How To Create A Deal That Satisfies Everyone

Satisfaction is key to getting your next deal implemented
Satisfaction is key to getting your next deal implemented
Image Credit: Dreamer.~

So it turns out that just negotiating a deal is not enough. Sure, you spent the time using all of your negotiation styles and negotiating techniques in order to get a deal that you can live with, but that’s not going to be what really matters. What matters is having the other side of the table be willing to actually do what they’ve agreed to do as a part of the deal that they have struck with you. Anybody can make promises, but what you need them to do is to actually keep them. This means that you need to create deals that people can live with.

It’s All About The Details

One of the things that defines any deal that we create are the terms that it comes with. Terms are a flexible thing and can cover a number of different things such as when payment is made, what levels of discounts are being offered, etc. Additionally, if the deal involves having something shipped to a location, just exactly who is going to be paying for that shipping is something that can be added to the negotiating table. Sometimes something as simple as delaying shipping something until later can result in a savings that can be shared by everyone doing the deal.

As a negotiator we always need to be thinking about our next deal. What this means is that although we are currently sitting at a table negotiating with someone, what we really want to be doing in the future is sitting at another table negotiating with someone that this person knows. What this means for you is that if the other side was willing to introduce you to someone that they know so that you could investigate creating a deal with them, then that would have value to you. This is yet one more thing that can be added to the negotiations that will result in both sides becoming more content with the final outcome.

Depending on what you are negotiating, how the item is packaged can be a big issue. The person who has the item that the other side wants, generally packages it in a given fashion. It might be grouped together so that it is easier to place in trucks for moving it long distances. However, perhaps the other side would like to have the item packaged differently in order to better meet their needs. This is something that is easily added to any negotiation.

Building Better Deals For Both Sides

As negotiators we need to realize that if we want to create a better deal for both sides, then we need to make sure that we are always asking for something in return. When the price of something is lowered, the other side needs to get some sort of a concession. What you always need to keep in mind is that when a price is lowered because a concession has been made, the two events are tied together.

What this means for both parties is that if the concession is not agreed to, then the price of the item remains where it was – no discount will be offered. When we are negotiating with someone and you start to ask the other side for something in return you will start to discover things that you may not have known. One such thing is discovering what the other side is really interested in no matter what they have been asking for.

One of the things that we always have to keep in mind when we are negotiating is that in addition to negotiating with the other side of the table, we also have to negotiate within our own company. Whatever deal that we are going to be able to reach with the other side is going to have to also be accepted by the people who make up our company. The only way that this is going to happen is if we are able to show them that we’ve been able to negotiate the best deal possible. Each time that we ask the other side for something in return for providing them with something, we’ll be making some part of our company happy. Do this enough and you’ll be sure to get support for the deal that you’ll be able to create.

What All Of This Means For You

When we are negotiating, we need to realize that the deal that we’re able to strike with the other side of the table is not the end of the negotiation. We are still going to need to have the other side want to implement the deal. In order to make that happen, we have an obligation to make sure that the other side is satisfied with the deal that we’ve been able to reach with them. This level of satisfaction can be difficult to reach.

Every deal that we negotiate has a set of terms associated with it. We need to realize that these terms are not fixed and we should be willing to include them in the negotiations. The other side of the table has the ability to introduce us to other people that we can negotiate with. Getting them to agree to do this can be included in this negotiation. Packaging of a product is often overlooked as a negotiation component; however, with a bit of probing we can learn if the other side would like to include this in the deal that is being negotiated. Asking for something in return for giving the other side something is a critical part of negotiating. This is a great way to learn what the other side is really interested in. Every negotiation will require us to sell the final deal within our company. This means that we are going to have to be able to show that the other side has given us something for everything that we’ve given to them.

During your next principled negotiation it is going to be important to keep your end goal in mind: you want to be able to strike a deal with the other side that everyone can live with. To make this happen, you have to take care to ensure that they’ll walk away satisfied with the deal. Make sure that you fully understand all of the things that can be added to your negotiation, use them, and you’ll be able to create deals that everyone will want to support.

– Dr. Jim Anderson
Blue Elephant Consulting –
Your Source For Real World Negotiating Skills™

Question For You: If the other side appears to not be satisfied with the deal on the table, what can you do to find out what it will take to satisfy them?

Click here to get automatic updates when The Accidental Negotiator Blog is updated.

P.S.: Free subscriptions to The Accidental Negotiator Newsletter are now available. Learn what you need to know to do the job. Subscribe now: Click Here!

What We’ll Be Talking About Next Time

The exciting part of a negotiation is in the beginning. You know the part: everyone’s sitting at the same table, there are a number of different issues that have to be worked out, but everyone is eager to see if they are going to be able use their negotiation styles and negotiating techniques to reach a deal with the other side. What we can too easily forget is that this is just one part of a much larger picture. Once the negotiation is over and the deal is in place, that’s when the relationship really starts. Due to our skills in negotiating, we can find ourselves involved in a number of different long term relationships. Will we know what to do when this happens?