Ask for More!

It’s often the simplest negotiating tactics that will get you the extra few concessions you’re looking for. Sometimes, in fact, getting a little extra requires little more than just asking for it. This is called an add-on.

To show you how it works, let's go shopping for a stereo system. You know the one you want and how much you want to pay for it. So, first you go from shop to shop comparing competing prices until you find a dealer you can do business with.

Now you work on the price. Don’t ask for a discount. Make an offer that’s less than what you want to pay, and then come to an agreement on price. But don’t agree on a deal yet. This is where add-ons go to work.

Let’s get the price a little lower first. Does the stereo come with a karaoke microphone? Great. How much is it worth? Fifty ringgit? Okay, you don’t need the karaoke microphone, so can we get another fifty ringgit off the price of the stereo?

What about maintenance? Does the system come with a lens cleaner for the CD player? No? They’re not very expensive. Ask if the dealer can throw one in for you.

What about blank CDs? You’d like to try the burner as soon as you get home to ensure that everything’s working properly, but you haven’t got any blanks to work with. Maybe the dealer can throw in one or two, yes?

Anything else that you think you might want that will make this or any other deal sweeter for you is fair to ask for. As long as your negotiating counterpart keeps on saying yes, the deal gets better. When your counterpart says no, you’ve lost nothing for asking. Keep it in mind, smaller add-ons are easier to get.

Getting add-ons on a deal you’ve almost finished negotiating requires nothing more than asking, but working up the nerve to ask can be tough. To get over this get out of the mindset that tells you, “The answer will be no.” Tell yourself instead, “I’ve got nothing to lose by trying.” Because when you’ve got nothing to lose, you’re in a powerful position to negotiate.