The Value of Negotiation

The Value of Negotiation – Lets talk about it.

Over the weekend, I was at a garage sale with a variety of expensive items the homeowner was selling. My friend who was with me saw something they liked, but didn’t want to pay $40 for it. I looked, and mentioned it was able to be picked up for $20 with some negotiation. Hesitant, they went and asked “Who’s the negotiator here? You? What is the lowest price you will take for this?”

Opportunity blown. Sound familiar?

Negotiation on any level is an art. There are layers, whether pitching a new product demo to your company, at an interview with a potential employer, or with a little one who wants to stay up long past their bedtime – it requires finesse. We don’t want to feel taken advantage of during the interaction – all parties want to feel comfortable with the final outcome. Invest in your interactions. Nobody likes a “hit it and quit it” mentality.

Result? I salvaged the negotiation and secured the sale for $25, while teaching a valuable lesson about negotiation.