I have been writing about negotiation tricks for a while now. Well, this is the final nail.

Who doesn’t attempt to bargain? We bargain every day—business titans are attempting to persuade their clients, entrepreneurs are trying to convince investors, and a father is trying to get his youngster to do his homework! My goal in writing these pieces is to provide some of the tips and strategies I’ve found useful while negotiating with persons of different racial, ethnic, cultural, and age backgrounds.

We talked about negotiation strategies like the Benjamin Franklin effect and the foot in the door technique, starting with the assumption that everyone is a good man and that sometimes it’s vital to say less and listen more. We also talked about how to craft an amazing sales pitch. This is the final installment and, in my opinion, the most useful.

These are 8 incredible negotiating strategies that will help you win in a variety of situations. Use them sparingly; not all of them are always relevant. I will attempt to provide some guidance on their suitability for each technique, but ultimately, you have the last say in selecting which to employ.

1. “I am not authorized to decide.”

Even if you are the one making the decisions when you are at the negotiating table, do not declare yourself to be so. Give people the impression that you have the authority to reject even their best offer since someone else will ultimately make the decision.

Why? For three factors. First of all, it prevents your customer from feeling as though he has “looped you in” and keeps him on edge. This small amount of doubt can encourage him to make stronger proposals. Secondly, it will allow you to reflect. You can leave with a promise to return as soon as you can, and then carefully consider the information before deciding how to proceed. Three, You may back down without appearing to be the evil person if you didn’t like the deal.

You say something like this:

“Okay. Let me get back to you after discussing with my legal team about your offer. I will call you back.”

“Sorry son, I cannot decide on this. Your mother has the final say when it comes to desserts after dinner.”

2. Company policy

When expressing your disapproval of a project, state “Company policy.” It is the reality, and it absolves you of accountability by portraying you as defenceless and innocent. Use the rules to your advantage; they are there for a reason.

“Sorry, I will need the 10% today if you want to seal this deal. It’s company policy. I cannot hold it for you otherwise.”

“I understand, but it’s against company policy to let you leave so early. It’s out of my hands, sorry.”

3. Pre-drafted deals

If I ask my wife “Do you want to go to that party?” she might refuse. If I ask her “So, when do we leave for that party?” She is more likely to tell me a time. The same question can be put across in two ways — one in your favor and the other against.

If I want you to accept a certain clause, I will put it in the contract and ask you to opt out of it if you wish to do so rather than to opt in.

Internet subscription forms often have a field at the bottom: “I want to Subscribe to the Newsletter” which is usually ticked for you. Since most internet users are highly reluctant to click off that button, they will leave it as is and keep getting junk mail for the rest of their lives! Know what I mean?

The same goes for your personal relationships. Frame your questions according to the answer you are looking for. These negotiation tricks often work like a charm.

Enough said — take the hint!

4. Always reject the first offer

As a rule of thumb, do not accept the first offer. It will most definitely favor the other side. Even if the first offer seems great, pause, think, and reluctantly refuse. Wait for the next one. If you are in a fixed price negotiation (as in there is only one offer — take it or leave it), try to get better sub-offers which are not necessarily economic benefits.

For example, offer them incentives like extra nights, welcome drinks, chocolates, early check-ins, etc. if they are trying to sell you a holiday package and the business won’t negotiate on the cost of the holidays. You’ll be shocked at how much wealth an executive at the company controls without negatively impacting their bottom line. You both leave grinning. A win-win-win-win, perfect?

The goal of these negotiation strategies is to make it such that you both benefit. You know where it will eventually bite you in the rear if you close a bad deal and deceive the other party!

5. Biased choices

Everyone likes a multiple choice question. It reduces the options to a known minimum instead of requiring you to sift through an uncertain infinite number of options. You can easily lead the negotiation in your favor by introducing a certain finite number of choices, all of which are in your favor.

Think about these lines of conversation:

“We have been to Thailand already. Let’s do Hong Kong, Macau, or Philippines this time. The choice is yours.”

“Sir, we are offering you a choice of colors between blue, azure, and white. All of these will cost you the same — please choose.”

“You can choose between paying today and getting that discount of 10% or paying next month but losing the discount.”

“Okay, son. Here are your choices: a day of voluntary service for my club, or help me out at home for two days.”

Negotiation tricks are all about techniques that play with the mind.

6. Decide on the agenda

You can steer the agenda to further your goals as long as you run the meeting or serve as its host. Simply removing some items off the agenda will ensure that they never come up. Alternatively, you can start with accepting a certain topic (usually the second item, not the first, for maximum impact). As the meeting’s chair, you have the power to direct the discussion by giving some topics more weight than others.

In an annual salary discussion meeting, if you are not keen on increasing salaries, start with:

“Today, we will first equate how our salaries are doing against other companies in the market and decide whether we need a hike.” (Given that your salaries are on par.)

or

“Let’s start with our profits during the last financial year before we discuss an increase in salaries.” (Given that the earnings have not been much.)

If you are in favor of increasing salaries, try the following:

“Let us start by telling you how our employees have benefitted this company over the last year. The accretion rate is high. Keep the people happy and they will bring more performers in.”

These negotiation tricks work like a charm in most corporate environments if you are calm, confident, and a good speaker.

7. Add a new person

Stalls in negotiations are possible. Imagine that after discussing a matter with your staff, they are unable to reach a decision. Ask the team member who is starting from the top to take over. The new individual must possess the decisiveness to alter the negotiation’s direction and reconsider points of contention.

The stalemate situation will get a fresh start.

8. Plant pseudo-clauses just to accept their refusal

This is one of those negotiating strategies that is frequently applied in both business and personal agreements. Just add a sentence that you don’t actually need and then emphasise how crucial it is. Undoubtedly, you will be shot down, but you will also reach an understanding on the crucial point.

“I will need the full draft on my table by afternoon.” Wait for “How can I finish this by this afternoon?” and respond with “Okay, tomorrow morning then, and in that case, have it ready to be sent out by ten o’clock. Okay?”

“If I accept this price for the car, you will give me first year’s insurance for free and alloy wheels with rear parking sensor fitted.” Wait for the rejection of the offer and respond with “Alright then, but I won’t leave without the insurance.”

“The reception will be for two hundred and starters and beverages must be included in the price you have quoted. No beverages? Okay, two starters then.”

You were aware that the opposite side would reject the further demands in each of the aforementioned remarks. Knowing that your requests would be met with resistance, you made them yourself. Fortunately, once you refuse something, the other person is more inclined to give in quickly on anything else since they believe you have already lost what you desired.

Conclusion – The Killer Negotiator

These are a few of the many negotiation tricks up the sleeves of killer negotiators. However, I will repeat that ultimate mantra of negotiation one last time:

A good negotiator wins a deal, a killer negotiator creates a win-win!

Don’t try to eat the entire pie, as they say. Instead, figure out how to enlarge the pie so that you can each take a sizeable portion. Your client (or your boss, your wife, your son, or whatever the situation may be) would never regret working with you if you are genuinely helpful to them! Watch this space for my ebook on negotiation skills, which will feature in-depth tactics for negotiating.