Communicating Across Time Horizons

There was a time in my life when I sold life insurance. Well, to be frank, I tried to sell life insurance. With little success.

And while I didn't sell any insurance, I did learn a thing or two, and I'd like to explore one of them with you today - time horizons.

Some of the prospective policyholders I met could visualize themselves well into the future, say 20 or 30 years into the future. They were obviously good prospects for life insurance. Others focused more on the coming year or few years. To them, something that might or might not happen 20 years ahead was a pure abstraction with little relevance.

Now, let's put these perspectives into a communication context: When you send or receive messages, do you factor in the time horizon of the person who sent you a message or gets one from you?

Let's consider an example that's similar to my experience. Say you're trying to sell mutual funds to a new investor. You enthusiastically point out the possibility of getting rich by saving every month for perhaps 25 years. But the person across the desk looks at you with a blank face. Perhaps he's thinking to himself that the money could be used to pay down the loan on his truck in three years instead of five, and then he could buy a new one much sooner.

Or, consider the time horizons that involve communication between managers and the people who report to them. Generally speaking, the higher you are in a hierarchy, the further ahead you're expected to look and anticipate.

So, how do you handle messages to people who have different time horizons than you? First, be aware of the possibility that they may exist. Ask a few probing questions that help you find differences.

Second, use visualizations that help others imagine the future, and how they'll fit into that picture. For example, companies that sell retirement packages spend a lot of money trying to get us to imagine ourselves basking in luxury on a tropical beach.

Third, don't just talk about that future time in an abstract way. Personalize it by explaining how it will affect the person you're addressing. Give that person a stake in the future you foresee.

Fourth, get to that future time in steps, not in one big jump. Don't ask a 25 year old to visualize where she'll be at age 65. Instead, talk to her about the typical life styles at ages 35, 45, 55, and 65.

Finally, put the processes into reverse if someone else asks you to visualize a time horizon that's unfamiliar. Ask yourself what kind of assumptions and visions he brings to his scenario, and adjust accordingly.

In summary, different time horizons can be a barrier to good communication. To overcome these potential barriers you start by first recognizing the possibility of their existence. If they do exist you can use visualization, personalization, and a series of time steps rather than one big jump.

Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.communication-newsletter.com">http://www.communication-newsletter.com</a>

How to Change Somebody?s Mind

Believe me, it's not easy! And sometimes, it doesn't work at all.

But while researching my book on how to produce more memorable writing, I stumbled upon these &quot;mind changing&quot; ideas from multiple sources.

Remember, I'm a writer, not a psychologist. So the methods shown here come mostly from writers and speakers who've successfully altered perceptions through presentations and persuasive reports.

1. Wear the other person's shoes ? Ask questions to find out why someone holds a completely different view from yours.

2. Ask that person to amplify his/her position ? Are your opponent's views based on actual data, or on disputed or second-hand information that might be challenged?

3. If that person's views are based on data, is the source of that data credible?

4. What common positions do you hold? Politicians can often win a hostile audience by first discussing values everyone shares. If we can agree on common goals, perhaps readers/listeners will follow us when we lead them down new pathways.

5. Can some position be compromised? In negotiations, I often give away a small point in order to show willingness to arrive at an agreement.

6. Point out your side's best points. Remember the fence-painting episode from "Tom Sawyer"? Tom makes his task seem so appealing his friends offer him all sorts of prizes if he'll let them participate.

7. Speaking of &quot;good points&quot; ? Sometimes negotiation can become a &quot;listing&quot; contest. Can you reinforce your position by listing a number of positive things about your proposal? Example: &quot;Ten reasons you should vote for Proposition A.&quot;

Rix Quinn offers lots of writing and persuasive ideas in his book &quot;Words That Stick.&quot; It's available from your local bookstore, or <a target="_new" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580085768/qid/">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580085768/qid/</a>

Negotiating: Forcing vs Compromising

Forcing is a hard-nosed approach that makes heavy demands from the outset. Emotions are displayed frequently, few concessions are made, and the bottom line may be concealed. This technique is used when the other side is determined to make you lose, or in one-shot deals. One advantage of this approach is that it normally uses less time than other approaches and leads to total victory if you have more power than the other side. The disadvantage of forcing is that it can lead to stalemate if the other side uses the same approach. The other side can also become resentful and vengeful.

The forcing approach to negotiating places value solely on the substance of negotiations rather than the relationship between the parties. A forcing negotiator would be pleased if he or she won 100% of the issues, even if the relationship between the parties was irreversibly damaged or even destroyed. This approach has limited use within organizations. It is foolish and dangerous to burn bridges with anyone with whom you work. Perhaps if you are negotiating with a person you'll never deal with again (e.g., a used car salesperson) you might want to experiment with the forcing approach. Otherwise, this isolating type of negotiation is not relevant for most managers.

In the compromising approach, both negotiators start with exaggerated demands and then slowly work their way toward some middle position. The parties are concerned only with their own needs, and they may also stereotype and malign each other. Compromising is used when the parties are interdependent and continued dispute would be more costly than agreement. The benefits of compromising are that it is a natural style for most people, and it appears to be quite fair as both sides win and lose. The drawback of compromising is that it can lead to extreme initial positions as both sides anticipate splitting the difference, therefore yielding agreements about which neither side is really happy.

Copyright <a target="_new" href="http://www.aeschwartz.com">AE Schwartz & Associates</a> All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: <a target="_new" href="http://www.ReadySetPresent.com">ReadySetPresent</a> and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: <a target="_new" href="http://www.TrainingConsortium.com/">TrainingConsortium</a>

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

What Are The Four Types Of Negotiating Outcomes?

Negotiating outcomes are the types of results that can happen at the end of a negotiation. All negotiations end up with one out of four possible outcomes: one party wins and the other loses, both parties lose, they get stuck in a stalemate, or both end up winning. Obviously, the goal in a cooperative negotiation is for both parties to walk away with their needs being satisfied. Familiarize yourself with the four different negotiating outcomes and make it your goal to aim for a mutually-beneficial outcome.

Lose-Lose

In this type of outcome, ego's come into play which thwart the negotiating process. Both sides dig into their positions and are unwilling to compromise with each other. In the end, both parties end up losing in the deal. Resentment exists between both parties as a result of the outcome and it is unlikely that they will ever negotiate with each other again.

Example

A labor union refuses a contract offer and goes on strike until demands are met. The company refuses to give into to this bullying-type technique and digs into their position of not budging. In the end, the strikers go back to work without a raise and with lost income and the company loses a large amount of sales revenue, and the consumer loses because the company must raise prices to pay for its losses.

Win-Lose

In this type of outcome, one side wins and the other side loses. There is no compromise with a win-lose outcome. It's a one-side takes all battle with one side getting all their needs satisfied and the other side getting nothing. While the side that wins may be very happy about the outcome; the losing side has a high level of resentment over the deal because they did not have any of their needs met. This usually results in a end to any future negotiations and a termination of the relationship.

Examples

A street brawl is the ultimate in win-lose negotiations. One side wins by use of physical violence and the losing side has no choice but to submit to defeat.

A civil court battle is win-lose. A judge or jury decides winner and loser based on available evidence. One side wins punitive or compensatory damages and the other side loses that money.

Stalemate

In this type of outcome, neither side wins or loses and after a long negotiating session, both sides are at the exact same place that they started off at. This is a result of not being able to deal with interests and only positions. Stalemates happen when both sides aggressively defend their positions and neither side is able to make the other side budge.

Example

You go to buy a car and the salesman quotes you a price that is too high. You are unwilling to budge on your price and the salesman is unwilling to budge on his quote. You then walk out of the dealership and go find another one to deal with and the salesman moves on to the next customer.

Win-Win

This is the type outcome that you strive to achieve when you Street Negotiate. In this type of outcome, both sides walk away with their interests and needs being met. Both sides leave the negotiating table satisfied because they came out of the negotiation with more than they had started with. Relationships are preserved because both parties cooperated with each other in determining a fair solution to the problem. This outcome also bolsters trust for future negotiations between the two parties because they have established a positive relationship.

Example

A hostage taker agrees with the police negotiator to surrender and release his hostages. In return, the negotiator agrees that the SWAT team won't bust through the doors and kill the hostage taker. In this example, the hostage taker gets his needs of survival taken care of and the negotiator gets his needs of ending a potentially deadly confrontation without any bloodshed satisfied.

Key Points

The four possible outcomes to a negotiation are: lose-lose, win-lose, stalemate, and win-win.

Set your goals on having a win-win outcome in all of your negotiations. A win-win outcome is where both negotiating parties walk away with having both of their needs met.

About The Author

Tristan Loo is an experienced negotiator and an expert in conflict resolution. He uses his law enforcement experience to train others in the prinicples of defusing conflict and reaching agreements. Visit his website at <a target="_new" href="http://www.streetnegotiation.com">http://www.streetnegotiation.com</a>

Negotiating Technology Contracts

Have you ever tried to negotiate a deal for software, computer equipment, or consulting services with a technology company? The task can be daunting. Unfortunately, the sales forces of most IT companies are armed to the hilt with techniques to get the best deal for them, and not necessarily the best deal for you. And even worse, most of us computer folk (like myself) have never been trained in the art of negotiation, so it can be difficult to spot a snake in the grass. Before you begin negotiating a technology deal, know what you're getting in to.

