The art of negotiation has always been the starting point of positioning myself for the win.
Written by Neferteri Plessy
The art of negotiation has always been the starting point of positioning myself for the win.
When I first entered the world of modeling, I was in a place where I and my fellow young models were simply told what the rate was. We didn’t even realize there was room for negotiations to take place.
For years I just took whatever fashion designers, agencies, producers, and casting directors wanted to give me.
Then one day, I was quoted a rate that just didn’t sit well with me. And I did something that would forever change the way I thought about my own value and my place as a businesswoman.
I cordially requested more money for my talents!
The fashion designer on the other end of the call went silent…
After a short pause, my agent said “let me see what I can do”.
Within 10 minutes, I got a call back from my agent telling me the fashion designer agreed to my new rate!
I was blown away.
Are you telling me I’ve been leaving money on the table simply because I never negotiated…?
Since then I’ve leveraged the power of negotiation to change my life and the lives of many of my clients. I’ve negotiated and have helped my clients negotiate 5, 6, and 7-figure business deals.
I’ve learned a lot about successful negotiation. But nothing I’ve learned is as important as that first step — you’ve got to be willing to ask!
Still, there are some very simple negotiating strategies I’ve learned that work consistently.
Below are 5 that are easy to do but that will pay off again and again.
Learn them inside and out:
1. Measure your value but always ask for at least an additional 10–20%
Whatever someone is offering you for your services, they have likely budgeted more. People are expecting you to negotiate. Simply asking for a pay increase can have immediate, and significant, results.
2. Embrace the silence
A lot of times when I broach the topic of higher rates, the person on the other end of the conversation will hesitate. They’re waiting for you to get shaken and drop your ask. Don’t. Embrace the silence and stick to your guns.
3. Practice saying a big number out loud
If you’ve never asked for $200,000, get loud in a safe space such as your car or your home and ask for $400,000. Then when you request $200,000, it will feel like no big deal. This is about getting comfortable with your worth. When you internalize your ask and are totally comfortable saying it out loud to yourself, you will be ready.
4. Be specific
If you offer a range of numbers instead of being concrete about what you want, the person on the other end of the conversation will take advantage to get you to commit to the lowest possible number. You can set the agenda around your target by being specific about what you want.
5. Remember negotiation is about creating Win-Wins
In the end, you don’t want your negotiating partner to feel like you’ve got one over on them. Often you’re looking for long-term partnership opportunities. Make sure the deal you come to doesn’t undervalue your worth. But make sure it is in the interests of the other party as well.
Recently I sat down to chat with one of the most powerful women in the negotiating world — the CEO / Executive Director of WIN Summit, Daniella Kahane.
Daniella and her organization are dedicated to empowering women to discover new ways to harness their unique strengths, elevate their skills, leverage their value, and better advocate for both themselves and their organizations.
Daniella told me that when she negotiates, she isn’t just negotiating for herself, she’s negotiating for ALL women.
I LOVE this message…
It drew me into becoming the producer and media strategist for this year’s WIN Summit, taking place on June 1.
Titled Lift As We Rise, the Summit will be committed to the notion that through banding together and supporting each other, women can emerge stronger through a series of crises that has seen women lose some hard-earned advancements in the workplace over the past few years.
You can attend virtually.
Regardless of how you choose to attend, this year’s Summit will give you the opportunity to:
- Focus on women’s leadership skills through targeted sessions to help solve the workplace challenges facing women today.
- Attend immersive breakout sessions available for in-depth development experience and meaningful conversations
- Take advantage of powerful programming with a unique mix of academic and industry leaders
- Virtual networking sessions to expand your professional connections
- Experience rapid-fire idea panels on specific challenges and industry trends
- Dedicate virtual meet-ups with summit champions and women’s oriented brands
- Fulfill SHRM and/or CLE certification credits, and
- Learn the latest negotiation strategies, how we can help solve the challenges women face in the workplace, and develop meaningful connections with other resourceful women, like you.
You can secure your seat for WIN Summit 2022 right here.
Enter promo code NEFERTERI10 to get 10% off your ticket!
Change begins with setting our boundaries, leveraging our values, negotiating what we are worth, and working together to push the needle forward.
WIN Summit aims to take the guesswork out of negotiation and lay a foundation of self-awareness, preparation, and practice to build confidence in women so they can feel encouraged to bring their authentic selves to every conversation.
Climbing the proverbial ladder in the workplace has never been easy for women. And in many ways, it has become even harder than over the last few years.
Lift As We Rise is your opportunity to come together with other professional women from around the world to share insights on how you can harness your unique strengths and elevate your ability to lead.
Remember to enter promo code NEFERTERI10 to secure your 10% discount. I’d love to see you there!
