Strategic Negotiation Phases

Negotiating a deal for a project is very rarely something that starts and finishes in just one session. Instead, negotiation is something that remains ongoing throughout a project – especially when a client is asking for more without suggesting additional payment or alteration to the delivery date. The process of negotiating agreements for in freelance and contract projects can be split into 5 stages:

Stage 1: Evaluate Priorities & Characteristics

Before you can start serious negotiations on delivering the project, you need to know what the client places a higher priority on and whether they are realistic on all parts of the winning formula. Clients and their requirements come in all shapes and sizes, often with the client's situation dictating what elements they place a higher priority on. Although you may have already worked for the client, you must never assume that their priorities will be the same for the current project. For example, price could have...