78. The Law of Timing

Timing is everything in a negotiation.

A negotiation can be made or unmade by the time at which it takes place. There is a “too soon” and a “too late” in every situation. Whenever possible, you must plan strategically and use the timing of the negotiation to your advantage. There is a better time to buy and a better time to sell in almost every case. And when your timing is right, you will always get a better deal than when it is not.

The first corollary of the Law of Timing is The more urgent the need, the less effective the negotiator.

If you are in a hurry to close a deal, your ability to negotiate well on your own behalf diminishes dramatically. If the other person is eager to make the deal, he or she is functioning ...

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