RESEARCH

Negotiation facts

I find marketing negotiation fascinating because it combines strategy, psychology, creativity, and communication to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. I also see it as incredibly valuable, not only in the marketplace but also in everyday situations—like persuading someone to help me or even winning a girl’s heart. There are countless daily scenarios where negotiation skills can be applied.

Here is the generated image of a group of people engaged in negotiation by DALL·E

In my professor Yanyn’s book Build badassery, she discussed the three basic rules of negotiation: Connect, Cultivate, and Close. As the very foundation of all good negotiation regardless of the circumstances.

Connecting with others is a good starting point. During this process, one key lesson is learning to handle rejection. This helps us begin identifying objections. I used to feel very nervous about connecting with others and was afraid of hearing them say no, as it felt like a rejection of my charisma. But then I realized it’s not a big deal. By understanding the negative attitudes of others, I started to notice common reasons why people might reject or accept my ideas. This skill has helped me save a lot of time and increased the likelihood of my ideas being accepted.

Cultivate strong relationships with our clients is another crucial aspect. Asking open-ended questions and gathering information about our clients is essential. Through my experience as a salesperson, I’ve found that being a good questioner and listener is more important than being a presenter who focuses solely on introducing a product while ignoring the client’s needs. Showing empathy and concern for the client’s needs builds trust, making them feel understood and confident that your product is the one that meets their requirements. Most purchase decisions are driven by emotion rather than logic.

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While relationships are important, the ultimate objective of negotiation is to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. The “close” is when both parties finalize their agreement, ensuring that each side gets what they need.A well-closed negotiation leaves no gray areas. Each party should walk away knowing exactly what to expect, reducing the risk of disputes or unmet expectations later.

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There are things we need to avoid on a negotiation: shorting-term thinking to resolve immediate problem need to be avoided. In a crisis, we naturally prioritize immediate needs over long-term goals. This reactive mindset can overshadow strategic thinking and lead to decisions that fix short-term problems at the expense of future stability. Such like, in pandemic, if we would raise the price as much as we can for our cars and make greater benefits in a short term to overcome the crisis because everyone is thrilling and uncertain about the future, that would damage the relationship of our clients and destroy the long-term trust we spend years to established. 

However, negotiation has become more challenging as more people choose to communicate online via Zoom or other apps. It is increasingly difficult to read nonverbal cues and body language that indicate whether the client is interested in our topic or not.

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To conclude, Negotiation is a multifaceted skill to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Understanding rejections, cultivate relationships, and addressing both short-term needs and long-term goals are essential. Adapting to challenges like online communication and mastering the art of reading subtle cues are crucial for effective negotiation in the modern world.