Buzzwordy: Negotiating tips that rock!

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Buzzwordy's Reservoir of Marketing Tips:

Negotiation

There are so many different styles, tricks, and personalities involved in negotiations. Depending on where you are, who your opponent is, how does your opponent behave, and many other varying factors, each negotiation can be different. Nonetheless, there are common traits that can be found in every negotiation. Buzzwordy wants to share his top 10 favorites with you,

When negotiating with your clients and vendors, never give them a clear indication of how far you are willing to go - whether the price is up or down. Just sit tight, smile, and stick to your gun. Usually a poker face works every time. Time is your best friend in negotiation - learn to love it.
When the other side offers you something to drink, always choose water over anything else. Naturally, a bottled water with a tightly sealed cap is preferred. Make sure that you check for bubbles inside the bottle - if bubbles are seen, don't drink that bottle. This means that it has been tampered. With a clear bottled water, you don't need to drink too much, just a tiny sip to keep your mouth moist will work.
Always ask for one-on-one during negotiation. If the other side insists on a panel negotiation style, then ask to meet them in a noisy location. Use the noise as an excuse to identify and home into just one representative on the other side to drive the message across. This Divide and Conquer method works well in many cases.
If the negotiation involves tons of documents, use a projector to show only the relevant ones. This will bring focus to the highlighted issues and reduce complexities. In the absence of a projector, use a master hard copy that clearly details out all the highlighted issues and distribute spare copies to all the meeting attendees.
When the other party loses their cool in the midst of a hostile negotiation, stay focus on the issues and don't budge.
Many times, the other party will play the "GOOD COP BAD COP" role to weaken your strength and distill your focus, don't fall into their trap. Keep focusing on all the pertinent issues and block out all the distractions.
When you are negotiating with a much older opponent, beware of his sweet talk since his strategy is to usurp your focus, make you just a little too comfortable, and snap at you when you're not paying attention. When in doubt, always remember to focus on the issues.
When you are negotiating with a much younger opponent, watch out for his fast talk since his strategy is to humiliate you, weaken your stance, and corral you into giving away your position. When in doubt, always remember to focus on the issues.
If your opponent takes too many water breaks during the negotiation, you should also take the same water breaks and follow him around. This will surely drive your opponent crazy. If your opponent happens to be a "SHE", you could still follow her as long as you stay clear from the ladies room.
Remember to study your opponent's facial expression, eye and body movements, and his or her vocal strength during negotiation. Watch for fatigue signs like excessive perspiration, nervous finger movement, fast blinking, and other unusual reactions at the table.