Being able to negotiate well is an important tool to learn that so many of us get wrong. Use these steps to make sure you always get what you want in the many situations photographers find themselves in.

It doesn’t matter what industry you work in, negotiating is a necessary part of a photographers life. Brokering rates for your products or services are the obvious ones that will spring to mind, but there are many other instances when you will need to reach an agreement or compromise with others. Think about that amazing location that you’re desperate to gain access to, that building the landlords won’t allow you to convert into a studio space, or that company you’d love to persuade to hire you. Understanding what is going on in the other person’s head will dramatically help you to get the positive outcomes you’d like in your career.

This week, the team over at Charisma on Command is back with another useful video on understanding how to successfully negotiate and is well worth a watch. What I like about this particular discussion is how the four main parts of negotiating are broken down clearly with real-world examples included for each. I found myself thinking about how I could apply these points to my own practice while watching and thinking of the times when certain negotiations didn’t go the way I’d hope. The video also goes on to talk about the three big no-nos when it comes to negotiating which in many ways are more important. It may seem obvious but bluffing or screwing people over is never going to end well.

The main thing to take away from this video is trying to see the situation from the other person’s point of view. By understanding their reservations, concerns, and limitations you have a much better chance of turning that no into a yes.

Lead image by Savvas Stavrinos from Pexels, used under Creative Commons