Negotiate Your Way To The Top

As an inspiring artist, one of the most powerful business tools to get under your belt is the power of negotiation. Learning how to negotiate with others is the key to building successful business partnerships and despite what you think, you can’t reach the levels you desire as a one man or woman show.  As I approached the Negotiation course, my goal was to gain a better understanding of negotiation tactics that will enhance my ability to close deals for my company.

Learning the art of negotiation is something that most artists and creative professionals have failed to conquer, therefore they typically walk away from their entertainment industry career feeling slighted.  The dominant characteristic of a skilled negotiator is that they consider the negotiation from both sides. A good negotiator simply wants to win; a great negotiator desires a win that is beneficial for both parties.

Here are three attributes of a great negotiator:

1)   A great negotiator has good research skills. This allows them to reach a realistic goal based on the information they have gathered prior to the negotiation session.

2)   A great negotiator is realistic. They recognize the realistic boundaries of not only their part of the negotiation, but anticipate the other parties boundaries and negotiates strategically within them.

3)   A great negotiator is an active listener. It’s important that a great negotiator doesn’t just hear what the other party is saying but is skilled in communicating what is heard back to the other party so that the conversation comes to a mutual agreement.

4)   A great negotiator asks questions. He who asks the questions controls the conversation in a negotiation session. Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions and tie down your negotiating party with questions like, “Is that correct?” and “can we agree on that?”

Throughout my experience this month, I have learned that fine-tuning my negotiating skills will allow me to become a better music business professional for you, my artist, clients and industry friends. I have been able to apply them to my real world experience while I have been negotiating deals with a local venue to host a weekly event. Understanding these four negotiating principles allowed me to enhance those conversations. I encourage all artists to begin using them to push yourself to the next level of your career. Remember, your dream is just a wish without action and faith…negotiate your way to the top!