1. Create a win-win. Given that many people think that the other party has to lose a negotiation, it’s important to stress upfront that this is not congruent with what we’re trying to achieve. The best deals are the ones where both parties are winning in terms of both absolute size and relative share of the pie.
2. Try this with anyone you have a conflict with: tell them what makes them valuable to you. It helps dissipate suspicion and engenders trust. And, the point is that it should be done early and often with everyone, not just in conflict resolution.”
3. If you want to be sure about what your counterpart is looking for during the negotiation, make sure to explicitly ask them “what matters most to you?” Sometimes people can have completely revealing answers and this will allow both parties to have a clear understanding of their goals.
4. You should try to be clear about what it is you want before negotiating with the other party. For example, if you want 10% of revenue from a potential partner instead of a flat fee, it’s important to explain why revenue share is essential to the success of your company.
5. The best deals often stall because they continue to remain just talk. Talk = conceptual; drafting = real. Just take the lead on putting together the first draft of a solution. By doing that, the other party can see that you’ve listened and you’re eager to push things forward.
6. The timelines in your project might need to be compressed. Taking too much time kills deals because things always change. Top tip: Align on a timeline with some skin in the game that’s agreed upon by all parties beforehand. You’ll also need to establish processes and boundaries that can help you overcome obstacles along the way.
7. Know Your Worth. If you’re ever treated disrespectfully, be assertive and stand up for yourself.
8. Be willing to walk sometimes – even though your best efforts don’t work – and be clear that you can’t move any further. The quality of the deal is more important than the deal itself. If you’ve built trust throughout the process, this will be respected.
9. Always make sure to stay focused because most deals die near the end. The last 10% of negotiation can be as hard as the first 90%. Never stop working to make sure you seal the deal.
10. Celebrate a deal after it’s done, make sure to take a moment to celebrate the victory. You should do it with your team and the other party in the deal. It’s good to pause and reflect on all of the points from when both parties decided they wanted this in the first place.

Keep these in mind and these 10 tactics will lead to more deals and better deals!