Whether you're negotiating a raise or a business deal, the process is far from simple. But a few small tweaks here and there can help you get what you want.
To help anyone improve their negotiation skills, Harvard Business School professor and author of "Negotiating the Impossible," Deepak Malhotra, offered 22 "quick fixes" while speaking to the audience at CNBC's iConic conference in June.
One such quick fix is specific to after the negotiation, says Malhotra: "Always send a follow up email."
It's an effective strategy for a few reasons, he tells the audience: "First, it allows you to make sure you're still on the same page — that what you thought you agreed to had actually been agreed to." And if you aren't on the same page, "it's better to know that now than later."
"It also allows you to reframe the situation if you didn't frame it well in the room," the expert continues. "Sometimes you walk out of a room and you say, 'I think we came across as too desperate. We didn't even mention that we're talking to these other people.'"
Conversely, you may have come across as too aggressive, Malhotra notes. Both cases can be rectified with a follow up email.
The third benefit of sending a follow-up note is that you may get more information, says Malhotra, particularly if you forgot to ask a specific question during the meeting.
"It's a small tweak," he notes, but establishing this five-minute habit can help you get what you want out of any negotiation.
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