When negotiating, do you consider how intelligent you appear? During negotiations, the other negotiator is influenced by the intellect and emotions you display. Thus, throughout the negotiation, symbols matter. Symbols consist of the makeup of the character you project into the negotiations, your clothing, the gestures you make, and the manner in which you implement the strategy you’ve laid out. To produce a successful outcome, try influencing the other negotiator by adopting the following strategies:

1. Makeup of character you project:

Be wholesome when you project the character/role you’re playing in the negotiation. Match it appropriately, based on the demeanor of the other negotiator. Be cautious not to overplay or underplay the role. Be ‘in sync’ with the other negotiator, but only to the point that it benefits the negotiation process.

2. Manner of dress:

In most negotiations, your attire plays a very important role. If you’re dressed impeccably while negotiating that calls for ‘sleeves rolled up’, you may be perceived as pompous, disingenuous, somewhat removed from the current situation, or someone that doesn’t understand the crux of the matter. When considering your style of dress for a negotiation, choose your apparel to match your appeal, based on the projections you wish to cast.

3. Gestures you make:

During a negotiation, the gestures you make convey your sentiments and thought process. In essence, your gestures telegraph the mental state of mind you possess. If you can align your gestures to express the mood you wish to project, you can influence the perception of the other negotiator. In so doing, you’ll move him in the direction in which you’d like the negotiation to flow.

4. Implementation of Strategy:

As you implement the strategy that you’ve created for the negotiation, you should do so from the perspective of how the other negotiator is viewing your actions. In essence, implement your strategy in a manner that is fluid with what’s occurring in the negotiation. Be sure to consider detours that you may have to take in order to reach the outcome you seek, as you engage in the negotiation process.

As you negotiate, using the above strategies, you’ll subliminally influence the other negotiator with your new found hidden skills. To insure that your future negotiations are influenced more positively, adhere to these strategies and utilize them to the point that they become effortless. You’ll revel in the soaring heights to which your negotiation effects will ascend. You’ll become a more dynamic negotiator, which will allow you to acquire more of that for which you negotiate.

This blog post was written by Greg Williams. Gain from Greg Williams’ expertise by watching a replay of a webinar: Superpower your ability to negotiate: how to read body language.

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