One of the unwritten ‘rules’
in negotiations
is
the person who states a firm number
first
loses in negotiations.
They supply the anchor,
the starting price
(or salary).
And it is difficult for them
to move their price/salary
from that anchor
to benefit them.
As Seth Godin
shares
“The asking price
is a signal,
a way to message expectations
and begin a negotiation.
It’s simply a guess
about the future,
made by the person
who goes first.
It can anchor our thinking,
but if we’re not careful,
it can be an anchor
that also drags us down.”
One of the ways
to work around
sharing the starting price
is to state a range.
That provides a starting place
for discussions
but gives the negotiator
some flexibility.
State ranges,
not absolute numbers.