It's all about the planning

“He who fails to plan, plans to fail.” ~ Proverbs

There is no doubt that planning helps you to succeed in life, and it is no different in business negotiations. “Winging it” or hoping for the best during a negotiation is not going to give you the results you want or need. Planning may take time and effort, but will pay off in better strategies and results.

Planning takes time. Sometimes, time is at a premium, but because planning is so important, Chester L. Karrass gives us several tips for a “quick planning kit.”

1) Choose the time and place to meet
2) Write down your wants in order of priority
3) Separate must-haves from would-likes
4) Figure out your opening offer and your target for each issue to be discussed
5) Determine what you will say after the other party says no
6) Make a list of things you want in return for any concessions
7) Brainstorm a few win-win deals
8) Have some defenses to avoid premature concessions
9) Prepare information to support your position
10) Make a list of things you should ask for before the deal is closed


We all know that plans sometimes do not work out. Things come up that we did not anticipate. To learn more, Dr. Karrass provides an in-depth approach to planning, and to anticipating the unexpected in his book “In Business As In Life—You Don’t Get What You Deserve, You Get What You Negotiate.”

Have you ever succeeded at a negotiation because of your pre-planning? Have you seen the other party not achieve good results because of lack of planning? Please share your stories in the comments.