6 THINGS ALL

6 Things All Successful Negotiators Do

If you think about it, you’ve been negotiating your whole life. As a kid you negotiated constantly with your family, your teachers, and your classmates. If you’re a parent, you’re negotiating probably more than you ever have in your life. But it’s one thing to negotiate staying up late on a school night, people oftentimes have trouble translating those real world negotiation skills into the business world. But the truth is there are a lot similarities.

Expert negotiators all have skills and techniques they bring to the table. It’s quite possible you also have them, and don’t even realize it. Here’s a look at some traits that are common among expert negotiators.

1. They keep emotion out of the process

It’s very easy to feel frustrated, angry and defensive during a negotiation process. But when emotions run high, it’s often difficult to respond with logic and reason. This can be especially difficult if the person you’re negotiating with tries to escalate the situation. As the saying goes, keep calm and carry on. You

have an end goal in mind, and getting heated won’t help you meet it. If things don’t go your way, remember it’s not personal. Best to leave the table with no hard feelings. Hopefully even though you may not have gotten what you’ve wanted this time around, you’ve established a foundation for success at your next try.

2. They’re reasonable

If you don’t ask for what you want you’ll never get it, but at the same time, you need to be reasonable about what you’re asking for. Yes, ask for a little more than you want, so you have some wiggle room to compromise. But if you ask for too much too soon, you might shut down the person you’re negotiating with from the start, or even worse offend them. No one wants to feel like they’re being taken advantage of. Ask for what you deserve and you’ll never go wrong. At the very least you might start the conversation on how that might be possible down the line, if it isn’t just yet.

3. They’re well-prepared

Part of being reasonable is being well-prepared. One of the biggest mistakes novice negotiators make is showing up over-confident and under prepared. Have the research and facts to back up what you’re asking for. Show your negotiation partner evidence of why what you’re asking for is not only fair, but necessary. Facts are hard to shoot down. This will also give you the confidence to really push for what you want. It’s not just something you think, it’s something that’s undeniable true. If you go in unprepared you’re more likely to flounder, which will damage your credibility going into future negotiations.

4. They always strive for a win/win solution for everyone

Yes, negotiations are about getting what you want, but as the old saying goes, you get more flies with honey than vinegar. Your negotiation partner might also have reasonable requests that you need to consider. Ultimately, successful negotiations are about compromise on both sides, and ending up with an outcome that benefits everyone.

5. They’re creative

Problems and conflict are a natural part of any negotiation. One surefire way to impress, is to head off any impending roadblocks, by coming up with creative solutions. It’s easy to point out problems and be negative. Truly expert negotiators think outside the box, and dazzle with innovative concepts and ideas that leave everyone excited about the process.

6. They’re good listeners

Listening in order to really understand where your negotiation partner is coming from is important for two reasons: you not only want to make them feel heard, but knowing what they want is invaluable information you can use to get what you want. At the start, you’re gathering information by asking questions and really hearing what they say, which includes picking up on body language and nonverbal cues as well. This is part of being well-prepared, using every possible thing you can to have an advantage.

Being in control of the situation, and then leading everyone to a successful conclusion all around is what great negotiation is all about.

CHRISTINA NICOL

Christina Nicol – Top Agent with Shorewest Realtors in Waukesha, Wisconsin – is a hardworking, dedicated Realtor who has built a thriving business on a foundation of honesty, integrity and a commitment to clear and constant communication with her clients. This business ethos has translated into Christina’s reputation as a trusted real estate advocate for her many buyers and sellers in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Christina recalls the origins of her career: “My father is a builder, and he’s been in construction his entire life,” she says. “He passed on to me a love of houses. When I was young, we’d spend the weekend looking at homes, and he was always telling us kids about how they were built, so I guess that’s where my real estate journey really started.” Since then, with twelve years of sales experience under her belt, Christina’s business has thrived and continues to grow year after year, based on the excellent customer service she provides her clients.

Continually educating herself about the ever-changing real estate industry is a hallmark of Christina’s approach, and she has earned multiple prestigious designations that provide exceptional value to her clients. These include the S.F.R. (Sales and Foreclosure Resource), the C.R.S. (Certified Residential Specialist) and the C.S.R.S. (Certified Shorewest Relocation Specialist). In addition, Christina’s success has elevated her to membership in her brokerage’s Executive Club.

