If you’re like many professionals, negotiation can be a source of major stress. Holding your ground and to ensuring you get the best deal while maintaining relationships can be challenging. Last week we talked about ways you can use communication to improve your negotiation skills. Today we wrap up our negotiation series with five more essential strategies for strong, effective, negotiation.
- Articulate:. Crisp, clear speech automatically gives others the impression that you are collected and confident. Sloppy speech can make you appear unprofessional and even unintelligent Pronounce all of the letters in each and every word. Pay special attention to the sounds at the ends of words; this is where people are often sloppy, but the ends of words often carry crucial information that can cause misunderstandings if not heard.
- Nonverbal Communication Matters: Make sure your body language matches your message. Remember that how we say something matters twice as much as what you are actually saying. Convey confidence and strength with strong posture: keep your shoulders back, your chin level with the floor, and square your torso so you’re directly facing your listener. Maintain eye contact during the discussion to project confidence and increase connection with your listener.
- Really Listen: If you are too busy preparing your next approach, you may miss an important piece of information from the other person. This information could be helpful to use to sway them to your side. People also tend to be more open to discussion if they feel like they’re being heard instead of closed off.
- Ask Open-Ended Questions: When trying to reach an agreement, avoid yes/no questions. They can often lead to a conversational dead end, while open-ended questions encourage further engagement. In addition, the information you gain from their answers puts you in a stronger position to negotiate from, rather than negotiating blindly.
Do you want to take your communication to the next level? Give us a call and see how Corporate Speech Solutions can improve your professional life! Call us at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at info@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!
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