Ever try to negotiate with a toddler? You’ll soon find one of the first words that they learn is “no,” and they use it every chance they get to let you know what you’re offering doesn’t work for them. You don’t have to cross your arms and pout, to see the lesson learned from them in how most entrepreneurs negotiate.
As a small business owner, you are probably optimistic to a fault and eager to please. You focus on making customers happy at all costs, so you are willing to take on an immense amount of pressure to avoid ever having to say the dreaded word “no.”
This is a shame because there’s so much power in that single word. When used thoughtfully and intentionally, it creates negotiating leverage, but more importantly, it changes the entire psychology of the decision-making process.
Dispatches From The Front 