Showing posts with label negotiation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label negotiation. Show all posts

The Art of Persuasion and Negotiation

I'm fascinated by the subject of this blog post.

I'm convinced that successful chamber leaders posses both of these skills.

Persuasion and negotiation are two important skills that can be used in a variety of settings, from business to personal relationships.

Here are some tips on how to master the art of persuasion and negotiation:

Persuasion
  • Know your audience: Before you can persuade someone, you need to understand their needs and wants. What are they looking for? What are their pain points? Once you understand their perspective, you can start to tailor your message to appeal to them.
  • Be clear and concise: Your message should be clear and concise. People are more likely to be persuaded by a message that they can understand easily.
  • Use emotional appeals: People are more likely to be persuaded by messages that appeal to their emotions. This could include using stories, humor, or other techniques to connect with their emotions.
  • Be confident: Confidence is key when it comes to persuasion. If you believe in your message, others will be more likely to believe it too.
  • Be prepared to answer objections: People will often have objections to your message. Be prepared to answer these objections in a clear and concise way.

Negotiation
  • Set realistic goals: Before you start negotiating, you need to set realistic goals. What do you hope to achieve? If your goals are too unrealistic, you're less likely to be successful.
  • Be prepared to walk away: If you're not happy with the terms of the negotiation, be prepared to walk away. This will show the other party that you're serious and that you're not afraid to walk away from a deal.
  • Listen to the other party: It's important to listen to the other party and understand their needs and wants. Once you understand their perspective, you can start to negotiate a deal that works for both parties.
  • Be willing to compromise: Negotiation is about finding a middle ground that both parties can agree on. Be willing to compromise on some of your demands in order to reach a deal.
  • Be flexible: Things don't always go according to plan in negotiations. Be flexible and willing to adapt to changes as needed.

By following these tips, you can master the art of persuasion and negotiation and achieve your goals.

Here are some additional tips for persuasion and negotiation:
  • Be respectful: Even if you disagree with the other party, be respectful of their position. This will help to build rapport and make the negotiation process more productive.
  • Be patient: Negotiation can be a time-consuming process. Be patient and don't get discouraged if you don't reach an agreement right away.
  • Be persistent: If you're serious about achieving your goals, be persistent. Don't give up just because you don't reach an agreement right away.

You can master the art of persuasion and negotiation!

The Art of Negotiation

At a recent seminar I attended on the art of negotiation, Steve Piacente and Carol Buckland with The Communication Center gave many tips on how to be an effective communicator.

They started with defining the five core concepts of communication.

  • Be Clear
  • Be Concise
  • Be Compelling
  • Be Candid
  • Be Comfortable

In addition, when giving a presentation, know your audience, frame it so they hear you.  Storytelling is an effective way of communicating your message.

Persuasive communication is based on reason, emotions and beliefs/values.

As stated above, frame your message so your intended audience is interested in what you have to say.

The word “because” is powerful, it gives the reasons why they should hear your message.

In other words, remember the WIIFM theory.  "What’s in it for me."

They then referenced Dr. Robert Cialdini’s six principals of influence:

  • Reciprocity
  • Commitment and Consistency
  • Social proof/consensus
  • Liking
  • Authority
  • Scarcity

They also referenced a study by UCLA professor Dr. Albert Mehrabian that states the percentages word choice, voice tone and body language have when you are communicating in an in-person conversation.  These numbers are probably not what you expected.

  • Word Choice - 7%
  • Voice Tone - 38%
  • Body Language - 55%

To sum it up, be intentional when selecting your words, use voice and the use of pauses effectively and don’t forget the most important, body language (posture, eye contact, smile).

They then went into the five different negotiating styles.

  • Competitive - I win, you lose.
  • Accommodating - I lose, you win.
  • Compromising - we both win and lose some.
  • Avoiding - I lose, you lose.
  • Collaborating - I win, you win.

They gave two examples of presentation formulas and I was reminded of one I’ve used over the years.

I learned the UPPOPR method over 30 years ago from a manager who was Xerox’d trained.  For a copy of that template go HERE or for a blog post on the subject go HERE.

They spent a little time on story formulas, and go HERE for a past blog post on that subject.

They finished talking about language of leadership and separated that discussion into two areas - weak and power speak.

Weak speak - saying “I think” vs “I know” or “I feel” vs “I am convinced.”

Power speak - use straightforward language, without jargon, and keep your communications short and to the point.

Good luck in your next conversation!