The First One to Pick a Number
HAS POWER. I found that out last night. It was exciting. Here’s what happened.
In yesterday’s article, Job [and Client] Hunting ala Liz, I added three bits of advice I had learned about negotiating meetings. This was one.
The first one to name a number loses. To me thatââ¬â¢s self-explanatory. If I say a number, theyââ¬â¢re not going to go higher. If they ask, I usually answer with . . . what the work is worth, letââ¬â¢s talk a little more about whatââ¬â¢s involved and what you usually pay for this kind of work.
I found out in less than 2 hours I was wrong. WAY COOL.
A Smart and Gracious Reader
A smart and gracious reader by the name of Tammy Lenski stopped by, and in the kindest way said
Liz, I love your articles and appreciated the advice in this one. I thought you might be interested in a bit of intriguing information related to your comment that the first one to name a number loses. Thereââ¬â¢s actually a fair amount of good evidence that naming the first number in a negotiation puts you in a more powerful position than if you let the other person name one first. I wrote about it in a post a while back: http://lenski.com/index.php/2005/05/good-negotiators-know-anchoring/ . Just some food for thought! Best wishes to you.
Food for thought. It was great! Talk about intriguing. It seems that my problem is I didn’t have the confidence to shoot for a number WAY up in the sky.
Go read Tammy’s article. It won’t take long, and it’s well worth reading. I’ll wait right here.
I could replay the rest, but it seems silly to do so when . . . You can read it starting with Mike Sigers comment that really got the ball rolling from there.
I love the Internet. I get smarter just being part of the conversation with you. That’s one heck of a benefit.
Thank you, Tammy, Mike, Ohad, Martin, and everyone else.
Brand you and me works.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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I’m just happy to be part of the bunch making you smarter, Liz 🙂
Yeah, I like too! It’s fun when my friends teach me stuff I don’t know.+
I guess it’s friends happily giving back a little for all the wonderful, insightful things you write about…
Ahhh, now enough of the mushy stuff and lets get a bloggin’
You’re just trying to make me laugh.
Hey, I have lunch and dinner this week with three different Australians.
You’re more Aussie than me.
I sense in you a deep-seated desire to be an Aussie, Liz. As you have bestowed on me the title of ‘The King of the Southern Hemisphere’ I officially welcome you as an honorary Aussie.
Now get in tune with some basic Aussie slang and you’ll do me proud, mate.
Look, Bruce, I’m no Norell.
That’s not right is it?
That’s not right is it?
Bloody oath it’s not right – I have absolutely no idea 🙂
C’mon Lizzy, mate … you surely can do better than that.
Aussie slang rule #1: we give generic nicknames to everyone, and I mean everyone. Gary becomes Gazza, Darren becomes Dazza, Barry becomes Bazza.
Rule #2: we take the piss out of everything and everyone.
Rule #3: sports, sports, sports … sports.
Okay, try #2.
I bought you a prezzie, but it was raining and i had no brollie. So I left with Charz and instead you get this lolly.
Getting better.
prezzie (present) and brollie (umbrella) – good.
Charz ??
I’ll let you ponder this as I’m off to bed, nighty night.
Charz=Mr. BETA
Sweet Dreams