GetAhead in Business Negotiations Course Outline

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GetAhead in Business Negotiations

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This training course will teach you proven strategies for negotiating better deals by setting yourself ambitious goals and achieving them through creative bargaining.

You will learn how to:

Maximize your advantage before negotiations even begin.
Make the best possible opening, one that is both tough and credible.
Become expert in the use of bargaining tactics and concession trading.
Master the win/win and distributive approaches to get the best deal possible.
Deal effectively with any last minute tactics and close the deal.

Study Area 1 - Introduction

The Principles of Negotiation - This section introduces the view that nearly everything is negotiable, and the four phases that characterize most negotiations.
The Negotiation Process - Explains why most negotiations share certain characteristics, and are influenced by up to five dependent variables.
The Spirit of the Deal - Describes why capable negotiators are focused on more than just winning at all costs, and explains two diametrically opposed negotiation processes.

Study Area 2 - The Preparation Phase

Preparation - Introduces the concept of uncertainty, which creates the opening dilemma and explains the importance of preparation before the negotiations begin.
Knowing the Marketplace - Illustrates methods for gaining commercial intelligence about your leading competitors, and researching both the organisation and the individual that you’ll be negotiating with.
Assessing Your Position - Whilst the buyer usually holds the stronger negotiating position, this is not always the case, this section describes how the power dimension can be made to work for the underdog.
Planning Your Objectives - Highlights the need to plan all of the major areas of the deal in the preparation phase, to understand what is possible and plan the use of possible concessions.
Defining the Details - Explains the use of existing or new documentation to accompany the negotiations, and the use of an agenda as a positive aid to negotiations.

Study Area 3 - The Opening Phase

Opening - Demonstrates how opening reveals key information about your negotiating position, why it is to your advantage to get the other side to open first, and the importance of making a tough but credible opening.
Asking the Other Side to Open - Explains the difference between asking the other side to open - when you are in a strong position and when you are in a weak position.
Gathering Information - Highlights the importance of gathering as much information as possible during the opening phase, and trying to assess the other sides negotiating style and level of conviction.
Using Positive Body Language - This section describes the importance of body language communication, and how to use positive body language to give you an advantage.
Identifying Key Issues - Understanding what is meant, by carefully analyzing what is said, and the importance of identifying the other sides non-negotiable items.
Opening First - Explains the need to make a confident opening statement and how to assess the other sides reaction to your opening.
Opening in Response - Shows why it is important to challenge an opening that you don't find credible, and the importance of presenting your opening as planned.
Using a Shock Opening - Explains the advantages and risks of using a shock opening, and shows how a shock opening can be justified or disguised.

Study Area 4 - The Bargaining Phase

Bargaining - How a well-designed agenda can be used to maintain progress in the negotiations, and the importance of clear communications in order to avoid misunderstandings.
Arguing Persuasively - How to forward persuasive arguments that can compel the other side to agree, why you should always remain polite and avoid any personal attacks, and the importance of listening carefully in order to create an effective counter argument.
Bargaining Tactics - Introduces a series of classic debating tactics, explains the use of a principal to disguise and defend your position, and how surprises can be used to shake up negotiations.
Making Concessions Pay - Explains why concessions should be pre-planned and offered in reverse priority, and why you should avoid making concessions when you feel under pressure.
When Things Go Wrong - How to recognize and react to a losing trend, why negotiations sometimes become derailed, why leaving can sometimes be a powerful bargaining tactic, and a variety of less dramatic options for dealing with deadlock.

Study Area 5 - The Closing Phase

Closing - How to recognize the signs that indicate the time to close the negotiations is approaching, and the importance of judging the optimum time at which to close.
Handling Last Minute Tactics - Explains the use of last minute tactical maneuvers, aimed at securing a major concession, and how to improve your chances of predicting and coping with such a move.
Asking for Commitment - This section describes why decision making is often less of a formality than the negotiations might indicate, and how a short adjournment can help both sides ahead of making a commitment.
Post Closure Activities - The importance of managing both sides feelings of success in order to maximize the stability of the deal is explained. This section also describes how assessing your performance could improve your future negotiating style, and the potential value of the relationship that has been developed when implementing the negotiated deal.