Understand Aspiration

Most companies that go bankrupt, as we well know, are usually busy. They were just busy doing the wrong things, but more importantly, on the wrong terms. The competitive free market economy puts a downward pressure on our aspirations.

Human nature and the free market economy also inspire positive aspiration. The combination affects what we aim for, what we expect to get and what we would ideally like to achieve. Skilled buyers understand this and will use a routine tactic. When we give our price, these buyers rarely say, 'Fantastic, how reasonable!' No! They say, 'What? How much?' When they do that, or when they tell us that our competitors' prices are much lower, what is the impact? Their technique forces us to lower our aspirations. We tend to lower them, and lower our price.

The reverse should be true. For that reason, negotiation is not for the few, it is for every responsible businessman or woman. Every one of us wanting to achieve increased profit will need to face negotiation with a brave heart and a sound approach. Our first response is to defend our aspiration consistently.