The Simple Tip That Made Me Better at Negotiating
Since I stepped outside of my comfort zone last week (see it all in action here, folks!), I decided to keep the trend going with my next #GiveItAWeek. Inspired by Noah Kagan’s recent “Coffee Challenge” and a female-focused Harvard Business Review article, I put my best negotiation skills to the test. Of course, there are many ways one can go about doing this, so I kept things simple by working towards a goal of asking for 10 percent off a select item — think coffee, flowers, phone bills — every day.
To document my dialogues for all of you, I flaunted some v. stylish video specs for the week. (Don’t worry, I got permission from all of my willing participants to do so!). While nerves and some uncomfortableness were involved to start (eek!), I finally got into the swing of thing by the end of the week. Below is an IG recap of how my visits to a family-owned coffee shop, chain cafe, flower vendor, and phone company went:
If there was one big takeaway I had from the week, I learned that it’s all about HOW you ask the questions to your participants. Being thoughtful and not demanding with your asks, as well as considering the size and history of business you’re working with, will help make your attempts at negotiation more successful — especially when it comes to flowers and food. When it comes to bigger things or business dealings, having a few tips up your sleeve from negotiating pro, like Dr. Meg Myers Morgan, never hurts. To view these, as well as more glasses cam footage, head over to my Instagram profile: @brit.
What are your thoughts on this #GiveItAWeek challenge? I’d love to know if you’re putting these negotiation tips into practice: @brit!
(Featured photo via Getty)
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