What are the best practices for negotiating from a position of knowledge and expertise?

Ethical considerations are paramount; expertise should not be wielded as a weapon but rather as a tool for mutual benefit. The art of negotiation is in finding that sweet spot where confidence in one’s knowledge does not cross over into arrogance. It’s about being assertive yet approachable, ensuring the exchange feels like a pathway to a shared goal rather than a battleground. In my experience, this balanced approach not only leads to successful outcomes but also lays the foundation for long-term relationships, which are the cornerstone of any consultancy’s reputation and continued business success.

It's not enough to demonstrate your value, you must demonstrate why your consultancy business is the only credible choice to deliver this value. This comes from having a highly differentiated offering, deep sector knowledge, and demonstrable thought leadership. This makes the negotiation more balanced as the client has limited BATNAs.

By integrating these best practices, you can leverage your knowledge and expertise effectively in negotiations, creating a foundation for successful and mutually beneficial outcomes. Highlight Value Proposition: Clearly articulate the value of your proposal based on your expertise. Demonstrate how it aligns with the counterpart's goals and provides tangible benefits. Emphasize Long-Term Relationships: Position yourself as a long-term partner by emphasizing the mutual benefits of the agreement. This can strengthen your negotiation position. Flexibility and Adaptability: Be open to adjusting your approach based on new information or changing circumstances. Flexibility enhances your ability to find mutually beneficial solutions.

In my experience, there is also an ingredient to take in consideration and that is the level of self-esteem. Women tent to practice lower prices due to societies uninformed ideas passed through generations, that we are not that smart.

I agree and I would also add the analysis made during the discussion. The stories in social media could be nicely packed. But I believe is very important that we find the common ground when it comes to sharing our knowledge. In such a way that the client really understands what receives and which are their benefits out of this.

What I found in my experience is that most of the times people are negoting a price from 2 points: serving their ego and have the feeling they won, or they don't understand the value you are bringing.

True, I find it very important that we set the time and frame for closing a deal. If your client is underpressure from different motives like not enough time, disturbing environment, unclear explanation, that deal is very close to fail. And the same thing is applicable to you: having enough time and patience to answer all questions rising, keeping a decent pace of explanation and not be overly talkative is crucial.

I think is absolutely crucial to know your values and work with people aligned in your values. In the past, I worked outside my values and outside the fact that I was in huge stress, in my client's eye I was not providing a good service. And it made total sense: no one can perform properly outside their core values.

As an expert, it is important to make sure that all parties in the negotiation are comfortable. If the other parties believe that you have skills or knowledge that will allow you to take advantage they are not as likely to be open and transparent. In my book, "Building Business Capacity," I recount a story of former military negotiators turned business partners who, quickly learned not to reveal their background too soon. New clients often felt the pair had an unfair advantage. Their secret, make sure all parties walk away happy by giving people as much of what they wanted as they reasonably could. They knew that sincerely doing as much as you can to meet everyone's needs builds trust. It turns out that happy people come back.