Solicit, Don't Be Solicited

I receive at least three calls each day from technology vendors interested in selling something: hardware equipment, software tools, consulting services, etc. Usually, these calls are "cold". My name somehow landed on a telemarketing list in the hands of some vendor who is calling me out of the clear blue sky hoping that what they sell somehow matches what I need. You can waste hours on the phone letting some non-technical, script-reading, telemarketer or sales representative chew your ear off about their latest and greatest gizmo. Very rarely do these types of calls ever translate into a real business opportunity.

The most popular cold call opening is "Good morning. This is Joe from the XYZ software company. We offer break through whatever solutions to help you reduce your total cost of ownership for whatever. Let me ask you, are your responsible for managing your companies whatever investment?" I get so many of these calls that I can answer them in my sleep. Years ago, I used to engage in some level of discussion with these people and it always went nowhere. Unless you really think they've got something you might want to buy, cut them off immediately. And just like any telemarketer, they have a scripted response for anything. If you answer the above question with "No. I am not". The immediate response will be "Could you direct me to someone in the company that is responsible for whatever". If you hand out a name and number, you're just passing the buck to some other poor soul in your organization. My favorite response is "No. We don't respond to phone solicitations." Nine times out of ten, they will give up.

Sometimes, the cold caller will make another run at it and re-state their purpose or as they close the call, sneak in another sales pitch. "Yes sir. I understand. We offer something really great for your company and would love to send you a free trial version at absolutely no cost. Its free to try." You could be tempted to say "Free? Tell me more." Again, this type of response will just open up the sales speech flood gates and you will be wasting your time trying to get a word in edge-wise. Stick to your guns: "As I said. We don't respond to phone solicitations." is the proper response. If they make yet one more run at it, the final blow would be "Not sure if you're deaf, but I said we don't respond to phone solicitations. Tell me your name and transfer me to your supervisor." You will either hear apologies or a dial tone. Either way, you've just gotten yourself off of a call list and will never be bothered again.

If you're interested in buying something, you do the calling, not the other way around.

Put The Horse Before The Cart

Never begin looking for technology solutions without knowing what you're looking for. Know the business problem you're trying to solve. If you know you need a software package that automates statistical analysis, flush out a more detailed set of statistics requirements (types of model, sample sizes, etc.) before you begin to shop around. Usually, software products have bells and whistles that, although look cool, are not absolutely needed. Before you begin comparison shopping, define your basic technology and business requirements. Knowing what you really need will give you confidence and leverage in a negotiation.

Always Comparison Shop

No matter what, always evaluate multiple options. If you're looking for software, don't get excited and latch on to the first package that looks good. And certainly don't give a sales rep. the impression that you're overly interested in their solution. They will be less likely to move during a negotiation. The IT market is over abundant with hardware, software and services solutions. Probably, you will have many options to choose from. Be picky!

Create Your Game Plan

Before you begin negotiating a deal with any technology vendor, plan your negotiation carefully. I have included some general planning questions that you should answer in preparation for a negotiation. The questions I have listed below may not make sense for your negotiation, so feel free to modify them for the occasion. The point here is to prepare in advance. You don't want to figure out the answers to these types of questions in the middle of a negotiation as it may give an inch to the sales person. I would even recommend writing the questions and answers on a sheet of paper for reference.

(Price) How much do you think you should pay for this software or service? What is the market rate or street price? What are you prepared to spend? What is the highest price you would be willing to pay?

(Features) What key features and capabilities are you looking for? Force rank the features. What does the prioritized list look like? Of the features you need, categorize them into two categories: "must have" and "nice to have".

(Service Levels) Do you expect some level of performance from the equipment, software, or service? Are there up-time requirements? Do you need 24x7 technical support? Do you expect the vendor to incur a penalty if they don't perform up to your service levels?

(Trades) What is most important to you: price, features, or service level? Force rank these in order of importance. Would you be willing to trade items between categories? For example, would you be willing to give up a certain service level for a lower price?

(Suppliers) Which vendors offer something that you think could meet your needs? How long have these companies been in business? Are you doing business with them already? Do you have a good business relationship with them?

(Gravy) If you had your druthers, what extras would you like the vendor to throw in for free? Would you like training or extra manuals? Would you like special reporting?

You will probably have more questions in addition to the ones listed above. Take the time to write them down and create the answers. Once you have established your position, you will save a great deal of time evaluating your potential vendors and negotiations will be less painful.

Lead The Dance

When you are ready to face off with a vendor, do your best to drive the discussion. Get as much information about the vendor and their product and service before price enters into the discussion. Just like car buying, pick out your car (or choice of cars) before you negotiate a price. If you find that the discussion is prematurely heading toward pricing, bring the conversation back to understanding the product or service itself. If you're not ready to talk price, say something like "Right now, I am just evaluating your product (or service). Unless I think there's a real opportunity, I'm not prepared to negotiate price right now."

Pricing for hardware, software, and services follow very different models. Hardware prices are fairly standard unless the product is new. Usually, the mark-up on hardware is very small (1-15%). On the flip- side, the mark-up for software is huge (100%+). Software is priced based on value, not the cost to the vendor so you can usually negotiate software prices down substantially. Services are usually based on labor rates and are marked up based on the demand for those skills (15-50%).

When you are ready to discuss pricing, take the lead in the dance. Here are the steps to follow (in this order):

<li>Make the vendor throw out the first offer. Never be the first one to suggest a price. Although rare, you could hear the question "how much would you be willing to pay for our product?" A good response would be "As little as possible. What's your offer?" This response puts the ball firmly in the vendor's court. Remember, if you've done your planning, you really do have the answer to this question, but your job is get a price far below your maximum, so don't tell the vendor up front!

<li>Express concern. Never get excited about the first offer no matter what. If you're considering other alternatives, you may be able to get a better price. My favorite tactic is to say nothing and simply make a non-verbal expression of concern. Usually, the vendor will come back with either "but I'm sure we could sharpen our pencil", or "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high", or the ever popular "but we're willing to work with you". You may also be prodded with "You don't seem to like that price. I seem to be out of the ball park. What price would you be comfortable with?" Here's where the dance gets interesting.

<li>Make the vendor throw out the second offer. This can be difficult, but by making the vendor throw out more prices, you are lowering the ceiling of the negotiation going forward. If, in step 2, the vendor says "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high.", immediately respond with "How much could you come down?" or "It seems you didn't give me your best price to begin with. What's your best price?". Latch on to what a vendor is saying and keep asking questions. Stay on this step as long as possible and try and keep the vendor to continue to provide better pricing.

<li>Counter offer. Propose a different price than what's on the table. Be reasonable. If you've done your homework and checked the going price for the product or service, you know what the range is. If you throw out a price that you know is ridiculous, it will look like you don't know what you're doing. However, if you counter with a price that demonstrates that you've done your homework, the vendor will know you are serious. Justify for your counter offer. For example, you may want to reveal that you've done some market analysis by saying "I've researched the market a little and think my offer is more in line with market prices." Obviously, the vendor may disagree, but at least you're backing up your counter price.

<li>Trade. Unless you can land on a price outright, there will likely be gives and takes on both sides. Go back to your to plan and begin proposing trades. Always make trades that bring you little to no value but may be perceived as valuable by the vendor. This can be very difficult, but can pay huge dividends. Here is a perfect example. Let's say you want a service contract to outsource your help desk (technical support phone service). Let's say you really want the help desk to answer your calls within 1 minute (you've already figured out this requirement in your plan) but the vendor's first offer is to answer your calls within 30 seconds. Let's also assume that price is more important to you than having your calls answered 30 seconds faster (remember- the vendor doesn't know this). And let's say the offer on the table is $5 per call. A great trade proposal would be "Your price is too high for me. I can recognize that you need enough people to answer those calls within 30 seconds and that has value. I would be willing to sacrifice an extra 30 seconds on each call if you could bring your price down." If the vendor responds with a counter-offer, circle back to steps 4 and 5. Try and keep the counter offer / trade cycle going as long as possible.

<li>Nibble. Just as you and the vendor are about to agree to terms and everyone starts smiling and shaking hands, start asking for the gravy. Let's say you've just negotiated a software deal and you would really like some training. Just when you think the vendor believes the negotiation is at its very end, you could say "I am really glad we could work this out. I'm looking forward to using your software. One more thing- would you mind spending a couple days showing me how to use your product. A little training could be useful. Is that ok with you?" You run the risk of opening up the negotiation, but you stand a better chance of getting a few extras free of charge.

<li>Walk The Talk. If you've set your maximum price and you can't seem to negotiate what you want even with trades, walk away. Be firm and truly be prepared to walk away. Be blunt. "It seems we're not getting anywhere. I think I'll take my business elsewhere. Thanks for your time." Shutting the discussion down can sometimes break the log jam. If a vendor really thinks they're going to loose the business, they may suddenly move.

<li>Patience is a Virtue. Negotiations take time. Before you begin, know what your timeframe to make a decision is. Never act hurried or anxious. Come across to the vendor as relaxed and confident (but not cocky). The message you want to send to the vendor is "I've got all the time in the world."

<li>Never Lie. Although this happens in many negotiations, telling lies will hurt your reputation and could poison vendor relationships. I am not a proponent of outright fibbing. Be honest but don't give away your hand.

Follow these steps, and you will strike better deals and build confidence in your ability to negotiate. What I have left out in the steps above are standard questions that vendors love to ask. Let me leave you with these questions, their underlying motive, and what you should say. The trick is to always put the ball back in the vendor's court to better your position:

<ul><li>Question: "What's your budget for this project?"

