Ulterior Motives

There's an even better way to negotiate.

I call it "Facts For, Opinions Against" (FFOA).

You mention any and all facts that help you. And then you give opinions against your position.

Here is an example...

I'm buying a house. I have decided that $350.000 is what I'm willing to pay. The house needs repairs and is on a busy street.

We have 3 facts.
1. I'm willing to pay 350 only
2. The house needs repairs
3. It's on a busy street

And so I would say this...

"It's a beautiful house you have here. It needs repairs (fact) but quite honestly that shouldn't make a difference at all in the price (opinion). I also noticed the noise from the busy street (fact) but that too is irrelevant (opinion). After all, who really cares about noise (opinion). My budget for this purchase is 350 (fact) but I'm sure you can get more then that (opinion). If by some small chance you're interested, let me know.

This method puts all the facts on the table, but removes resistance by instantly giving opinions against them. And so it keeps the buyer in a non adversarial frame of mind, but doesn't sacrifice letting them know that I know of the facts in the case.

This works in negotiation, therapy, marriage, getting out of a ticket, and whatever else you can imagine :)

Joe
www.wikihyp.com

Joe, I find it hard to separate personal-fact from opinion. "I'm willing to pay 350 only." Well that's may be so now but it might not be so once other facts are revealed.

What you offered as non-adversarial seemed quite adversarial because most repairs cost money so saying it shouldn't make a difference in the price without stating reason is attempting to portray an opinion as a fact and that makes one feel manipulated.

Randy,

The way you distinguish between fact and opinion is by asking yourself "can anyone argue about this?". Nobody can argue with the idea that you're willing to pay $350. If however you made a prediction and said "in the future I will never change my mind", that would be an opinion.

As for saying repairs won't make a difference, remember, you're the buyer not the seller. If I as the seller hear a buyer say that repairs don't matter, it would be music to my ears. I'm perfectly fins with the buyer saying untrue things so long as they help me.

Joe