The Power of Silence in Negotiations: Part 2

Yesterday I mentioned the theory of keeping quite in negotiations. Here's an example based on a negotiation I recently did; the details are changed, but the essence of the conversation remains the same. Background: the client had talked about a starter rate, which I remembered. I had just completed a second assignment, and had been paid for the first but found that the company was messing up the second. Also, after my simple statements, I kept quiet and let the pressure build:

Erik: "I do need to get this pay issue straighted out."

Client: (embarrassed) "Yes, I know, I'll get to work on it - you did a good job on it."

Erik: "Oh, and I was also remembering that you had mentioned $1.50 as a starting rate."

Client: "Oh, right, I did. What do you usually get?"

Erik: "For this sort of work, it's a bit over the map, but $2 a word and more is hardly unheard of."

Client: "Usually I only pay $2 a word to subject experts who also happen to be able to write clearly. It makes life a lot easier on me. I see that as kind of the top of what I can do..."

Erik: "Tell you what, let's go to $1.75 for now. But I am providing some pretty good topics and solid stories to you, right?"

Client: "Yes, you are."

Erik: "So I want to keep the option open to return to the topic at a later date."

Client: "Ok, so the new assignment you're about to start will be at $1.75 a word."

I had the sense that she was putting her back against the wall on the $2/word, which is why I went to what I did. But I left the negotiation controlling the future and will be able, in another few stories, when she's really hooked on what I'm doing, to emphasize what I bring that the technical experts don't and push for more. Also, by making statements and then keeping quite, I added pressure to her and took the upper hand.

You do have to keep yourself under check and be willing to let the pressure sit on the client. If you let the tension get to you and start talking to let the person off the hook, you could find that you talk your way out of whatever you were hoping to gain.