Motive: Setting the price floor

Answer: "That's confidential. Why do you need to know that?"</li>

<li>Question: "What's most important to you? Price or service levels?"

Motive : Prioritizing your trades

Answer : "They're both important to me. I'm looking for the best package"</li>

<li>Question: "How soon do you need to make a decision?"

Motive: Setting the timeframe

Answer : "I will make a decision when I can get the overall best deal"</li>

<li>Question: "Can you make decision quickly. I've got to make my sales quota and our quarter is ending soon. I can't guarantee I give you the same discount"

Motive : Apply pressure

Answer : "I'm not going to rush my decision because of your company's business calendar. We may need to re-think things..." </li></ul>

There are others, but always maintain your control, patience and poise and always take the lead in the negotiating dance!

About The Author

Andy Quick is co-founder of Findmyhosting.com (<a href="http://www.findmyhosting.com" target="_new">http://www.findmyhosting.com</a>), a free web hosting directory offering businesses and consumers a hassle free way to find the right hosting plan for their needs. Feel free to contact Andy at <a href="mailto:andy@findmyhosting.com">andy@findmyhosting.com</a> in case you have any questions or comments regarding this article.

So Whats Your Argument?

Arguments aren't always bad things. Sometimes They're used to convince someone of an important point they may not yet realize.

You've probably used arguments in this way most of your life in fact!

Maybe you wanted to go somewhere and had to convince your parents that is was a good idea to let you go. So you argued your position with them.

Maybe you wanted to buy a big ticket item and had to argue the value of buying it with your spouse!

Arguments don't necessarily have to be shouting matches. They can simply be a device used to convince someone of something that you feel is important.

It's funny then, how so few sales people use the art of arguing to sell their products. Wouldn't a person who wants someone to buy something from them want to try and convince that one that it'd be a good idea?

Maybe it's because it's not such a good idea?

Could be why so many sales pitches are designed to connive potential customers into buying rather than giving them a convincing argument instead.

Let's face it . . .

Who'd want to argue a losing point?

After all, if a product is of little value, who in their right mind would want to take the position of trying to convince someone it had value?

Maybe that's why so few try to convince rather than connive!

But what is the difference between convincing and conniving anyway?

A conniver is like the person in a movie or TV show that's holding something they probably shouldn't be. Suddenly, a cop pulls up and he quickly passes the object to the person next to him with the words, "Here, take this quick!"

The poor unsuspecting by-stander is "left holding the bag", and doesn't know what hit him as he's dragged off to the pokey.

So, to put it simply . . .

A conniver is the person who tries to get you to do something without thinking about it. He creates a sense of urgency and force feeds it to you before you can say no.

Now a convincer is quite the opposite. He wants you to know what you're getting into and is willing to spend the time going over it with you. He has a valid argument and has no qualms about letting you hear it.

So, by the time he hands you the "bag", you know exactly what's in it, and you've been able to make a rational decision about whether you want to "hold" it or not.

This leaves us with two important questions . . .

If you're searching the Internet looking for product to buy, who would you rather run into?

If you're trying to sell valuable products on the Internet, which of the above two do you think you should be?

Hopefully, the argument is clear!

About The Author

Ken Nadreau is the author of "Power Suits for Online Marketers." A free report that explains the three most important aspects of sales, and how using them, turns the average marketer into a legitimate, "well dressed" professional.

<a href="http://taoenterprises.com/powersuit/index.html" target="_new">http://taoenterprises.com/powersuit/index.html</a>

<a href="mailto:krnadreau@taoenterprises.com">krnadreau@taoenterprises.com</a>

30 Tips for Keeping Meeting Expenses to a Minimum

Money makes the world go 'round. And when it comes to meeting planning, money can probably get you whatever you want. However, few event planners have the luxury of an unlimited budget. Your boss may like to drink champagne on a beer budget. In other words, caution you to spend less, but expect miracles at the same time.

Preparing and managing a realistic budget is serious business, but to score &quot;big boss&quot; points you also need to be a savvy negotiator and cost-cutting aficionado. To help you on your way, here are 30 tips in a variety of different areas to keep your meeting expenses at a minimum without losing quality you strive for.

1. Keep your budget flexible. Be prepared to build in a contingency of 10 percent into your total budget to take care of any unexpected expenses and emergencies. Unforeseen or overlooked costs such as, overtime, overnight mailings, phone and computer hookups or speaker substitutions could skyrocket your budget.

2. Check all invoices. Question anything on your invoices that doesn't compute against the written quotation. Scrutinize your hotel/facility and food and beverage invoices while on-site. Ironing out discrepancies in person is much easier than over the phone.

3. Limit authorization. Only a select few should have the authority to charge items to your master account at the hotel. Make sure hotel has a list of these people, and refuse to pay for charges signed by unauthorized personnel.

4. Review accounts daily. To avoid any major surprises or heart failures when you see the final bill, review your accounts with the facility on a daily basis. It's easier to spot errors or make necessary changes if costs are escalating in certain areas.

5. Schedule during low-usage times. If you have the flexibility, consider scheduling your meetings during low seasons or days of the week when the facility is less busy. Booking near holidays such as Easter, Memorial Day, and Labor Day might definitely be to your advantageous.

6. Ask for the best rates. Do your research. Check out the rack rates, corporate rates, AAA discounts and so on, and compare them to the group rates you're being offered. Call the toll-free reservation desk for information.

7. Confirm and reconfirm your dates and event details. Overlooking a detail may cost you big bucks.

8. Request a discount for on-site payments. When the facility doesn't have to wait for payment because you arrange to pay immediately after the event or as the meeting is ending, they may well be open to a discount for prompt payment.

9. Be conservative with room blocks. With more and more guests using discounted hotel sites for room bookings, attrition on unused rooms can get very expensive.

10. Negotiate comp rooms. As part of your discussions with hotel management, negotiate comp or discounted rooms for speakers, staffs and or upgrades for VIPs.

11. Understand your cancellation clause. Don't sign anything you're not completely happy with. Be certain that your cancellation clause is reciprocal, so that both parties get the option to back out of the contract before a specified date, in case of any changes to the original agreement.

12. Negotiate set prices. To help with your budgeting, arrange to pay a specified amount on food and beverages during your entire event, rather than a rate per person, per function.

13. Consult a tax attorney. Investigate tax laws for your business location and the event location. You may be eligible for tax breaks that you're not claiming.

14. Keep room setup simple. Wherever possible use theater style (where only chairs are used) as it is less labor-intensive than classroom-style (which includes both table and chairs), thus lowering setup costs. Also, plan to keep setups the same from day to day.

15. Check into other groups. Find out about groups holding their meeting prior to and after yours and discuss staging needs. You may find that you can save on setup and teardown if you all have the same or very similar requirements.

16. Investigate sponsorship opportunities. Find sponsors to cover as many of your program expenses as possible, especially speaker fees, audiovisual equipment, and special meal functions.

17. Investigate grants. Although it might be a time-consuming exercise, you might look into specific federal, state, local or corporate grants that might be available for holding your meeting.

18. Use industry experts. To save on speaker expenses, consider using industry experts whose companies often pay expenses. Alternatively, use local speakers where appropriate to save on travel expenses. However, check how good they are before hiring them. You may end up with a dud!

19. Avoid renting unnecessary equipment. Double check speaker needs for audiovisual equipment to avoid renting unnecessary items.

20. Keep signage simple and reusable. Consider investing in a laminating machine to make your own signs.

21. Discuss economical audiovisual setups. Limit the number of microphones needed. Check if the hotel supplies a complimentary microphone in each meeting room. Skirt a cocktail table instead of renting special carts for A/V equipment.

22. Use outside suppliers. Look outside the hotel for possible audiovisual suppliers whose prices may be more competitive than those in-house. However, the hotel may match the other supplier's prices if asked.

23. Save on transportation. Use airport shuttles instead of taxis. If you have a sizeable group attending your event, negotiate special discounts with the shuttle bus company. Alternatively, check if the local taxicab company can provide discount coupons.

24. Arrange for one room. For smaller committee meetings that may be held during a larger conference arrange for a buffet luncheon to be held in the same room as the meeting to save on having to rent a separate room.

25. Negotiate food. Negotiate paying for food based on consumption. You can then return food without having to pay for it.

26. Minimize portions. Sever mini-Danishes, muffins and doughnuts, or cut larger servings in half. Many people (especially women and dieters) only want half to start with. Alternatively, serve a continental breakfast instead of a full breakfast buffet.

27. Opt for fewer choices. When it comes to hors d'oeuvres, go for fewer choices in larger quantities rather than a large selection in smaller quantities. And, remember to avoid the shrimp. People inhale it. There's never enough!!!

28. Check for dead stock. Check if the hotel has dead stock wine available (such as wine that in no longer on the wine list). You may be able to negotiate a great price for some really good quality wine.

29. Store opened bottles. Find out if the hotel can store opened bottles of liquor from one reception and us them another reception during the same conference.

30. Open bottles as needed. As the banquet captain to open wine bottles only as needed. You pay for every bottle that's been uncorked.

Bonus tip: Avoid salty foods during receptions as it encourages people to drink more.

About The Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: &quot;Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,&quot; working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to <a href="http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com" target="_new">http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com</a> to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.

