Techniques to gain the best outcome
Having a strategic offense planned is important in all negotiations, but most important in ones that dictate a competitive approach. Your statements and actions should be designed to push the other party to their breaking point. Pay close attention to where the other party begins to become unable to make further concessions, this is likely near their reservation price. In the end, you want them to agree to the worst offer they'll accept, which is the best offer for you. You can do this using the following tips:
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Make the opening offer. Research shows that making the opening offer is correlated with a more favorable agreement for yourself. The reason being that the opening offer becomes the anchor for the rest of the negotiation. If you aren't able to make the opening offer, do not let their offer affect your pre-prepared opening offer and do not be phased by it.
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Convince the other party that delaying the negotiations or aborting the negotiations would be costly and unfavorable. Make it clear that settling on a deal sooner rather than later is imperative.
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Persuade them that their own alternatives are undesirable—that their best option is to reach a deal with you. To do this, you must have a good understanding of their possible alternatives.
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Get them to devalue their offer, item, etc. You'll need to point out how their offer is not as good as they think it is. This can go a long way toward securing a better agreement.