We negotiate in multiple ways on a daily basis, from negotiating for an extra handful of olives in your sandwich or a few extra chillies along with some groceries. These may seem like trivial instances, but we negotiate for small things throughout our day.  If this is the case, shouldn’t we excel at this skill in order to get our way in most situations? Yet, some of us are afraid or hesitant to negotiate. There are situations where this affects our work lives as well. So, how do some people negotiate effortlessly and get everything they want?Veteran negotiators consider negotiation to be an art that can be mastered only through practice and by using the right skill set. Here are 4 tips to negotiate better:

1) BATNA

BATNA stands for Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. This is a vital tool in negotiation and the most common tool most of us tend to overlook. BATNA basically means a backup option. Never walk into a negotiation without a backup option. Your BATNA should a strong one and feasible too. This way, if the current deal you’re trying to negotiate does not happen on your terms, you can always switch to your BATNA. But, if you’re completely dependent on the current deal without an alternative, you may have to settle it on your opponent’s terms and take it with a pinch of salt.

2) Patience

Patience is key in every negotiation. If your opponent disagrees with your offer, don’t oppose immediately, pause for some time and then explain why your offer is fair and beneficial for both parties. Do not offer a lower price immediately. Also, listen more than you speak during the negotiation. This will help you understand your opponent’s point of view and respond accordingly. Only if you listen, you will be able to get a better deal. It is best not to let emotions to get to you. Instead, try to remain calm, composed and focused on closing the deal with a positive mindset.

3) Range

This is another common mistake we all tend to make in a negotiation. When your opponent asks for a lower price or a discount, give them a fixed number. Do not give them a range like 10-15%. A range has a lower end and a higher end.  If they can get it for 15% less, they obviously won’t settle for the 10% discount, so why mention the 15% in the first place? Pitching an estimated range can prove to be a disadvantage for you. Hence, give them an exact number and ensure that you do not go lower than that.

4) Negotiation Program

This is one of the best ways to master the art of negotiation. Ensure that you enroll for a negotiation program from a reputed business school such as WeSchool Bangalore. In such programs, a veteran negotiator will be present who would have cracked hundreds or deals and would have decades of experience of mastering this art. They will be capable of placing you in real life situations and it will force you to exit your comfort zone and negotiate your way to glory. This is the best way to master this art because you need not memorize principles of negotiation, you can directly get a live, hands on experience and training for inputs on how to negotiate better.

It is imperative to master the art of negotiation in order to excel in your career, business and various situations in your life. Ensure that you learn the various negotiation tools and practices from the accurate resources. This way, you will be able to excel at making a deal.

For more information on Weschool Negotiations programs, click here.