<a href="mailto:info@thetradeshowcoach.com">info@thetradeshowcoach.com</a>

Negotiate Like a P.R.O.

Whether you're negotiating a peace settlement in a war-torn country or a peace settlement in an argument-ravaged relationship, strong preparation is the key to success.

The following three steps will help you establish the three keys to your preparation - why you are involved in the negotiation, how you intend to conduct the negotiation, and what are the specific outcomes you are hoping to agree upon.

1. Purpose

Knowing why you are engaged in a negotiation may seem obvious in some situations (to buy a lamp, to stop a fight, etc.), but more complex negotiations generally have more complex purposes.

Ask yourself:

-Why am I negotiating?

-What are the potential benefits?

-What do I ultimately hope to achieve?

2. Result/Relationship Balance

A "transaction" is high result/low relationship - we get what we want, and the other person is incidental to the exchange. Buying a used car is generally a "transaction".

"Relationship-builders" are meetings, calls, and exchanges of value where developing the relationship between the two parties is far more important than the actual tangible "result" outcome. Early meetings in any project are usually "relationship-builders" - what gets done is far less important than connections being made.

A true "Deal" is where there is a high emphasis on both getting what you want and enhancing your relationship for the future - this "win/win" thinking takes more time and effort, but is essential in any sort of long-term agreement. Successful political (and marital!) negotiations are always predicated on achieving this balance.

Give yourself the following test:

If you had 20 points to distribute between creating the Result you want and enhancing the Relationship, how would you do it?

Example (Result/Relationship):

15/5 - Transaction

5/15 - Relationship builder

10/10 - Deal

3. Outcomes and Options

When it comes to negotiation, having a clear outcome, goal, or target in mind has been shown to be one of the primary determinants in how things come out.

Ask yourself the following questions:

-What specifically do I want?

-What specifically do I think they want?

-What are some plausible options that will get us both what we want?

Bonus Tip: If you're using this to prepare for an important negotiation, take some extra time to answer the questions AS IF you were the other person in the negotiation. You will be pleasantly surprised at the insights you gain from this process.

Have fun, learn heaps, and the next time you negotiate, do it like a P.R.O.!

Michael Neill is a licensed Master Trainer of NLP and has written over 450 articles on in the areas of business success, money, relationships, health, happiness, well-being, and spirituality. His weekly coaching column is reprinted in newspapers and magazines throughout the world, and can be found online at <a target="_new" href="http://www.geniuscatalyst.com">http://www.geniuscatalyst.com</a>

Negotiations: The Art, Science, & Sport of Online Deals

Negotiations can seem as complex as physics, and in fact, people go to college to study the science of negotiating just as they would the laws of nature. At the same time, negotiation is like an ancient art form, some sort of Zen mental jujitsu. When neither the Zen nor the science works, though, no one wins.

Just ask any hockey fan out there. The recent lockout and cancellation of the 2004-2005 NHL season is a perfect example of poor negotiating. Both the players' union and the league owners broke all of the rules when it came to brokering an agreement on player contracts. The result are hockey rinks across North America that are so quiet that you can hear a pin drop-unfortunately, not a puck. In dollar terms, professional hockey is missing out on television contracts, advertising fees, and tons of ticket sales.

Of course, you won't lose billions in revenue if you fail at the latest negotiation at your favorite online classified or auction site. But you could let a treasure slip through your fingers. Success in deal making, on the other hand, could land you that rookie Bobby Orr card, signed Stanley Cup puck, or whatever other fantastic item you're bidding on.

Plus, proper negotiations and compromise can ensure that you get the item for its fair value, including a good price on shipping and taxes. This increases the profitability of the trade for both you and the seller. The deal gets closed without nasty disputes, blow-ups, or hip checks. And both of you are left to do business again in the future.

To score all of these benefits, and avoid your own mini lockout, follow these simple tips on negotiating that will net results at online classified sites. As you'll see, victory isn't so much an exact science or a mystic sixth sense. It's more about simple know-how and common sense.

Warm up. Don't jump into a negotiation cold. Before you even face off with your opponent, figure out for yourself what would count as a victory. What do you exactly want out of the trade-and at what price?

Consider a truce. It may not even be worth dropping the puck at all. In other words, negotiations, like hockey games, can end in a loss for the home team, you. So weigh this risk before you start. If the item at hand is a dream buy, you may not want to endanger your purchase with a drawn-out negotiation.

Know when to pass. On the other hand, if the item is far from dreamy-and you're pretty sure something better may come along later-you could pass on negotiations. Or go for the score. Offer a lowball price. If you win, you won't be out too much, and if you lose, it won't leave a mark either. But be certain if you play this game. You could miss this opportunity without a guarantee of future prospects.

Know your enemy. Coaches and players spend hours before games watching films of their impending competition to study their tendencies. You need to take the same approach when it comes to making a deal. Try to read your opponent's mind. What is his or her goals in the negotiation? Does he or she have any strengths that they can use against you? Are there any weaknesses that you can use against them?

Spot all of your passing lanes. During your research, you may find that this particular vendor isn't the only one in the game with what you're looking for. Using these other vendors, and their prices, to your advantage can help you skate circles around your competitor.

Practice before you play. Also, research the item before you make a play on it. This knowledge, such as the going price and quality markers, can work as leverage during the negotiating, too.

Translate thought into action. Your strategy can become more complicated and unpredictable-and effective-once you're in the heat of battle. Just remember to think on your feet and remember all that you learned in your &quot;training.&quot; For instance, if you know that the vendor has other items for sale besides your target, agree easily to one of these other purchases. Go for the easy one first. That will lure them into trusting you and giving you an easy pass on future, and more important, deals.

When it comes down to it, negotiation is all about this kind of give and take. It works out best when both parties get what they want out of the deal, without feeling ripped off as if they gave too much for too little.

That brings you to the one &quot;don't&quot; of negotiating. Don't fear a standoff. They are part of the art and science of trading, so don't be tempted to cave in just to break the deadlock. Instead, let your opponent make the first move. They will. They want to close the deal, too, don't forget. You both will be better off for this in the long run. And you won't end up like the NHL, the No Hockey League.

Donald Lee is the public relations manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online. For global and localized classifieds, please visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.buysellcommunity.com">http://www.buysellcommunity.com</a> - Free Buy & Sell Classifieds

Negotiating Technology Contracts

Have you ever tried to negotiate a deal for software, computer equipment, or consulting services with a technology company? The task can be daunting. Unfortunately, the sales forces of most IT companies are armed to the hilt with techniques to get the best deal for them, and not necessarily the best deal for you. And even worse, most of us computer folk (like myself) have never been trained in the art of negotiation, so it can be difficult to spot a snake in the grass. Before you begin negotiating a technology deal, know what you're getting in to.

Solicit, Don't Be Solicited

I receive at least three calls each day from technology vendors interested in selling something: hardware equipment, software tools, consulting services, etc. Usually, these calls are "cold". My name somehow landed on a telemarketing list in the hands of some vendor who is calling me out of the clear blue sky hoping that what they sell somehow matches what I need. You can waste hours on the phone letting some non-technical, script-reading, telemarketer or sales representative chew your ear off about their latest and greatest gizmo. Very rarely do these types of calls ever translate into a real business opportunity.

The most popular cold call opening is "Good morning. This is Joe from the XYZ software company. We offer break through whatever solutions to help you reduce your total cost of ownership for whatever. Let me ask you, are your responsible for managing your companies whatever investment?" I get so many of these calls that I can answer them in my sleep. Years ago, I used to engage in some level of discussion with these people and it always went nowhere. Unless you really think they've got something you might want to buy, cut them off immediately. And just like any telemarketer, they have a scripted response for anything. If you answer the above question with "No. I am not". The immediate response will be "Could you direct me to someone in the company that is responsible for whatever". If you hand out a name and number, you're just passing the buck to some other poor soul in your organization. My favorite response is "No. We don't respond to phone solicitations." Nine times out of ten, they will give up.

Sometimes, the cold caller will make another run at it and re-state their purpose or as they close the call, sneak in another sales pitch. "Yes sir. I understand. We offer something really great for your company and would love to send you a free trial version at absolutely no cost. Its free to try." You could be tempted to say "Free? Tell me more." Again, this type of response will just open up the sales speech flood gates and you will be wasting your time trying to get a word in edge-wise. Stick to your guns: "As I said. We don't respond to phone solicitations." is the proper response. If they make yet one more run at it, the final blow would be "Not sure if you're deaf, but I said we don't respond to phone solicitations. Tell me your name and transfer me to your supervisor." You will either hear apologies or a dial tone. Either way, you've just gotten yourself off of a call list and will never be bothered again.

If you're interested in buying something, you do the calling, not the other way around.

Put The Horse Before The Cart

Never begin looking for technology solutions without knowing what you're looking for. Know the business problem you're trying to solve. If you know you need a software package that automates statistical analysis, flush out a more detailed set of statistics requirements (types of model, sample sizes, etc.) before you begin to shop around. Usually, software products have bells and whistles that, although look cool, are not absolutely needed. Before you begin comparison shopping, define your basic technology and business requirements. Knowing what you really need will give you confidence and leverage in a negotiation.

Always Comparison Shop

No matter what, always evaluate multiple options. If you're looking for software, don't get excited and latch on to the first package that looks good. And certainly don't give a sales rep. the impression that you're overly interested in their solution. They will be less likely to move during a negotiation. The IT market is over abundant with hardware, software and services solutions. Probably, you will have many options to choose from. Be picky!

