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Asking for more than you expect to get is one of the most important negotiating gambits because:
- It puts new pressure on the other side.
- It expands the negotiating range so that any compromise seems like a concession.
- It gives you a chance to judge the other side’s reaction to the proposal.
Key reasons for doing it:
- You may get it and the only way you’ll find out is to ask.
- There is a corollary to this principle: the less you know about the situation, the more you expand the negotiating range, for two reasons:
- You may be uninformed about what this employer is willing to pay.
- If you’re dealing with a stranger, you need to build rapport quickly. The fastest way to build rapport is to be able to make concessions. It’s a long way from being the best way to build rapport, but it is the fastest.
- It raises the perceived value of what you can do for the employer.
- It creates a climate where the employer can have a win with you and feel good about the negotiation.
- It prevents deadlocks when dealing with an egotistical employer (an HR director who is proud of his ability to negotiate).