8 Words That Will Make You a Better Negotiator – Part 1

• February 9, 2018

“Choose your words carefully in a negotiation, they’ll determine your degree of effectiveness.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

This article is part 1 of a two-part article. It contains an explanation of the first 4 of the 8 words that you can use to become a better negotiator. Part 2 will be released in the next ‘Negotiation Tip of the Week’.

Now imagine the new you, not limited, because you are instantly free.

There are 4 words contained in the sentence above that will make you a better negotiator. Do you know which words they are, how to use them, and why they’ll give you an advantage when negotiating? After reading this article, you’ll know why 4 of those words have such power, and how to use them in your negotiations.

“You misunderstood me”, said the first person to the second. “No, I didn’t. You used words that had a different meaning then what I understood,” was the response.

Communications can get dicey when negotiating.  Thus, you should always be mindful of the words you use, and which words have a greater impact on the negotiation.

The first 4 words are, new, free, because, and you.

1. New – Everyone is drawn to the word, ‘new’. It symbolizes something that’s not been seen/heard and/or revised. Some people are influenced by this word simply because they want to be/remain state-of-the-art. They want to be part of what’s trending so that they can be in-the-know.

Use the word, ‘new’, in your negotiations when you wish to instill a degree of excitement about a changed or enhanced position/offer. Be mindful of not overusing it. To do so will weaken its impact.

2. Free – Who doesn’t like to get something for free? The word, ‘free’, has been used throughout time to draw people in to examine how they might acquire something for nothing. At least that’s their initial impression when they see or hear the word, ‘free’.

In your negotiations, you can use the word, ‘free’, as a tool of risk reversal (i.e. I’ll reduce or eliminate the risk of accepting what I’m stating to be true). As an example, you might offer the other negotiator the opportunity to examine or engage in your offer for a period of time before she makes a commitment to engage further. By doing so, she’ll have the time to experience for herself the value of what you state as the outcome she’ll receive.

3. Because – Studies have shown, when you use the word, ’because’ in a request, people are more likely to grant your request. This has been borne out even when there’s no following reason given after the word ‘because’ is used.

Use the word, ‘because’, when making a request during a negotiation to give the other negotiator more insight into why you’re making the request. You’ll be giving him more insight into your negotiation strategy, so be alert about how much information you give and only give what’s needed at the time.

4. You – There’s nothing more powerful to you than the sound of your name. Your name captures your immediate attention. In a negotiation, it would become tiresome to continuously use someone’s name. That’s where the word, ‘you’, comes in.

During a negotiation, you can use the other negotiator’s name when speaking to him; a subliminal trick would be to tie his name to the word, ‘you’, every time there’s a perceived positive aspect to the negotiation (e.g. John, the outcome of this negotiation is going to make you look like a superhero to your bosses!)

You now have new insights into how the above words can instantly increase your negotiation abilities. You acquired these words for free because you read this article. Imagine what this new knowledge will do for you. Use these words in your negotiations … and everything will be right with the world.

Please be sure to see the next “Negotiation tip of the Week” for the other 4 words that complete the list of ‘8 Words That Will Make You A Better Negotiator”. 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free 5-minute video on reading body language or to sign up for the “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

Remember, you’re always negotiating.

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