When we enter into a negotiation, we simply don't know everything that we need to know. What this means for us is that we've got to use the negotiation to do some exploring - we've got to get answers to the questions that are unanswered when we start.

What you'll find inside:

• Giving to get: how a sales negotiator makes concessions
• Three things every sales negotiator needs to know
• Hidden needs drive sales negotiations
• How to win a race when you're not the fastest runner

In order to accomplish this we're going to have to make sure that we have the time that we need to think about what the other side is telling us. When they hit us with a lot of facts and stats to back up their position, we need to take the time to understand where all of these numbers came from.

In order to get the deal that we want, we're going to have to give in on some of the issues that are being discussed. What issues we make concessions on and how we go about making those concessions is very important. Done correctly, we'll get closer to the deal that we want.

In order to get better at this negotiating thing, we need to understand how to use all of the tools that are available to us. This includes the telephone. Additionally, it sure would be nice if we could get some professional negotiators to share with us how they have become so successful.

One of the things that we need to be aware of during a negotiation is that we can't always trust what the other side is telling us. We need to learn to not believe the other side. This also means that we should get some guidance from someone who has done all of this before.

Although it's not a word that a lot of us use very often, haggling is a critical part of any negotiation. We need to learn what it is and how to do it. The more that you talk with the other side, the better your chances of learning what their hidden needs are.