10 Negotiation Lifehacks That Will Save You Money

Have you ever met someone who was a Rainmaker? A Rainmaker is a person who seems to make money wherever they go—often with something as simple as a phone call to the right person.

They are master negotiators and slick salesmen. They seem to have a natural gift for talking to people and getting people interested in what they have to say. In business, Rainmakers can often revive a dying company from the brink of bankruptcy.

Believe it or not, anyone can be a Rainmaker if they really want to be. You just need to get into the art of negotiation.Want some quick tips that can boost your ability to negotiate? Try these negotiation lifehacks for starters.

When someone makes an offer, don't say anything at first.

One of the most popular negotiation lifehacks you can learn is figuring out how to deal with an offer. Both salesmen and potential employers tend to assume people will jump at the first offer you give them, or at least give some feedback that will somehow give them the upper hand.

Silence is golden here, so use it. With negotiators, silence and a casual shrug puts them on edge—and that tends to make them blabber, and become more accommodating towards you.

This is one of the best negotiation tactics to use with car dealers, and when executed well, can easily help you save thousands of dollars.

Don't be afraid to ask for what you want.

Do you know what is one of the most common mistakes people make when they're trying to get what they want? They don't ask for it. When you don't ask for what you want, no one will give you what you want.

Whether it's because they don't want to give it to you, or because they're just not aware of what your desire, it doesn't matter. The thing that matters is that you aren't speaking up for yourself—and that puts you at a gross disadvantage when it comes to your negotiations with the other party.

The biggest weapon you have in any negotiation is your legs.

Ready for one of the most powerful negotiation lifehacks you'll ever hear? No matter what negotiation you're in, the most powerful card you can play is your ability to walk away.

No one can bully you into doing something you do not want to do—even if it feels that way. If you want to win any negotiation whatsoever, you should be prepared to walk away from the table.

This means that you should be willing to:

• Look at other cars from other dealerships if the dealer who has the car you want is being a prick. The more research you have, the better off you'll be—and the faster that salesman will scramble to work with you on your terms. If they won't buck, well, you at least know you have options that may suit you better.
• Be willing to walk away from a potential employer that doesn't pay you well. Part of being able to get ahead is knowing your worth. If you're worth $20, you should be prepared to walk away from a $10 per hour offer. Taking that offer will not help you get to where you want to be.
• Be willing to leave someone who will not commit to you in time. This is the hardest one, but you will need to draw a line somewhere.

Ask for more than the bare minimum.

People who are looking to get ahead would be wise to ask for more than what they really want. The reason why is because most people will not agree to the first demand that you have, even if it's really not that much at all.

With most negotiators, they will try to argue you down just because they can. By asking for more than what you want, the worst thing that can happen is that the extra items you ask for will end up being put on the chopping block—leaving the bare minimum.

This is one of the smartest tactics to use when negotiating salary. It can easily make a huge difference in how much you make.

Be prepared.

Knowledge is power, and many negotiation lifehacks focus on this at length. The more you arm yourself with knowledge, the better the results you'll have.

You should know what your negotiator wants, and how they prefer to be treated. You should also know as much information about the deal as possible, and what you have to offer them that would give you an unfair advantage.

It's also worth knowing when to give information to people and prepare accordingly. Otherwise, you'll never end up in a win-win situation.

At a car dealership, you should be as tight-lipped as possible. Any information a salesman will get will end up being used against you in hopes of getting a higher price. It's one of the car salesman secrets you really need to know when sitting down.

On the other hand, if you are working out a business deal, you should also be willing to offer up more information to the other party. This could help them give you an offer that could create a win-win.

Listen.

Everyone loves to talk, and that might be good for a night at the bar. Unfortunately, it's pretty bad when it comes to negotiations. Expert negotiators know that people have a tendency of saying exactly what they want when they sit down to talk it out.

The more you hear your opponent talk, the more information you can get from them.

Remember that "NO!" is a full sentence.

In American society, the word "no" is treated like a swearword. It's a word that's stigmatized as a phrase used by "difficult" people who are "just not reasonable."

The truth is that society hates the word "no" because people love being able to take advantage of a doormat. Sadly, this is a lesson we never really want to openly admit—and it's a lesson that leads to one of the smarter negotiation lifehacks out there.

Stop thinking that you have to apologize for saying "no" or refusing to do something. There's no reason to do so. "No" is a full sentence. You don't have to explain your rationale to anyone, no matter how much they pry for it.

If they can't accept no, walking works pretty well.

Use "because" when you ask something.

Most people have a very strange quirk when it comes to asking for permission. Studies have shown that asking for permission might get mixed results if you just ask if you are allowed do something.

On the other hand, if you ask for permission and then explain why, people will be far more likely to say yes. This is actually a way of humanizing yourself to them, which naturally makes people more agreeable to you.

This even works with the stuff you experience every day—like with shopping. So, don't ask "Can I cut in line?" Try to ask, "Can I cut in line so that I can meet my daughter up front?"

Don't forget that the person you're negotiating with isn't your friend.

Many negotiation lifehacks people use tend to make it seem like the person you're talking to is a good friend of yours. By helping you appear like you're on the same page with the other party, they become more amenable to concede to a better compromise.

Sadly, this tends to mean that you will forget something incredibly important about negotiating—the other party is not your friend. It's not a chat between two people, it's a negotiation that will have lasting consequences for you.

Assume you'll win.

For people who are pessimistic, all the negotiation lifehacks in the world won't help if you're doom and gloom. When negotiators notice that you look like you're expecting to lose, they will start to bully you about concessions, and it will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Be a little optimistic, and if you have trouble doing that, consider using meditation to eliminate negativity. You're in it to win it.