A bearded man, wearing a stern look and clad in a grey tank top with black shorts and heavy sandals to go with, stands in front of you. You could be distracted by his choice of attire on a Monday morning or the loud clatter of his weighty sandals as they kiss the ground (I mean, why wear sandals if they’re still going to weigh you down?), but you’re too focused on the words coming out of his mouth. He just told you he’s going to pay less of the value of service you rendered. Sigh. Welcome to the frustrating world of negotiation with clients. Everyone here loves quality service but at lower prices.
Here’s a hard truth: if you do not stand up for what you want and need in the business world, you won’t get it. Either it is asking for a raise or a certain amount from a client, you sure need to stand up for what you deserve. There are lots of excuses to pull out of the drawer of “ pay less”. If you are confident about what you bring to the table as an entrepreneur or worker, here is how to work around the fear and get paid what you deserve.
- BE GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO
Becoming invaluable at your service gives you the equity to demand the pay that you deserve. Most times, people will forget what you say but won’ forget how you made them feel. .Deliver on your brand promise and back it up with a unique customer experience. When clients can speak of your services to others, unsolicited for, it raises the bar for others to respect what you’re bringing to the table.
- BE DIRECT, NOT CONFRONTATIONAL
The key to negotiation lies in 3Cs – be confident, be concise, be clear. Avoid being too assertive or dramatic. Be specific in the process of conversing with your clients if not some points might be misinterpreted.
- BE ARMED WITH FACTS NOT OPINIONS
“I think”, “I am not sure”, “I feel” should not be in your negotiation diary. Be informed about the industry you’re dealing with and how it works. This information will come in handy when there is an objection, and there will be. State the numbers and how you achieved the KPI set. Note that objections are carried out of due diligence. Therefore you need to carry out yours too.
- ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT
To get what you want, you must speak up. People who ask for what they want are the people who get what they want. Demonstrate that you believe in yourself and what you are asking for, possibly the response will be favourable. And if the response goes south, re-strategize on how to start the process again, this time, find out what needs to be done to get a yes.
