How Women Can Be Better Negotiators
Growth Strategies for Small Business
1. - Do your best to get what you want. - Negotiators often get involved in meetings
without having established what they want to achieve. Women entrepreneurs know that having a goal is very important when participating in a negotiation. As long as you’re prepared to face the competition nothing should stop you from closing an excellent deal. Yet, unlike men, women find it hard to get accustomed to unfamiliar situations. Although they’re professionals, they usually deal with a problem that is referred to as aspirational collapse. This means that they prefer to surrender and accept a less favorable solution rather than fight for what they deserve.
2. - Don’t compromise. - Women are more likely to make concessions because they’re afraid to use their power. Most female entrepreneurs are naïve and they don’t realize they’re in charge. You’re the entrepreneur, the business owner, the boss, so act like one! Don’t allow a rude male negotiator tell you otherwise. Just because men know how to raise their voices, it doesn’t mean women can’t do that as well.
3. - Are you ready to walk away? - Business women should know their value. During a negotiation it’s essential to showcase determination and willpower in front of your competition. There’s no time to be emotional so try to keep things professional. Talk less, use your body language to highlight poise, and if something doesn’t suit you, speak your mind. Running a company and being in charge is not that simple; yet, as an entrepreneur you must find the courage to say ‘no’.
4. - Make eye contact. - Business women should never be afraid to look their team in the eye. As an entrepreneur you’ll have to deal with employees, clients, and investors, on a daily basis so there’s no time to be shy. Eye contact exhibits confidence and self-belief, features every business woman should own. Your counterparts should see you as an equal; avoiding eye contact makes women weak, emotional, and nervous, and those features will motivate counterparts to take advantage.
5. - Smile. - There’s nothing wrong with using your physical assets to influence business partners. Negotiations are stressful, tiring, and sometimes extremely demanding. As a professional entrepreneur you must find common ground, so smiling can sometimes work miracles on your opponents. Listen carefully to everything your counterpart says and if they’re offering something that’s below your expectations, make a counter-offer with a smile on your face. Always be polite and don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ if you can’t reach an agreement.
6. - Do you have enough authority? - Men don’t like powerful women in business, but that’s no secret to anyone. Female entrepreneurs must be strong and decisive otherwise they will outshined by impolite men eager to showcase their masculinity. Never let a subordinate tell you want to do. Let your employees know who’s in charge and if they’re not comfortable with your position, inform them that they can look for another job. Give respect and you’ll be respected, so as long as your people are doing their jobs the atmosphere at the office should be cordial and professional.
Source: TheEntrepreneursAdvisor
Patty Block, President and Founder of The Block Group, established her company to advocate for women-owned businesses, helping them position their companies for strategic growth. Charting the course for impactful, sustainable, profitable businesses, the beacon is control: of your strategic direction, your money, your time, your staffing, and your ability to bring in business. The Block Group brings together the people, resources and ideas that build results.
Growth Strategies for Small Business.
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