Many times I find old content to be just as good if not better then latest content. The following is one such article.
Via Web Worker Daily:
In the new world of web work, you might find yourself negotiating by email over a job or project. Most of us know how to screw up phone or face-to-face discussions. Scotching plans by email requires a completely new approach.
Remember that email is asynchronous, impersonal, and only seemingly private. Use these characteristics to best advantage and you’ll never have to deal with a pesky email-negotiated business deal again.
Here are five unbeatable ways to screw up.
The five listed (see details by clicking link above) are:
1. Make your emails as long as possible.
- Agree
2. Don’t respond in a timely manner to emails you receive.
- Timing is a strategy. There are times to answer fast, times to answer slow. I would not consider it a “do” or “don’t” issue.
3. Learn to stalk, if warranted.
- Agree
4. Never resort to synchronous means of discussion like instant messaging or god forbid, the telephone.
- Again, a matter of strategy
5. If you suspect you have been insulted, you probably have-respond immediately in kind.
- I don’t like insults in my life. It makes the whole process tense and adds a whole new negative dimension to the interaction, one I would rather avoid.
In 2002 (or 2003) or so I wrote a guide for negotiation and gave it to members of Rick’s board members. If anyone has a copy please email me as I can’t find it.
Some points I wish to add:
1. Honesty: Still is the best policy
2. Transparency: From anonymous inquiries to fully disclosed. It depends how you feel at the time about the other side, about the circumstances. both methods can work.
3. Respect: I find it most important. Create a level of respect and rest will follow, for good or for bad. Without respect you are already losing no matter how it ends.
How do you do email negotiation? Do you have any examples? I will also have more expert posts about this subject soon. Stay tuned and please if you see fit, please add your own tips and tricks in comments area.
I would say that much of negotiation is in being flexible or at least appearing to be flexible. Sometimes when i inquire about domain prices and the owner pops back a defiant response like: “I wouldn’t even consider selling for less than 70K,” it turns me off. The response would be fine if the domain was worth anywhere near that value but when met with unrealistic seller expectations like that i tend to quietly scratch the name off of my acquire list and move along. I dunno maybe i am not being tenacious enough but just doesn’t seem worth it for me to spend my time haggling about a domain that is not priced even close to my purchasing expectations.
Just my two cents.
Christian.
Every single major deal we’ve negotiated has been when we’ve picked up the phone and spoken directly with the other party.
Emails are a great way to start the ball rolling by initiating contact, but the written word has nothing over the dynamics of the spoken word when it comes to negotiating and closing a deal.
—-answer—-
It’s a good point but not the case on our side. Our specialty over the years has been email negotiation, made million dollar deals without one word with the other party over phone. I know, could have picked up the phone, but it’s a cool challenge to do it without
Sahar