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I don’t like negotiations.

You have to talk about money, you probably feel insecure, and of course, there’s always the possibility of failure.

For those reasons, and probably more, many of us tend to avoid business negotiations like the plague.

But you can’t achieve what you don’t ask for, so let’s talk about how to succeed in the art of negotiation.

Why Communication Pros Shy Away from Negotiations

Let’s start by looking at some of the reasons PR professionals would rather do anything than a negotiation.

Even those of those people oozing with confidence worry things won’t go as planned.

There’s a chance you’ll walk away completely empty-handed and that in itself is scary.

On top of that, it almost always feels like you’re going in for a fight, the topic of money is never fun and most of us think we’re terrible at playing the negotiation game.

So what do we do?

Avoid it.

We become yes-people.

We say yes to the first salary and title offer we receive.

Or we don’t prepare to ask for raises and promotions.

We don’t demand clients pay us what we know we’re worth.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Negotiation is finding the best outcome that works for everyone involved.

This means for your colleagues, bosses, and clients.

You need the right skills and attitude to help you adjust your approach.

The Spin Sucks Podcast

In this episode of the Spin Sucks podcast, we talk about:

• Working on your negotiation skills
• Preparing to negotiate
• Why negotiation doesn’t mean you’ll lose
• How to negotiate a fair price with potential clients
• How NOT to negotiate with your employer or boss
• What to do when you negotiate with your employers
• Why it isn’t always about money

How Are Your Skills?

Is negotiation something you struggle with?

You’re certainly not alone and that’s OK.

But communications professionals need to understand that negotiations are part of business and, done well, help both sides achieve their goals.

How would you rate your negotiation skills? Any tips or stories?

The comments are yours.

About Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, a Chicago-based integrated marketing communications firm. She is the lead blogger at Spin Sucks and is the founder of Spin Sucks Pro. She is the co-author of Marketing in the Round and co-host of Inside PR. Full bio