There are many factors that come into play when assessing Christina’s success story, and chief among them would be her commitment to being available to her clients whenever they need her. “Sometimes other agents don’t respond to their clients until the evening or the following day,” says Christina. “My clients know that if they message me, they are usually going to get a response in minutes.” Another reason would be her genial and friendly nature, which puts clients at ease during even the most convoluted of transactions.

The exceptional customer service she provides is perhaps best illustrated by her perfect, overall five-star rating on Zillow, on which site she is a Premier agent. Among the many glowing reviews that she has received is this one: “Christina was excellent and very knowledgeable in helping us sell our home in a short amount of time. She always responded immediately when we contacted her and was always readily available. She is very pleasant and great to work with. I would recommend her as an agent to anyone whether they are looking to sell or buy a home. She is great!”

Other areas in which Christina excels would be her expert negotiation skills, and thorough and intelligent marketing strategies, which means fast sales for top dollar, not to mention happy clients.

When she’s not working, Christina enjoys nothing more than spending time with her husband, and the pair love to travel. She is also philanthropic, and she donates time and money to multiple animal rescue organizations, including Wolfgang Rescue and Isla Animals.

Looking to the future, Christina’s plans are fairly straightforward: to continue doing what she’s been doing all along – providing her buyers and sellers with the top-of-the-line customer service that has long been synonymous with her name.

For more information about Christina Nicol, please call 262-527-8138 or email CNicol@Shorewest.com

JUSTIN NOVINGER

Justin Novinger was working as the Las Vegas Marketing Director for the National Pro Golf Tour run by Arnold Palmer Golf Management in 2010 when he met Linn Edwards, a sponsor for the events. “Linn is a broker with whom I made fast friends, and we’d watch the tournaments together,” Justin recalls. “After the tour lost funding and was shut down in 2012, I started an advertising agency called VFC Media Group, handling quite a few clients locally.” One of his clients ended up being Linn Edwards. “Linn recruited me to come on board and help build his brand, Property Search Vegas LLC. He convinced me that my skillset would give him a huge competitive advantage in real estate. I decided to start down the path of becoming a licensed real estate broker.” That was six years ago, and he’s never looked back.

With B.S. degrees in business and computer science, Justin not only co-runs Property Search Vegas, he has created Shop Vegas Homes, which promotes cash deals. With offices in Henderson, Nevada, Justin works as a solo agent serving the region from Pahrump to Mesquite, Nevada. With a sales volume that will surpass the current $11 million mark, Justin reports that his business is 80% new clientele. “In order to stay solvent and successful, you can’t rely on repeat and referral business,” he asserts. “I am always prospecting for new clients. In fact, I’ve just developed new farming software that I will eventually make available to agents nationwide.” Justin says it’s his persistence and integrity that keep his clients loyal. “I fight for them and always look out for their best interests,” he insists. Justin relies on state-of-the-art technology to reach out to his clients in a timely manner. “I utilize a customized 8-Point Marketing Plan by automated systems that once imputed allows for the CRM’s to do the work on the touches,” he explains. Examples of his outreach methods include email touches, social media (mainly video through his YouTube channel), MLS tools through E-Property Watch, short code text, and various hard copy mailers. And to market his listings, Justin holds both in-person and virtual open houses, puts up signs, and occasionally posts featured listings on Zillow as a premier agent.

He admits he loves everything about his business. “It’s exciting,” he exclaims. “I get to meet new people every day. There’s a freshness to it. Every transaction brings a new challenge.”

Justin believes in giving back to his community whenever he can and has been involved with organizing special events. “An example would be an Easter Egg Hunt for which I was coordinator,” he notes. “It was a huge local success, bringing out more than 3,000 people. I hope to be able to do something like that again soon.” When not working, Justin enjoys golfing and boating out on Lake Mead.

As for the future, Justin is looking at two prospects. “Either I will buy out Property Search Vegas and run it myself or I will go out on my own. The future is wide open,” he says.

It’s not surprising that Justin receives stellar reviews for his esteemed work ethic. One client recently wrote: “Hardest working agent you’ll find! As an investor who has bought and sold 600+ homes, I would highly recommend Justin as both a buyer’s and seller’s agent. He has assisted us on over 30 homes now and is an extremely valuable partner to us. We are lucky to have found him.” To learn more about Justin Novinger, email shopvegashomes@gmail.com, visit www.zillow.com/profile/justinnovinger, or call (702) 416-0037