Negotiation and Persuasion – A New Strategy and Practice

Many people write to me, call me, or otherwise find ways of communicating to me (and to themselves) that they really aren’t good negotiators, persuaders, marketers, or communicators – yet.

But, to be successful in anything that you undertake, you must be able to convince yourself and others to do things and to get things done. Why?

You must become a great negotiator and communicator because as humans, we tend to find a comfort zone and to remain within it. We adjust to our skill levels, levels of wealth and prosperity, and to our lives as we have come to enjoy them. And, as a result, nothing ever gets better and nothing changes except your stress level over the pressure of staying right where you are in an ever changing world.

The human condition is one of homeostasis. We want to keep things the same. We resist the one constant, change, and we steadfastly wonder why things don’t get any better.

The solution? Becoming and acting like a better persuader.

All change, improvement, and advancement begins with persuading yourself and then taking those skills to others and persuading them. You have to believe that acting will produce a better result. And, once you begin to believe that you are a better negotiator and persuader, you’ll begin to use those skills more often on yourself and then more successfully on others either in your personal life or your business or professional life ( as a leader, manager, or marketer).

So what’s the new tool (a mindset really) to activate this amazing new belief and all that comes with it?

Try this on for size: Train Like You Fight and Fight Like You Train.

What?

It’s simple really, you have to begin to act on the belief that you are already a great communicator/negotiator/persuader. So when you are practicing, you have to ask “How would I negotiate to get what is best for me and the other parties if this were truly serious and important?” Then, you act just that way.

Make a negotiation with the paper supplier for your office or the babysitter like a life and death negotiation. Figure out how to get a better deal for both of you and/or how to get that vendor or babysitter to do something for you (and in the process for themselves).

When your practice is real then real becomes easier – and more effortless.

Look for opportunities to feel uncomfortable and to negotiate for mutual benefit. Watch for chances to persuade others (even if it’s only to try broccoli). Communicate, persuade, and negotiate with the strength, intensity, and skill that you would use if your family depended upon it – because they might.

If it does not feel odd, then you’re not moving out of that comfort zone. Train like you fight and fight like you train.

As a gift to my readers I also want to give you access to a recent review of some of these skills that I did as part of a paid teleconference for many of my coaching clients. In this session, I review many of the topics, skills, and tools that we taught in the Persasion2Profit Program just released at Dan Kennedy’s Super Conference and are available pre launch from my publisher. You can get a copy of the entire home study course by calling 610-933-8069 or 1-800-769-5454 and asking for Denise or Donna and the Persuasion2Profit Program.

Enjoy!

Dave Frees

Photo Credit: familymwr