You may be thinking, "Gary, I am a mom, housewife, or stay-at-home dad, so why do I need to know how to negotiate effectively?"

I'm glad you asked.

The truth is everyone needs to negotiate. Surprisingly, almost everything we do the moment we get up in the morning until we go to bed involves some type of "negotiating".

I know, you are saying that I have lost my mind, but no, seriously, we do negotiate continuously.

Let's say, you are 18 years old, live with your parents, yet work. So, you wake up at 6 am, and begin a negotiation with your younger brother, who is already in the very bathroom that you need in order to take a shower and get ready for work.

To avoid arriving late to work, you quickly offer to pay $5.00 to him to leave the bathroom immediately so that you can take a shower.

Next, you head into the kitchen to negotiate with your mother over your preference for orange juice and toast for breakfast, while she is counter-negotiating a complete meal of oatmeal, eggs, milk, and sausage.

Who wins this negotiation is anyone's guess.

The point is that all of us constantly negotiate. For example, we negotiate or should -- with our car mechanic to lessen the cost of maintenance and repairs.

Soooo . to help you succeed in your negotiations, I have prepared this special article that will outline the tools and knowledge you need to succeed.

First, you need to know what is a negotiation. Simply put, it is the exchange of ideas with the intention of changing relationships, agreements, or viewpoints.

Negotiation requires

1. Calmness
2. Understanding of people
3. Preparation before the negotiation (preferably written)
4. Strategy for success (you need to know what the other side wants from the negotiation)

Remember that negotiation requires that you give something of perceived value in order to receive something of value.

Negotiation may be giving up something today for a later advantage.

Here is a short list of non-aggressive negotiation strategies:

Know what you want

Know what the other side wants

Note the "feelings" of your opponent

Verbally accept the opponent's viewpoint

Give your opinion and ask for opponent's opinion

Give positive comments and ask for positive comments

Respect differences of opinion

Verbally express "how" the two sides are similar

Strive to reach mutual benefits

Build a strong relationship for future negotiations

Be sure to note

the tone of your voice.

how you pronounce your words.

your own body language.

your opponent's body language.

Finally, remember that you should always keep the relationship positive so that you can return and negotiate another day.