Create Your Game Plan

Before you begin negotiating a deal with any technology vendor, plan your negotiation carefully. I have included some general planning questions that you should answer in preparation for a negotiation. The questions I have listed below may not make sense for your negotiation, so feel free to modify them for the occasion. The point here is to prepare in advance. You don't want to figure out the answers to these types of questions in the middle of a negotiation as it may give an inch to the sales person. I would even recommend writing the questions and answers on a sheet of paper for reference.

(Price) How much do you think you should pay for this software or service? What is the market rate or street price? What are you prepared to spend? What is the highest price you would be willing to pay?

(Features) What key features and capabilities are you looking for? Force rank the features. What does the prioritized list look like? Of the features you need, categorize them into two categories: "must have" and "nice to have".

(Service Levels) Do you expect some level of performance from the equipment, software, or service? Are there up-time requirements? Do you need 24x7 technical support? Do you expect the vendor to incur a penalty if they don't perform up to your service levels?

(Trades) What is most important to you: price, features, or service level? Force rank these in order of importance. Would you be willing to trade items between categories? For example, would you be willing to give up a certain service level for a lower price?

(Suppliers) Which vendors offer something that you think could meet your needs? How long have these companies been in business? Are you doing business with them already? Do you have a good business relationship with them?

(Gravy) If you had your druthers, what extras would you like the vendor to throw in for free? Would you like training or extra manuals? Would you like special reporting?

You will probably have more questions in addition to the ones listed above. Take the time to write them down and create the answers. Once you have established your position, you will save a great deal of time evaluating your potential vendors and negotiations will be less painful.

Lead The Dance

When you are ready to face off with a vendor, do your best to drive the discussion. Get as much information about the vendor and their product and service before price enters into the discussion. Just like car buying, pick out your car (or choice of cars) before you negotiate a price. If you find that the discussion is prematurely heading toward pricing, bring the conversation back to understanding the product or service itself. If you're not ready to talk price, say something like "Right now, I am just evaluating your product (or service). Unless I think there's a real opportunity, I'm not prepared to negotiate price right now."

Pricing for hardware, software, and services follow very different models. Hardware prices are fairly standard unless the product is new. Usually, the mark-up on hardware is very small (1-15%). On the flip- side, the mark-up for software is huge (100%+). Software is priced based on value, not the cost to the vendor so you can usually negotiate software prices down substantially. Services are usually based on labor rates and are marked up based on the demand for those skills (15-50%).

When you are ready to discuss pricing, take the lead in the dance. Here are the steps to follow (in this order):

<li>Make the vendor throw out the first offer. Never be the first one to suggest a price. Although rare, you could hear the question "how much would you be willing to pay for our product?" A good response would be "As little as possible. What's your offer?" This response puts the ball firmly in the vendor's court. Remember, if you've done your planning, you really do have the answer to this question, but your job is get a price far below your maximum, so don't tell the vendor up front!

<li>Express concern. Never get excited about the first offer no matter what. If you're considering other alternatives, you may be able to get a better price. My favorite tactic is to say nothing and simply make a non-verbal expression of concern. Usually, the vendor will come back with either "but I'm sure we could sharpen our pencil", or "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high", or the ever popular "but we're willing to work with you". You may also be prodded with "You don't seem to like that price. I seem to be out of the ball park. What price would you be comfortable with?" Here's where the dance gets interesting.

<li>Make the vendor throw out the second offer. This can be difficult, but by making the vendor throw out more prices, you are lowering the ceiling of the negotiation going forward. If, in step 2, the vendor says "we could probably come down lower if that price is too high.", immediately respond with "How much could you come down?" or "It seems you didn't give me your best price to begin with. What's your best price?". Latch on to what a vendor is saying and keep asking questions. Stay on this step as long as possible and try and keep the vendor to continue to provide better pricing.

<li>Counter offer. Propose a different price than what's on the table. Be reasonable. If you've done your homework and checked the going price for the product or service, you know what the range is. If you throw out a price that you know is ridiculous, it will look like you don't know what you're doing. However, if you counter with a price that demonstrates that you've done your homework, the vendor will know you are serious. Justify for your counter offer. For example, you may want to reveal that you've done some market analysis by saying "I've researched the market a little and think my offer is more in line with market prices." Obviously, the vendor may disagree, but at least you're backing up your counter price.

<li>Trade. Unless you can land on a price outright, there will likely be gives and takes on both sides. Go back to your to plan and begin proposing trades. Always make trades that bring you little to no value but may be perceived as valuable by the vendor. This can be very difficult, but can pay huge dividends. Here is a perfect example. Let's say you want a service contract to outsource your help desk (technical support phone service). Let's say you really want the help desk to answer your calls within 1 minute (you've already figured out this requirement in your plan) but the vendor's first offer is to answer your calls within 30 seconds. Let's also assume that price is more important to you than having your calls answered 30 seconds faster (remember- the vendor doesn't know this). And let's say the offer on the table is $5 per call. A great trade proposal would be "Your price is too high for me. I can recognize that you need enough people to answer those calls within 30 seconds and that has value. I would be willing to sacrifice an extra 30 seconds on each call if you could bring your price down." If the vendor responds with a counter-offer, circle back to steps 4 and 5. Try and keep the counter offer / trade cycle going as long as possible.

<li>Nibble. Just as you and the vendor are about to agree to terms and everyone starts smiling and shaking hands, start asking for the gravy. Let's say you've just negotiated a software deal and you would really like some training. Just when you think the vendor believes the negotiation is at its very end, you could say "I am really glad we could work this out. I'm looking forward to using your software. One more thing- would you mind spending a couple days showing me how to use your product. A little training could be useful. Is that ok with you?" You run the risk of opening up the negotiation, but you stand a better chance of getting a few extras free of charge.

<li>Walk The Talk. If you've set your maximum price and you can't seem to negotiate what you want even with trades, walk away. Be firm and truly be prepared to walk away. Be blunt. "It seems we're not getting anywhere. I think I'll take my business elsewhere. Thanks for your time." Shutting the discussion down can sometimes break the log jam. If a vendor really thinks they're going to loose the business, they may suddenly move.

<li>Patience is a Virtue. Negotiations take time. Before you begin, know what your timeframe to make a decision is. Never act hurried or anxious. Come across to the vendor as relaxed and confident (but not cocky). The message you want to send to the vendor is "I've got all the time in the world."

<li>Never Lie. Although this happens in many negotiations, telling lies will hurt your reputation and could poison vendor relationships. I am not a proponent of outright fibbing. Be honest but don't give away your hand.

Follow these steps, and you will strike better deals and build confidence in your ability to negotiate. What I have left out in the steps above are standard questions that vendors love to ask. Let me leave you with these questions, their underlying motive, and what you should say. The trick is to always put the ball back in the vendor's court to better your position:

<ul><li>Question: "What's your budget for this project?"

Motive: Setting the price floor

Answer: "That's confidential. Why do you need to know that?"</li>

<li>Question: "What's most important to you? Price or service levels?"

Motive : Prioritizing your trades

Answer : "They're both important to me. I'm looking for the best package"</li>

<li>Question: "How soon do you need to make a decision?"

Motive: Setting the timeframe

Answer : "I will make a decision when I can get the overall best deal"</li>

<li>Question: "Can you make decision quickly. I've got to make my sales quota and our quarter is ending soon. I can't guarantee I give you the same discount"

Motive : Apply pressure

Answer : "I'm not going to rush my decision because of your company's business calendar. We may need to re-think things..." </li></ul>

There are others, but always maintain your control, patience and poise and always take the lead in the negotiating dance!

About The Author

Andy Quick is co-founder of Findmyhosting.com (<a href="http://www.findmyhosting.com" target="_new">http://www.findmyhosting.com</a>), a free web hosting directory offering businesses and consumers a hassle free way to find the right hosting plan for their needs. Feel free to contact Andy at <a href="mailto:andy@findmyhosting.com">andy@findmyhosting.com</a> in case you have any questions or comments regarding this article.

Barter: Its Not Just for Doctors Anymore

Time was, in the country, the local &quot;doc&quot; was as likely to get paid with a couple of chickens as a couple of dollars. Doctors these days won't stand for that, of course, but while some people have moved completely away from barter and stayed there, others have embraced it wholeheartedly.

Today I worked on a barter deal with a web designer to do search engine optimization on my web site in exchange for some articles. I HATE doing SEO, and I LOVE writing articles. This person needs articles written and is good at SEO. It's a good match.

Later in the day I put together a mailing designed to entice a massage therapist into bartering for my coaching services. I have a lot of pain in my back and shoulders, and a massage would do me good, but I really can't afford monthly massages. If this works out, I will work an extra three hours a month in exchange for massages, hopefully every two weeks.

Barter isn't for everyone or every situation, but it does have some advantages for the home-based business. You can usually get something you need, you can save your cash for other things, which you also need, and you get a &quot;customer&quot; who's willing to give you referrals and testimonials.

How do you know if you should barter? If you have a skill or product people want, if you have the time or extra product to spare, and if you are willing to put in the effort looking for people to barter with, it might be a good idea for you.

Where do you find people to barter with? Check Google for barter directories and barter sites. Many Work at Home Mom sites have barter sections. If you don't find what you're looking for, go find someone who does or has what you need, and offer a barter deal. Sometimes they'll go for it, sometimes not. My SEO deal came through a barter site. My massage therapy plan is strictly my own. But I'm betting out of 60 massage therapists in my city, one will be interested.

If you don't have time or extra product, or if you're uncomfortable trading your products or services for other people's, then barter might not be right for you at this time. Keep it in mind for the future, though.

If you can get it, barter's a good deal. You often get more than you could afford to buy or would put money into, and you expand your business as well.

About The Author

Angie Dixon helps small business owners get their acts together. She is a personal development coach specializing in helping people integrate their home and work lives so they feel less stretched and more balanced. Get her FREE EBOOK on balance at <a href="http://www.discoveringtruenorth.com" target="_new">http://www.discoveringtruenorth.com</a>. For questions or to discover how coaching can change your life, contact Angie at <a href="mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com">mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com</a>.

You are free to use this article in ezines, web sites and print publications. If you do use it, please send a quick email to <a href="mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com">mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com</a>. Thank you.

Games are a Reflection of Behavior

You are standing on a small stage yelling, &quot;What's the name of the game?!&quot;

&quot;Win as much as you can!!!&quot; comes roaring back.

&quot;Who's responsible for your score?!&quot;

&quot;I am!!&quot;

The audience is composed of ninety men, all prisoners in a federal maximum security prison.

One more thing ? you're a woman.

For three years, Alicia volunteered every Thursday at FCI (Federal Correctional Institute) in Bastrop, Texas-

&quot;I used my skills as a corporate trainer to help these men learn to shift their perspective on themselves and the world.&quot;

&quot;Along the way the prisoners taught me as much, perhaps more, than I taught them.&quot;

&quot;In my training business, I use games as a way to break down barriers and shift perceptions. What I came to realize is that your behavior in a game is an exaggerated reflection of your behavior in real life.&quot;

Games are an opening to behave true to our natures, to react immediately rather than with a careful response. Depending on the other players, we may monitor our behavior less in a game than in the real world, but we aren't acting differently. In a game there are no emotional holds barred.

In a game, we are allowed to be more right brained than logical. After all, &quot;It's only a game.&quot;

Saying something is only a game tends to trivialize its importance. Precisely because we view it as trivial, and of no importance, we can give ourselves permission to let our true natures out.

When we floated this idea before a number of colleagues, several of them told us stories of self-discovery. One woman, a very sweet and kind person in &quot;real life&quot;, was known as &quot;the enforcer&quot; when she played hockey in school. Another shared that, when she plays a game against total strangers she becomes &quot;brutal&quot; and highly competitive.

So if our true nature comes out in a game, what can we do with that information?

Can we transform situations so that we can be true to our nature? Can we make a game out of real world situations to allow our true nature to flourish? The obvious example is to view business as a game to be won. This implies competition and a winner take all attitude.

Yet Covey and others have told us about creating win-win situations. Is there such a thing as a win-win game ? a game where everyone wins, where no one loses? Can you devise a game where you can put your competitive streak toward a larger goal? Can the proverbial pie be made larger? As someone said to me, to transform from &quot;me winning&quot; to &quot;we winning&quot;.

What's the name of the game? Win as much as you can!

Who's responsible for your score? I am!

The game Alicia played with the inmates was called &quot;the handshake game&quot;. She had them pair up by size, height and weight and explained the rules. &quot;We'll play the game for 45 seconds. You get one point when your hand taps his hip; he gets one point when his hand taps your hip.&quot;

The vast majority of the pairs had a combined score of 0 points. A few pairs scored in the 10 ? 20 point range.

But one pair scored 260 points.

The high scorers had realized that the name of the game and scoring responsibility did not define a win-lose (or &quot;zero-sum&quot;) game. That is, one person did not win at the expense of the other.

Of course, the entire thing was a set-up. Alicia paired them up by size, height and weight to set the expectation that it was an evenly matched contest. She got them chanting to get their excitement up.

And she neglected to tell them that the pair was a team and the team members' scores would be combined.

&quot;Deliberately I didn't tell them they were supposed to cooperate with their partner. I also never told them who the competitors were.&quot;

We all know that a &quot;formal&quot; team must cooperate to win. The revelation here was that by cooperating they could maximize their individual scores.

What's the name of the game? Win as much as you can!

Who's responsible for your score? I am!

The rules say nothing about preventing the other person from getting a high score. The pair who &quot;got it&quot; quickly settled into a rhythm of &quot;one for you and one for me&quot;. And they could have kept that up for as long as the game ran. Meanwhile, the other teams were struggling and would have exhausted themselves long before the winners did. And, when the few teams who did spot the pair who &quot;got it&quot; there were charges of &quot;cheating&quot; leveled at them. &quot;We saw what they were doing but thought they were cheating or didn't understand the rules.&quot;

The cooperation ? competition confusion is nicely summed up in the concept called &quot;the prisoners' dilemma&quot;. Two people are arrested for a crime and there is enough evidence to put them both in jail for 1 year.

The police keep them isolated from each other and offer each the same deal: &quot;If one of you talks and the other does not, the snitch goes free and the other one gets 3 years. If you both talk, you both get 2 years.&quot;

The partners can work together (by staying silent) and both get only a year in jail. By both defecting from the partnership to work with the police they will both get 2 years.

A single defector will go free while the one who cooperated gets 3 years.

The dilemma is formed by pitting trust against greed. The temptation of greed combined with a habit of competition blinds us to a different perspective.

But don't think that only prisoners are subject to this. When Alicia has had groups of corporate executives play this game, they fall into the same behavior pattern as the prisoners. In fact, in some corporate sessions nobody &quot;gets it&quot;.

There seems to be a dichotomy between competing and winning. The idea of cooperating to win seems odd. In fact, we see other players complain that the ones who &quot;get it&quot; are cheating!

What you do depends on your view of the game. If the game is seen as a one-time event, why not be brutal ? there will be no consequences. But if this event is one in a series, then cooperation is clearly the better long-term strategy, if only because there will be a chance for the other to get even.

In studies of prisoners' dilemma style games (played for points and not reduced jail time) the players eventually settle into a strategy dubbed &quot;tit for tat&quot;. Their actions are saying, &quot;If you cooperate last time, I'll cooperate next time. If you defected last time, I'll defect next time.&quot;

Using the word &quot;defect&quot; helps us see the shift ? the opposite of cooperating (working on the same side) is defecting to the other side.

The desire to compete and the desire to win are not the same.

Game terminology (strategies, tactics, moves, etc.) is often applied to &quot;serious&quot; parts of life. Because the word game has a connotation of triviality, we sometimes bristle at its use to describe the things that mean the most to us.

What if we kept in mind that 'it's all a game' ? would we behave differently?

Philosopher James P. Carse writes in the first chapter of Finite and Infinite Games, &quot;There are at least two kinds of games. One could be called finite, the other infinite. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, and infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.&quot;

The book's subtitle is &quot;A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility.&quot; His premise is that a game is about the relationship between the player.

In the book he characterizes two types of players. Finite players play within the rules, infinite players play with the rules. Finite players play to end the game (with their victory), infinite players play to continue the game (by whatever means they see fit). Finite players play to win, infinite players play to keep playing.

The players who &quot;get it&quot; are playing with the rules looking to transform a finite game into an infinite one.

If this article has intrigued you we encourage you to look at the various &quot;games&quot; that you are &quot;playing&quot; and with whom. Who are your &quot;teammates&quot; and what kind of game are you playing? With increased awareness of our behavior, and the behavior of others, we are able to create a &quot;win as much as WE can&quot; mentality.

? Copyright 2004 Alicia Smith Consulting & Training. All Rights Reserved.

This article was written by Alicia Smith as told to John Satta

Alicia Smith is a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping business people to Make Money Now. She has taught over 10,000 people how to improve their business bottom lines. To learn more about her courses, products and services, please visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.AliciaSmith.com">http://www.AliciaSmith.com</a>

Negotiation: A Compromising Position

Negotiating is a hot topic these days for a good reason. It is difficult to imagine a more vital managerial skill than the skill of negotiating. Effective managers must be superior negotiators. Without solid negotiating abilities, managers will inevitably make serious mistakes in dealing with people at all levels, both inside and outside their organizations. As negotiators, managers must concern themselves with substantive issues and their continuing relationships with people. If they push too much, they may create hard feelings and a desire to exact revenge. If they are overly concerned about getting along with others, they may lose in many substantive areas, thereby negatively impacting upon their department and their organization.

Successful negotiating involves trading-off between getting along with people and getting what you want. All negotiators face this dilemma: &quot;How can I get what I really desire and yet maintain a friendly relationship with the other side?&quot; Those who can achieve these seemingly contradictory objectives have mastered the art of negotiating. Negotiation is a discussion between two or more people with the goal of reaching an amicable agreement on issues separating the parties when neither side has the power nor the desire to use its power to get its own way.

Collaborating is one of several problem-solving approaches, however collaborating looks for a workable solution and even-handedly explores the needs of the parties until they are reasonably satisfied. Its advantages are that both sides can win big and collectively find solutions, ideas, and outcomes that go beyond the scope of the individual parties involved. Personal relationships can improve rather than deteriorate. Its pitfalls are that it can be extremely time-consuming, and that negotiators with a forcing style may interpret this approach as weakness.

Copyright <a target="_new" href="http://www.aeschwartz.com">AE Schwartz & Associates</a> All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: <a target="_new" href="http://www.ReadySetPresent.com">ReadySetPresent</a> and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: <a target="_new" href="http://www.TrainingConsortium.com/">TrainingConsortium</a>

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Negotiating Skills Will Get You Ahead

Negotiating skills can help you manage lots of different kinds of life situations, both at work and in your personal relationships. Here are a few examples of where these skills can help you build an even better life for yourself:

1. Many family situations require negotiating with others. Deciding which movie to see, planning how to spend money, choosing a vacation spot, and many other decisions work best when you have these skills.

2. Being a good negotiator enables you to get what you want more often without resorting to becoming aggressive or pushy. Negotiating with others is more effective than simply demanding what you want or just caving in.

3. You will be more successful in the workplace if you know how to negotiate. These skills enable you to stand up for yourself and get what you want more often without harming relationships with bosses and coworkers.

4. Negotiation skills increase your personal effectiveness in any group situation, such as volunteer groups, the PTO, and church or synagogue groups.

5. Knowing how to negotiate lessens the chances that others will take advantage of you.

6. Negotiating a fair solution makes you feel good about yourself and increases others' respect for you.

What Successful Negotiators Do

What exactly is negotiation? It is a set of skills that anyone can learn. When researchers have observed the behavior of negotiators, they learned that the most successful negotiators do the following things:

1. They plan ahead. Successful negotiations are rarely spontaneous. Taking the time to analyze the situation and think through your strategy is perhaps the most important element of negotiating success. This is true whether you are negotiating an important contract for your employer or negotiating your vacation plans with your family. Example: Anthony wants to begin running again to get into better physical shape. He became a new father 18 months ago and has had no time to exercise. He anticipates that Belinda, his wife, will resist any discussion of his wanting to take time for himself, since the responsibilities of parenthood are so time-consuming. For a while, he avoids the subject, fearing that it will turn into an argument. Then he starts to feel angry and resentful. He decides to negotiate with Belinda and begins by making a list of his needs and wants, as well as her needs and wants.

2. They are willing to consider a wide range of outcomes and options rather than rigidly insisting on a specific result. Negotiators who are most successful are open-minded and avoid being locked in to one outcome. They are willing to consider many possibilities and combinations of options.

Example: Lisa is feeling very stressed by the long commute to her job. She was thinking of resigning until she decided to make a list of other options. She came up with several alternatives: working from home two days a week, working part-time rather than full-time, working flexible hours to avoid rush hour traffic, and working from home every fourth week.

3. They look for common ground rather than areas of conflict. Pointing out areas where you and the other person are already in agreement conveys an attitude of cooperation and lessens any feeling of opposition.

Example: Sandy wants her next car to be a Volvo because of their reputation for safety. George wants a sports car. She says, &quot;Let's talk about what we agree on. First, we both agree that the car has to have a strong safety record. Second, we want to buy a new car, not a used one like last time. And third, we've set our price range as $40,000 or less.&quot;

4. They discuss the key issues in order of priority. Have a clear idea of what the two or three key issues are and which is the most important. Start with the most important issues and proceed to those that matter less. If you can reach agreement on the most important things, the lesser issues will most likely be easier to resolve. Example: Carol wants her next family vacation to be something really special-either a Caribbean cruise or a trip to San Francisco. She and her family have visited relatives or stayed at home for the past few years. She wants the family to have an experience they will always remember before Todd, their adolescent son, grow ups and moves away. She sees the key issues as follows: (1) There are only three years left before Todd leaves. He is not likely to join us for a vacation after he finishes school; (2) It is important to have an exceptional vacation at least once in your life; (3) If we plan ahead and save the money, we will be able to afford the cost of such a trip.

5. Skillful negotiators avoid behavior that the other person is likely to consider annoying. This includes any of the following kinds of behavior: having an aggressive or intimidating manner, using sarcasm, using negative body language, or talking loudly. Not only do skilled negotiators avoid such behavior, they work hard at conveying an attitude of cooperation, reasonableness, openness, and friendliness. Example: Jed is negotiating the details of his new job with his new employer in the Chicago area. When Jed moves from Memphis to Chicago to begin work, he wants Sarah, his new boss, to give him three paid days off to get settled in his new apartment. Sarah is resisting the idea. Jed says, &quot;I thought you would be more understanding about what it takes to get settled. A reasonable person would see that this is a small request.&quot; This sarcastic remark is likely to create some doubts in Sarah's mind rather than convince her to give Jed what he wants.

6. Good negotiators avoid participating in a defend/attack spiral. You know what this sounds like:

A attacks B

B defends herself and attacks A

A defends herself and attacks B

B defends herself and attacks A

We've all experienced being caught in one of these spirals and know how nonproductive they are. Rather than perpetuating such a process, the successful negotiator puts a stop to it by choosing not to say anything that would be perceived as aggressive or defensive.

Example A

Jim: &quot;I can't believe you are being so rigid.&quot;

Anne: &quot;Rigid! You should talk! You are completely bull-headed.&quot;

Jim: &quot;Right! You should try listening to yourself. You are impossible.&quot;

Example B

Jim: &quot;I can't believe you are being so rigid.&quot; Anne: &quot;You're not happy with what I've asked for.&quot; Jim: &quot;You're damn right! You have to consider what I want.&quot; Anne: &quot;Tell me more about it, then. I'll be happy to listen.&quot;

In example A, Jim and Anne dig themselves in deeper with each statement. In example B, Anne blocks the defend/attack spiral and makes it possible for communication to resume.

With practice, you can learn to use these simple skills to get more of what you want in life-without coming across like a bully. In fact, these skills help you reach agreements that are more likely to satisfy both parties while maintaining a positive relationship. Try them in your work life or at home-they work equally well in either setting.

Garrett Coan is a professional therapist,coach and psychotherapist. His two Northern New Jersey office locations are accessible to individuals who reside in Bergen County, Essex County, Passaic County, Rockland County, and Manhattan. He offers online and telephone coaching and counseling services for those who live at a distance. He can be accessed through <a target="_new" href="http://www.creativecounselors.com">http://www.creativecounselors.com</a> or 201-303-4303.

Guidelines for Ambassador Appointments

Ambassadors to other countries are a vital part of international relations. It is not uncommon for an ambassador to be the face or image of one country to another. Ambassadors act as a window into the importance of education, security, financial situations, business, and other societal issues. An ambassador has the power and authority to create opportunities through negotiation. Just like a negotiator, an ambassador must be equipped with specific qualities to ensure success. The distinction between the two should be that in the same.

Curry's book, &quot;International Negotiating,&quot; outlines several qualities for picking a negotiation team, or in this case, what I believe to be a good ambassador. The first and most relevant piece of advice is to not assign negotiators to a task based on a reward. This idea is simple but probably the most ignored idea in negotiation. Often, executives view an assignment that takes them or their employees overseas on a &quot;two week vacation&quot; ? the negotiation ? as a reward for being a top sales manager or some other reward. While sending your top sales manager to negotiate may not be the worst idea in the world, there are specific qualities that you want to look for when sending someone to be an ambassador for your company or country overseas. A balance in that person's skills should be apparent. If technical skills are needed versus social skills, then someone with those skills should be appointed for the task. Where as a specialist can be important, many cultures engage in trust building activities long before any real negotiations are held. Ambassadorship Strategy should involve a technically adept person with strong communication skills. This person should understand the overall implications of their relationship with the members of the other country. The &quot;big picture&quot; should already be developed for an ambassador so that they can blend into the culture while accomplishing the goals at hand.

For an ambassador from the U.S, several different issues would be discussed with other countries. National security, peace agreements, educational opportunities, social and health issues, and general societal issues all can go beyond the knowledge of an ambassador and far past his/her own technical knowledge. Knowing how and where to locate a specialist in each field of discussion is an important skill. Management of technical staff and administration staff is a key component to any ambassador. A streamlined approach to ambassadorship should be employed while keeping negative qualities at bay. Curry has observed several qualities as negative qualities (Curry, 10-13). Whiners can drag down and drain the emotional and physical strength of a negotiation or ambassadorship team. An effective way to deal with whiners would be to help them move towards solving the problem rather than just propagating it and not suggesting a solution. Connivers and &quot;one-uppers&quot; can really take cohesion away from a goal achieving team. Competition is great; if a conniving person is part of an ambassadorship team, encourage them to strive to meet the problems at hand. A manager of business would know the proper ways to motivate this type of person so that their negative quality won't hurt the team. Conditions change, and therefore flexible people would be perfect for an ambassadorship. Putting your best foot forward, while being able to succeed in all types of conditions can often prove vital in an ever-changing world. Cultural sensitivity, regarding sex, race, and creed is important. An appreciation for the culture at hand would help, while and understanding of that culture is vital.

Being an ambassador for the United States is important. The partnership as seen by other countries with the US can have lasting impressions, good and bad. A successful ambassador must possess the qualities as explained while having a deep appreciation and understanding of that culture. Only then, will the ambassador be able to achieve the task of representing the interests of the United States in a positive and progressive way.

Scott Fish President, <a target="_new" href="http://www.TopSatelliteRadio.com">http://www.TopSatelliteRadio.com</a> You can find other SEO strategies at: <a target="_new" href="http://seo-strategies.blogspot.com">http://seo-strategies.blogspot.com</a> Personal Blog: <a target="_new" href="http://scottfish.blogspot.com">http://scottfish.blogspot.com</a>

Do You Want a Paycheck or a Passion? 10 Qualities Managers are Looking for in Hiring You

Based upon my research of over 300 managers in the last two years, I have found what qualities are most important to hiring managers.

