There are plenty of negotiation experts who will tell you NEVER to open first. The main reason for not opening first is that the person you are negotiating with, might open with something that is above your expectation. There is always risk involved when you do open first. Many expert negotiators will scream “Just shutup!”. Let the other side open first then you can slowly correct his range.
How do you correct him? Let’s learn from the stall-owners in Thailand.
I was shopping at a flea market in Thailand, Bangkok. Whenever I try to open a price (be it too high or too low), the stall-owners will always give the same kind of response. They will immediately give a long “noooo…..”, complete with the shaking of head to indicate that the price is not right. Should you do the same? Yes! (but not in such a dramatic way)
In a negotiation, you should never be too agreeable to the initial opening of the person you are negotiating with. There are many reasons for this and its mainly psychological. If you agree too early in the negotiation, your target will feel that he’s being ripped off or that you stand to gain too much. He will definitely try to hit back using other channels.
Never say “Yes!” too early, and never open!
In the meantime, think about when is a good opportunity to open? Can you be in an advantageous position if you open first?
Tags: Opening
Entries (RSS)