Negotiating your Way to Happiness: Part 2

In the first part of this series, Negotiate Your Way to Happiness, we shared negotiating tips that could be used in the workplace and at home. But remember -- no matter how well you conduct the early to middle phases of a negotiation, the odds could turn against you if you fail to finish strongly.

The following advice will bring your negotiation skills full circle, whether you're buying a home, or deciding your summer vacation destination.

1. Keep your true final offer in reserve. You may have to make two final offers. The first is the one you'd like to have accepted but probably won't be. The second is the one you can live with that the other side will view as a compromise ("Well, I suppose it wouldn't kill me to go to Maui.")

2. Don't be vague. Be very specific about the limitations of an agreement. This reduces the chance you'll be taken advantage of ("You didn't tell me we were staying in a mud hut!")

3. Give yourself an escape hatch. Base the agreement on conditions to be reviewed at a later date. ("Glad I reserved that backup flight to Fiji.")

4. Offer a trial period. It seems more acceptable, gets the other side used to it, and can always be renewed. (An excellent policy to put in place with regard to new pets.)

5. Don't do today what you can do tomorrow. Put off your action for a specific or open-ended length of time. Sometimes problems will solve themselves or new options will come up ("You're no longer interested in a puppy? Wow, has it really been 10 years since you started asking?")

6. Make your agreement flexible. Create provisions for possible future changes which may arise. No solution lasts forever.

7. Solve it by flipping a coin. Don't use a mallot to squash a gnat. When a simple dispute arises, try a simple method of resolution. It's not life or death, and both sides have an equal chance.

8. Get Creative. Solutions don't always have to be absolute. Throw all variations at the wall and see what sticks, no matter how wacky or impossible they first seem.

Our list continues with nine more effective methods for closing a deal. Whether it's in the workplace, your home, or other situation, negotiating skills can help keep everyone satisfied. Follow up solid negotiations with a strong close, and chances are you'll achieve your goals.

9. Sometimes, you have to give something to get something. Making reasonable compromises fosters a team atmosphere, helping both sides achieve their goal. (Guys: for every action film to which you've dragged your girl, surely you can put up with a "chick-flick" on occasion.)

10. Decide the American way: Vote. It doesn't necessarily guarantee the right answer, but it's accepted as "Truth, Justice, and the American Way." (This solves the "where to go for dinner with friends" dilemma every time!)

11. Take a walk down memory lane. Calling on past solutions often works to resolve present difficulties.

12. Call for help! Sometimes another viewpoint is all that's needed to present your position to the other side. (Girls: your sister is probably not the best person to call if you're negotiating with your spouse.)

13. Solve your problems through arbitration. Bring in a neutral party to sort out the pros and cons of the issues. This is particularly helpful when there are multiple parties involved.

14. Break an impasse with an expert's help. Ask an expert (industry, social, etc. depending on your situation) to present pertinent information to both sides in an effort to arrive at a solution (Redecorating? Call HGTV! Heck, they might even do it for you.)

15. Always keep your word. Be sure you're willing to stand by your promise or trust will be broken, and you'll destroy your credibility for next time.

16. It helps to put it in writing. Putting your agreement in writing prevents one or both parties from forgetting, or misinterpreting the terms. 17. Shake on it. a symbolic gesture to wrap up a deal gives it a note of finality. This can be anything from a handshake to a kiss (don't try this at work!) Want more negotiation tips?

Don't miss the first article in this RK Auto Group series: Negotiate Your Way to Happiness.