Negotiating in Life, Negotiating Tips, Business Negotiation May 16, 2011

5 tips to make your message more powerful

The more powerful your message, the stronger your chances of achieving the results you want in a business negotiation.

It is important to note, as Dr. Chester L. Karrass says, everything that happens during a negotiation is a message. A message is transmitted not only by what you say, but by what you don’t say, how you move, what you ask, where the negotiation takes place, and more. We’ve talked before about the importance of body language and about how choosing the location for your negotiation can have an impact.

To make your verbal message more powerful –more persuasive—here are five tips:

1. Present both sides of the issue
2. Repeat your message
3. Stress the similarities in your positions rather than the differences
4. State your conclusion explicitly
5. Make sure to present your strongest message at the end of your presentation, as the end is more memorable than the middle or the beginning.

However, as we mentioned before, your behavior and body language during a business negotiation are also part of the message (and its power). Here are some behavioral tips to underscore your message’s power:

• Be friendly and sympathetic
• Appeal to the other party’s fairness
• Put the other party at ease (don’t act hostile or belittle their position)
• Your body language should be open and receptive

Working on how you deliver your message will certainly improve your message’s impact, power and persuasiveness.

What are your tips for strong message impact? Let us know in the comments.