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.

LAURIE ZOKOE

Real estate has always intrigued Laurie Zokoe. After a successful career as an office manager in a growing business, Laurie decided it was time to make a change. “I walked out of church one day and told my husband, ‘That’s it, I’m going to become a Realtor®,’” Laurie says. She spent the first six months learning everything she could about the business. “My first Broker gave me good advice,” Laurie says. “She told me to do what is right and the rest will follow, and to not get caught up in the paycheck. I have lived by her words. After I started, things started snowballing and haven’t slowed down since.”

With nineteen years of experience, Laurie now heads her own team and serves the greater Grand Rapids area of Michigan, where she has been ranked as the Number Five Realtor® out of a pool of 2,800. The Zokoe team is a family affair that includes Laurie’s daughter, Alyssa, who holds a degree in event planning that helps her to provide expert staging services for clients. Laurie’s son, Scott, has also recently joined the team. He will serve as a managing partner, working to grow and expand the team and brand name.

The motto of the Laurie Zokoe group is, “Our work isn’t done until every client feels like family,” and it is that philosophy that has led them to achieve an 80% repeat and referral rate. “We’re hands-on,” Laurie says. “We’re very personal with the service we provide. Anyone can write a contract. We treat people the way we would want to be treated. I take care of everything for my clients. Recently, a client needed their trash cans moved because they were out of town and the listing was about to go live. The clients asked and we said, ‘Of course.’ That’s just how we do things.”

Laurie and her team keep in touch with past clients through traditional methods, such as monthly newsletters, as well as more personal approaches, such as pie give-aways. When there were a few pies leftover, Laurie and team hand-delivered pies to clients who could not make it out to the agency. “Several clients cried that we took the time to bring them a pie during the pandemic,” Laurie says.

To market their listings, the Laurie Zokoe group uses every tool at their disposal, including comprehensive digital campaigns and targeted social media advertising. Through their innovative marketing and personal touches, the team was able to sell $50 million in sales across 228 transactions.

For Laurie, people are her passion. “The client relationships are my favorite part,” Laurie says. “I’ve made such wonderful and long-lasting friendships through this career.”

As dedicated to giving back her time as she is to her clients, Laurie is involved in charitable organizations, including Lori’s Voice, a non-profit that donates wheelchairs and other equipment to children with handicaps. When Laurie is not helping clients or the community, she loves to spend time with her family. Together, they enjoy their pool and camping trips.

The future holds exciting opportunities for Laurie and her team. They will open a satellite office in Grandville and grow their team, attracting new talent to their professional family. “Above all else, the client will always come first,” Laurie says. “The numbers take care of themselves. It’s the people who drive what we do.”

For more about Laurie Zokoe, please call 616-901-9632, email lzokoe@lauriezokoe.com, or visit zokoeteam.com