If there is any function of more fun and excitement? Then it is none other than the birthday party celebration. Birthdays are the most joyful occasions where you will enjoy the most memorable moments of your life with your family members, friends and your close ones. Mostly birthday functions are celebrated with an exotic delicacies, nice decors, sizzling cocktails, fun loving games, and so on. However, the most excellent part of the birthday party is the gifts exchanging. When the 21st birthday celebration comes, there are more gifts to go for. Among several birthday celebrations, every person will like to welcome his 21st birthday with a huge bang. This is due to the reason that it is the special day when a person becomes an adult. Not only they get the right to vote and drive, but also they become responsible adults.

Among various 21st birthday presents, the most popular presents are presenting them some personalized items. If your friend likes jewelry means you can present her some jewelry items such as pendents, bracelets, etc. When your friend opens the birthday present she will be amazed with your choice. Another most famous birthday present is the clothes. Along with the clothes you can also present her some designer handbag. You can also surprise your friend with some creative gifts such as flowers bouquet, Duct Tape Flowers, Hangover Recovery Kit and big Steel Man Flask.

The margarita flowers bouquet is the most excellent creative birthday present for 21st birthday parties. This bouquet is made in margarita shaped glass and it is filled with the yellow roses and has a false lime margarita filling. This birthday gifts make their birthday moment last forever. The remote controlled car is another creative birthday gifts that works on batteries. If you are looking for the long lasting birthday gifts then the duct tape flowers is the right one for you. They are available in different colors such as red, yellow, silver, pink, white, and blue. They are always packed with the tissue, ribbon and they are wrapped with the cello as like real roses. This gift is perfect for male as well as for female. Among the various birthday gifts, photo frames or albums are the enigmatic ones. It is undoubtedly a very special type of birthday gifts that helps to remember some sweet memories. Never forget to consider a wonderful 21st birthday album and photo frame in order to memorialize all of the enjoyment in.

As network marketers, we often have important information to impart and our role in doing so is a major one. Many, many times I have had the pleasure of having people approach me to say how hearing me speak literally changed their lives due to the powerful message and the persuasiveness of the delivery. Most people in MLM are not trained presenters or salespersons but there are a few steps everyone can take to make sure their message has the best possible chance of being well received. