Negotiation Support for Small Businesses

New Blog Site

2010-04-12T17:16:00.001+01:00

Hi, my new blog site is at www.SeanSidney.co.uk. Lots of interesting articles...

Charades

2010-01-06T14:49:00.004Z

Apologies, someone with a philosophical bent has hijacked my blog.

What a night! The economy, the government, national finances, business finances, personal finances...

But, lest we forget, it is always darkest before the dawn.

And dawn is here. The orange glow, the fading stars, the solo bird song.

We avoided economic meltdown. The government will soon be repalced. National debt is decelerating. Businesses have re-grouped. And most people reading this blog are better off than ever before.

But what have we all learnt? Nothing that most will remember when it matters. There will be a new mess, just with a different scene and with different actors.

The memory will be longest at the macro level, it will be 20 years before a government will again claim to have rid us of boom and bust. Shortest at the micro level, where the credit card class are already chumping at the bit.

Thrift though is still in vogue for the middle class, the calvinistic gene has been re-activated.

It is the dawn of a new day. The sun has indeed come up, though bringing little warmth. Lovely and warm by the fire, though. Anyone for a game of charades?

Saving Face

2009-10-29T14:28:00.008Z

Losing face is something humans instinctively avoid.

Once someone has taken a strong position in a negotiation, unilaterally moving from it requires them conceding that they were wrong to take that position. Moving from it substantially means losing face.

You have done the hard work and convinced them that to get a deal at all, they need to move a lot. Problem is that they won't move as they don't want to lose face. Or if they do agree, they'll get you back afterwards. What to do?

Easy. Just help them.

If their offer is stuck on 100, but you believe they can move to 80, ask them what changes they need to make for the price to be 80. Negotiate to ensure these changes, although grand sounding, are insignificant to you.

Deal done, face saved.

See this excellent (and funny) example of how to try it with your dentist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AUjQaOuiKA

Negotiation Style Profile

2009-10-22T20:06:00.003+01:00

A negotiation is a process where we try to persuade others to move towards our position. There are five different styles, each can be used to achieve this movement.

Are you using them all? And have you got the balance right?

If you would like to discover and then manage your negotiation profile, drop me a line. It is easy and fun. And will enable you to immediatley improve your negotiation effectiveness.

Welcome

2009-10-14T21:32:00.011+01:00

Just set up this blog. My first one, so a technical learning experience for me.

This blog is aimed at my target market. Small & micro companies. If this is you, be warned, the aim of this blog is to show you what you are missing. Whether your negotiations are with customers, suppliers, partner companies, local authorities, colleagues, or whoever, it is so important to know what you want from negotiations and how to get it.

That's where I help. Whether I'm only used as a sounding board or to manage and lead the whole negotiation, I really can help you.

Or, if you just want to read and learn from my ideas, that's fine. I'll be posting usable stuff, regularly. If it gives you value, tell your friends (but not your competitors...). I'll be here if/when you all need me. And remember, in this life:

you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.