Add the following three negotiation techniques to your arsenal.

Win-Win Solutions

When negotiating, always look for win-win solutions, and present them as such. When I was selling real estate, it was common for sellers to think that buyers wanted the lowest price they could get. The sellers often wanted the highest price, but buyers usually wanted an easy transaction, lower costs and lower payments. A seller that gives these things can get a higher price and both sides will win.

If you need to get the garage cleaned, and your son wants a new watch, you have the makings of a win-win negotiation. You might tell him, “Look, you want that watch, and I want a clean garage. Let’s both get what we want okay? Clean it up today and we’ll get your watch. How’s that sound?”

The key to good win-win solutions in your negotiations is to find non-conflicting needs or wants. Notice how some conservation groups negotiate to stop private land development. They want the land left wild, and the owners want to get some value out of the land and still be able to use the house, ranch, etc. So the groups buy a “conservation easement,” preventing development, but leaving the title with the current owners. Both sides win.

Exclude Competition

If you could exclude competition in any negotiation, you’ll have a better chance of getting what you want, right? How do you do that? Start by never mentioning competition to the other side. It’s possible they don’t know all their options, and it’s not your job to enlighten them.

At the negotiating table, be ready to confront the competition head-on, when the other side brings it up. In the carpet cleaning business for example, an owner could politely dismiss the competition when it is brought up. He could say something like, “They’re okay, if price is all that’s important to you. Of course, they can’t clean as deep with their machines. If you want the deepest cleaning and at a temperature that kills dust mites and other things in the carpet, you have to have a machine like ours, and fully trained technicians.”

Extreme Initial Positions

Everyone knows this technique, but most are afraid to use it. A real estate investor I was talking to the other day told me, “If you aren’t embarrassed by your offer, it isn’t low enough.” He’s made millions in real estate, so I think he’s worth listening to.

Many years ago I sold a car. A nice guy, after crawling under and inside the car, offered me half of what I was asking. I said no, and he left his phone number, in case I changed my mind. As he drove away, I wondered what was wrong with the car, and I was suddenly hoping I could get just a bit more than that half-price offer. My expectations had been altered quickly. Fortunately another person gave me the full asking price before I decided to pick up that phone.

There are dozens of good negotiation techniques that you can profitably use. Why not start by practicing these three?

One of the most important negotiation skills you can develop is the habit of finding the other side’s deadline. Time is of the essence. It even says as much on most business and real estate contracts. What does this mean in negotiating? It means that whoever controls or understands the elements of time involved in a negotiation has the better position.

Many years ago I was looking at a truck for sale. I asked the owner why he was selling (always a good idea). He told me that the IRS was coming after him and he needed to sell the truck by the weekend (It was Tuesday). When do you think you would be able to negotiate the best price on the truck? Maybe right now, but certainly on Friday if the truck is still available. On Friday he would be desperate to get what he could from the truck before it was seized by the IRS.

Using Deadlines As A Negotiation Tool

This guy wasn’t using good negotiation skills. He gave away too much information. More specifically, he gave away his deadline. One of the most important things to understand in negotiating is deadlines. The two things to remember about them are: 1. Don’t give away your deadline(s), and 2. Find the other side’s deadline(s).

Find out whatever you can about any relevant deadlines. Sometimes there isn’t a clear one, or there are several deadlines for different parts of the negotiation. Whatever the case, the more information you can gather, the better.

How do you use that information once you have it? The crudest method is to simply delay and wait until the last moment to negotiate. This only works if the other side doesn’t walk away, and if your own deadline permits it. It also requires that there are not others who can take your place (as was clearly the case with a truck for sale - it might not be there Friday).

A bit of sophistication is required to use this information effectively. You may want to start by identifying what is most important to you in the negotiation. For example, if you are buying an apartment building, is the price or the terms the crucial element for you?

Let’s assume that price is most important to you. When you wrote the offer, you put some price on it, but you have inspections and other contingencies that allow for everything to be renegotiated. The process of inspections and negotiations ties up the property, so your competition is excluded for the moment. Then you learn that owner really wants to sell by the start of the school year, because he will be moving with his children.

Work on everything else in the negotiations except the price. Have inspections done, agree on what will be included with the property, etc. As the seller’s “deadline” approaches, he will be getting anxious to close the deal. Then you let him know you’re ready to close quickly. Of course, you’ll need the price adjusted due to the results of the inspections.

At this point the seller has the choice of throwing away the whole deal. This means starting over, and not moving when he wanted to. Alternately, he can be happy that he got what he wants most - a quick close. This means giving you your price.

This points up the importance of getting information on the other’s deadline, but also the importance of not revealing your own. When I was a real estate agent I heard the story of a man who sold his property for a large profit. He had to pay $80,000 in capital gains taxes unless he rolled the money into another property, as a “Title 31 exchange.” He had 60 days to close on the new property.

Imagine the abuse he would open himself to if, with ten days to go, the seller learned of his deadline and the cost to the buyer if he missed it. He could threaten to delay closing unless the buyer paid $10,000 extra for some old coin-operated washing machines, for example. Overpay by a few thousand, or lose $80,000. What do you think he would do?

For an everyday example of using deadlines, try buying your next car towards the end of the month. Many times there are quotas that dealerships want to meet for the month, and bonuses that salesmen get for monthly volume. Saying “I’ll think about it and return on Thursday,” (or whatever day is the first of the next month) can have them dropping the price fast. It’s always good to practice your negotiation skills.