You will be in a more competitive advantage if you do a self-assessment to determine if you possess these qualities. If you lack some of these qualities, find a career coach and turn your liability into an asset for any organization.

The following are the top ten qualities hiring managers seek. They are not in any particular order.

? Personality

Making people feel comfortable when you meet them goes a long way in establishing a business and personal relationship. A smile and a warm greeting in any situation pays big dividends. Always ask about the other person. It makes them feel that you sincerely care about them.

? Verbal and Written Communication

Being concise but specific in your communication is very important to anyone in this day of high tech communication. Many times the human factor of thoughtfulness and consideration is abandoned in the technology. A key formula in both written and verbal communication is: Tell'em What You Are Going To Tell'em, Tell'em, and Tell'em What You Told 'Em.

? Team Player

Being a team player simply means that one not only does his or her job, but also is honestly willing to support their peers. If another department or group is in need of help, volunteer yourself. Remember, top management really knows who is a team player and who is not. Just keep in mind that there is always an extra set of eyes watching you.

? Listening Skills

Have you ever noticed that when you go to a fast food place and you tell them that your order is to go and they ask you, &quot;Is this to go&quot;? How does that make you feel? Right, they are not listening. Listen thoroughly before you speak. That means listen to what's not being said. Then ask open-ended questions, who, what, when, where, why and how to show the other person that you really are listening and that you do care about them.

? Attitude

We can train people on how to do a job, but we can't train attitude. Managers look for a positive and sincere attitude when thinking about promoting someone. Always have something positive to say about your company, department and peers. If you don't have something positive to say about them, don't say anything. If asked, be truthful with diplomacy. Remember, attitude is everything.

? Enthusiasm

Enthusiastic people seem to radiate confidence and leadership qualities. Think about what you are most enthusiastic about at work and share your enthusiasm with others. It is catching.

? Goal Setting

One of the many traits top executive men and women possess is goal setting. They write their goals and read them every day. They make their goals specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and they put a timeline on each one. Be prepared when one day your boss will ask you what are your goals? Write them down and carry them with you daily. Share your goals with a trusted friend of manager. During your performance review, be prepared when your boss ask you what your goals are.

? A Sense of Humor

Adding harmless humor to the workplace takes a lot of stress away from the pressures of our daily activities. Life is too short to take seriously. Take your job seriously but not yourself by using your sense of humor.

? Professional Appearance

The image we project will determine how others judge us. From our economic heritage to our economic status, our educational heritage to our educational status, our level of sophistication to our income levels we are judged by our appearance. Observe how your senior management projects their image. Take some clues and do the same.

? Life-Long Learning

Another common trait top executive men and women share is their quest for knowledge about a variety of subjects. They read about many things that cause them to be creative and knowledgeable. Their attitude is that once they stop learning how to become better at what they do as a person or as a professional, they might as well retire. Show your managers that you are willing and excited about learning. Attend your company's training sessions, establish an executive book club in your department and come up with creative ideas to increase the success of your department and company.

Ryan James (R.J.) Lancaster is the president of the Education & Learning Institute, a research, seminar and publishing company. He helps organizations and individuals think differently to ensure their success. He is also a professional speaker and author of E-books. Two of his E-books are: Nice People Do Finish 1st and Great Leaders Make Great Teachers.

Contact information: (602) 274-4609 Email: <a href="mailto:rlancaster5@cox.net">rlancaster5@cox.net</a> Website: <a target="_new" href="http://www.rjlancaster.com">http://www.rjlancaster.com</a>

30 Tips for Keeping Meeting Expenses to a Minimum

Money makes the world go 'round. And when it comes to meeting planning, money can probably get you whatever you want. However, few event planners have the luxury of an unlimited budget. Your boss may like to drink champagne on a beer budget. In other words, caution you to spend less, but expect miracles at the same time.

Preparing and managing a realistic budget is serious business, but to score &quot;big boss&quot; points you also need to be a savvy negotiator and cost-cutting aficionado. To help you on your way, here are 30 tips in a variety of different areas to keep your meeting expenses at a minimum without losing quality you strive for.

1. Keep your budget flexible. Be prepared to build in a contingency of 10 percent into your total budget to take care of any unexpected expenses and emergencies. Unforeseen or overlooked costs such as, overtime, overnight mailings, phone and computer hookups or speaker substitutions could skyrocket your budget.

2. Check all invoices. Question anything on your invoices that doesn't compute against the written quotation. Scrutinize your hotel/facility and food and beverage invoices while on-site. Ironing out discrepancies in person is much easier than over the phone.

3. Limit authorization. Only a select few should have the authority to charge items to your master account at the hotel. Make sure hotel has a list of these people, and refuse to pay for charges signed by unauthorized personnel.

4. Review accounts daily. To avoid any major surprises or heart failures when you see the final bill, review your accounts with the facility on a daily basis. It's easier to spot errors or make necessary changes if costs are escalating in certain areas.

5. Schedule during low-usage times. If you have the flexibility, consider scheduling your meetings during low seasons or days of the week when the facility is less busy. Booking near holidays such as Easter, Memorial Day, and Labor Day might definitely be to your advantageous.

6. Ask for the best rates. Do your research. Check out the rack rates, corporate rates, AAA discounts and so on, and compare them to the group rates you're being offered. Call the toll-free reservation desk for information.

7. Confirm and reconfirm your dates and event details. Overlooking a detail may cost you big bucks.

8. Request a discount for on-site payments. When the facility doesn't have to wait for payment because you arrange to pay immediately after the event or as the meeting is ending, they may well be open to a discount for prompt payment.

9. Be conservative with room blocks. With more and more guests using discounted hotel sites for room bookings, attrition on unused rooms can get very expensive.

10. Negotiate comp rooms. As part of your discussions with hotel management, negotiate comp or discounted rooms for speakers, staffs and or upgrades for VIPs.

11. Understand your cancellation clause. Don't sign anything you're not completely happy with. Be certain that your cancellation clause is reciprocal, so that both parties get the option to back out of the contract before a specified date, in case of any changes to the original agreement.

12. Negotiate set prices. To help with your budgeting, arrange to pay a specified amount on food and beverages during your entire event, rather than a rate per person, per function.

13. Consult a tax attorney. Investigate tax laws for your business location and the event location. You may be eligible for tax breaks that you're not claiming.

14. Keep room setup simple. Wherever possible use theater style (where only chairs are used) as it is less labor-intensive than classroom-style (which includes both table and chairs), thus lowering setup costs. Also, plan to keep setups the same from day to day.

15. Check into other groups. Find out about groups holding their meeting prior to and after yours and discuss staging needs. You may find that you can save on setup and teardown if you all have the same or very similar requirements.

16. Investigate sponsorship opportunities. Find sponsors to cover as many of your program expenses as possible, especially speaker fees, audiovisual equipment, and special meal functions.

17. Investigate grants. Although it might be a time-consuming exercise, you might look into specific federal, state, local or corporate grants that might be available for holding your meeting.

18. Use industry experts. To save on speaker expenses, consider using industry experts whose companies often pay expenses. Alternatively, use local speakers where appropriate to save on travel expenses. However, check how good they are before hiring them. You may end up with a dud!

19. Avoid renting unnecessary equipment. Double check speaker needs for audiovisual equipment to avoid renting unnecessary items.

20. Keep signage simple and reusable. Consider investing in a laminating machine to make your own signs.

21. Discuss economical audiovisual setups. Limit the number of microphones needed. Check if the hotel supplies a complimentary microphone in each meeting room. Skirt a cocktail table instead of renting special carts for A/V equipment.

22. Use outside suppliers. Look outside the hotel for possible audiovisual suppliers whose prices may be more competitive than those in-house. However, the hotel may match the other supplier's prices if asked.

23. Save on transportation. Use airport shuttles instead of taxis. If you have a sizeable group attending your event, negotiate special discounts with the shuttle bus company. Alternatively, check if the local taxicab company can provide discount coupons.

24. Arrange for one room. For smaller committee meetings that may be held during a larger conference arrange for a buffet luncheon to be held in the same room as the meeting to save on having to rent a separate room.

25. Negotiate food. Negotiate paying for food based on consumption. You can then return food without having to pay for it.

26. Minimize portions. Sever mini-Danishes, muffins and doughnuts, or cut larger servings in half. Many people (especially women and dieters) only want half to start with. Alternatively, serve a continental breakfast instead of a full breakfast buffet.

27. Opt for fewer choices. When it comes to hors d'oeuvres, go for fewer choices in larger quantities rather than a large selection in smaller quantities. And, remember to avoid the shrimp. People inhale it. There's never enough!!!

28. Check for dead stock. Check if the hotel has dead stock wine available (such as wine that in no longer on the wine list). You may be able to negotiate a great price for some really good quality wine.

29. Store opened bottles. Find out if the hotel can store opened bottles of liquor from one reception and us them another reception during the same conference.

30. Open bottles as needed. As the banquet captain to open wine bottles only as needed. You pay for every bottle that's been uncorked.

Bonus tip: Avoid salty foods during receptions as it encourages people to drink more.

About The Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: &quot;Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,&quot; working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to <a href="http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com" target="_new">http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com</a> to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.

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