Negotiation Tips from My Dad

Over Father’s Day weekend, I found myself thinking a lot about my Dad, Jack. He has taught me countless lessons and skills, one of the most important things I learned from my dad is the art of negotiation.

I used to travel with my dad for work, where I saw him negotiate and close very large enterprise deals at many retail stores. For Jack, negotiating was a sport. He did it for fun, and he was the absolute best negotiator there was. To this day, I use the negotiation skills he taught me in every aspect of my life. Here are a few of his tips:

1. Be a good listener. Let the other party talk first and don’t interrupt. The more information you gather, the better you’re prepared to negotiate.

2. Never be embarrassed to ask for more. Dad used to say that if you are embarrassed to ask, even when you are pushing the limit, you might be losing money. The worst thing that can happen is that the other party says no.

3. Always be ready to walk away (or at least pretend that you can).

4. Be friendly. It’s a lot easier to negotiate with someone when you are on good terms with them. Have a good sense of humor– it always helps.

5. Timing is key. During the negotiation, pay attention to when it’s a good time to push, and when it’s time to wait.

My father had many other tips, but he would be mad if he found out that I shared all of his tricks. I miss you, Dad.

Happy Father’s Day to our readers, and to all of the dads that helped them become incredible salespeople!