Four Negotiation Tactics To Recognize
Last week, we talked about how to improve your negotiating skills. Now I want to talk about negotiation tactics.
Tactics
Not all of them are totally ethical and above board. I want to share what they are so that you can recognize when they’re being used against you.
Silence.
There’s a quote I read once from Time Magazine, “Never forget the power of silence, that massively disconcerting pause that goes on and on and may at last induce the opponent to babble and backtrack nervously”. Don’t babble and backtrack nervously. Just sit there and smile.
The Good Guy, Bad Guy Routine.
A lot of couples use this. Most people in Real Estate aren’t that versed and practiced in it, so they do it better when it’s over the phone or when the other person isn’t there. The best way to overcome this in Luxury Real Estate is to always have all parties present when doing a transaction such as negotiating or presenting with them and to them.
The most important thing when we talk about #negotiation tactics, especially dirty tricks, is to separate the people from the tactic. Click To TweetWince.
Some people are really good at this and it can really be intimidating, especially when you’re dealing with them one on one. When you give a price opinion, your marketing plan, your commission charge, or your marketing fee charge, they make a winced look. You may want to start to get defensive and backtrack, but you just have to smile and recognize it for what it is. It is a tactic. Don’t let it work on you.
Limited Authority.
This one cracks me up because husbands do this all the time. When it’s time to negotiate, they’ll always blame the spouse. So again, having all parties present is the best way to overcome that.
Bottom line – don’t use dirty tricks, but certainly recognize them. When they are used on you out of the blue, they can be intimidating and they can get you to do things you would not otherwise ordinarily do. Don’t be intimidated by them, just recognize them.
2 Comments
Angie R
08/18/2020Your words ring true for me Jack. I was recently at a listing appointment and had one of these tactics used on me. It was the silence method. After I presented market information for us to determine a range their home fell in, the husband/wife went silent. I was caught off-guard and remained calm by talking to myself in my head and reminding myself to keep quiet until they decide to speak. It was the longest 20-30 seconds I ever experienced.
Jack Cotton
11/13/2020Thank you so much, Angie!