The Smart Way to Negotiate Almost Everything

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Recently I read about a concert whose ticket prices were $10 to $45. Although I'm saving up for a trip right now I figured I could spring for a $10 seat in the rafters. When I arrived I discovered that the $10 price was for students only.
"Oh. My mistake," I said. "When the paper said $10, I thought that meant the low end. I'm afraid I can't afford $45 right now. Maybe I can go to your spring concert series. Thank you anyway."
I turned to walk away and the ticket clerk called me back -- and gave me a $10 ticket. I wound up in the third row, with a perfect view of the pianist's hands.
Whether this was because I was polite, or because I looked so crestfallen, or because the clerk was just a really nice person, I couldn't say.
However, I bet if I *wouldn't* have gotten a ticket if I'd said, "I can't BELIEVE that it wasn't made clearer! I think I should get a $10 ticket anyway because your organization didn't make sure the newspaper reporter got the price breakdown! Bait and switch! I'm gonna write about you on Yelp!"

Donna Freedman of WA 1:17AM February 08, 2011

One more important aspect of the art of negotiating is attitude. Converting win - lose games (or negotiations) to win - win games is often the difference between success and failure. A win - win game can be illustrated by a game of monopoly. Everyone wins in the game and one player wins the most. Thinking about the other's motivation, reason for behaving, enables us to help the other satisfy a need by doing business with us, by negotiating. Bodily posture, tone of voice, small concessions, sincere interest in being fair in establishing a relationship, acting ethically and morally (they are different), and all the other things good people do ordinarily, lead to successful results of negotiating. It's a long song and it's worth singing.

LOUIS SANDBERG of NY 10:13AM February 02, 2011

I might also recommend that when you "ask", expect the very best. Position yourself to receive what you're asking for or negotiating or say to yourself "this or something better".

Hope of FL 3:07PM January 31, 2011