tend to overlook.

With the help of Heather Hund’s blog “How to Learn to Negotiate Easily — For Those Who Avoid It” it is clear that there is no reason to not negotiate. To best summarize Hund’s blog, I would say her moto is “try, try and try again” along with helpful tips to introducing yourself to the world of negotiation. Hund’s main motivation for encouraging others to negotiate was her awareness of how important it is to do prior to accepting a salary in a job offer. She was sure to note that “people who don’t negotiate their salary miss out on $500k — or more — over a lifetime.” The inclusion of this data points out how large scale your negotiation skills can come into play and ultimately how creating a solid foundation in the art of negotiation can effects you over a lifetime.

The more important thing to extract from Hund’s blog is the fact that she preaches starting at a small scale. By starting out on a small scale — such as in low pressure environments — you allow yourself to learn and grow without feeling defeated if the deal does not go in your favor. These low pressure environments can be found everywhere and there is a good chance you have actually experienced one already. Prior to writing this story I myself had never taken the time to reflect back to an instance where I had experienced a serious negotiation. This is simply because negotiations are done so often that they do not really stand out in our memories. For example, I have been learning how to negotiate by going with my father when he would go look at items he was interested in buying off of craigslist. Over the years I have watched the “King of Deals”, as we call him, work his negotiation magic as he talks his way into some incredible deals. “Negotiate everything” is exactly what my father does — no matter if it is a stereo, patio table, or car — and is exactly what you should do too. By watching my father work his way around countless deals over the years first hand, I have become aware of how vital and helpful such a skill is.

Though I have watched my father talk the price down on multiple occasions, I have also seen where he has failed to do just that as well. Not everyone wants to negotiate and that is okay. For those who say no, there are twice as many who will say yes. There is no harm in asking and there is no better way to learn that than by starting at a small scale. Hearing “no” will keep you grounded to your abilities and drive you to become better at the trade. Keeping the environment friendly and as casual as possible will help in practicing and will prevent discouragement if you can not find success in your first attempt. Keeping a positive attitude will keep you feeling motivated to continue preparing for the big ticket item in the future. With that said, know that negotiation is for everyone. It just takes practice.

Citations:

Hund, H. (2017, August 18). How to Learn to Negotiate Easily — For Those Who Avoid It [Web log post]. Retrieved September 24, 2017, from https://betterhumans.coach.me/how-to-learn-to-negotiate-easily-for-those-who-avoid-it-1cbe3a672d34