Introduction

Bravo! You’ve finally found several freelancers for your project on that talent pool. If your talent pool is anything like Droomwork, you most likely found all these tech-talents in less than 48 hours and you didn't even have to haggle prices since each talent had a price that perfectly suited his/her skills. In fact, the freelancer sitting before you on the video call is the most perfect fit you could find out there for your project.

 

Now, it's time to discuss other salient points of the project like time frame, project timeline, deliverables and cost (if you're not hiring on Droomwork). The freelancer has a rigid work schedule that might not suit your purposes or schedule. You need 6 hours of work daily but the freelancer is only willing to give four. 

 

Or maybe you're the freelancer and you've finally been picked out of a crowd of other talents to handle this major project – congratulations first of all – however the proposed work details are really constraining and you'd need better conditions. Or the price being suggested doesn't suit you.

 

Irrespective of whichever side of the fence you're on, it's very easy to not just satisfy your needs but to also have the person on the other side of the screen happy too.

 

It's called a win-win negotiation and you get it when you're able to strike a balance that benefits both parties. But, then again, why do you need to consider the other person in a negotiation? Why not just look out for yourself?

 

The Benefit of Win-Win Negotiations

 

Negotiations are not just about coming out on top. They're about finding a mutually beneficial outcome for all parties involved. And here’s what happens if you fail to find such:

• For clients, imagine having a dissatisfied freelancer handling your project. Their dissatisfaction will lead to their doing a halfhearted job, which will lead to your being dissatisfied with the outcome of the project. This will most likely lead you to another search for a freelancer and then to a waste of your time and energy.

• For freelancers, when a client isn’t satisfied with the terms, you can be sure that they’d be most critical during the appraisal. It would be especially difficult to satisfy them. If care isn’t taken, the project would end up as a failed one, tainting your track record.

Statistics show that the most successful product/software development projects were between clients and developers who came to a mutual consensus as to what value was and how it would be delivered at both sides of the table.

 

So, in this guide, we'll be diving into proven strategies for achieving win-win outcomes in negotiations so that everyone ends up happy.

 

How To Negotiate Effectively

 

Step #1: Prepare!

Before you click into the meeting, ensure that you have conducted thorough research to learn industry standards and market rates, especially in terms of the person you'll be negotiating with, whether you're the client or freelancer. The goal is to figure out their rights and obligations as well as yours. Understanding their background enables you to tailor your negotiation strategy.

 

Based on this, you may then define your negotiation objectives. Prioritize what's most important to you and understand what the other side is aiming for.

 

Step #2: Listen to Understand the Perspective of Clients and Freelancers

When negotiating, the goal is to listen to the needs of the person on the other side of the screen and finding a way to build a bridge between their needs and yours. In order to achieve this, you must listen to them speak and try to figure out what exactly what they need. This is because, a lot of times, what people say is not exactly what they want. if you can spot out exactly what the person before you wants, you can offer it to them in a way that suits your offerings. 

 

For example, the client may ask that you to work for extended hours. What the client actually wants, most likely, is that you meet a particular deadline. If you can suggest an alternative solution that allows you to meet that deadline on your terms, it becomes the first step towards a win-win. However, you must be listening deliberately to be able to hear the real need of the person before you. This lays the groundwork for finding solutions that satisfy everyone.

 

Pro Tip:The first person to spot the need of the other in a negotiation automatically takes the lead and can steer the rest of the discussion in his/her favour.

 

Step #3: Communicate Effectively

Your ability to do this will enable you to establish rapport and build trust. Be clear and honest, making sure that the other person understands that you're not just thinking for yourself but you also want them satisfied. This is the next step to a successful negotiation.

 

Encourage open and honest communication to address any potential conflicts or misunderstandings.  Common objections and concerns will arise on either side. Don't be afraid of them. With proper communication, you'll sort them out. Just make sure you're listening actively, you're being empathetic, you're speaking up about your expectations and making it clear why you expect such.

 

Step #4: Be Willing to Compromise

Seek middle ground where both parties can feel satisfied. Some details may be compromised upon like how the work should be done, what tools could be used and so on. Remember the bottom is to have high-quality word delivered right on time. Every other thing is a variable that can be compromised on.

 

Conclusion

 

Remember, win-win negotiations are not just an art—they're an essential skill that can lead to fruitful collaborations and meaningful partnerships in every aspect of your life..

 

The preceding points should suffice but if all else goes wrong, let's just hope that your talent pool has an effective conflict resolution team.

 

If your talent pool is Droomwork, of course, we have an awesome client resolution team; however, you'll most likely never need one since our hire process is seamless.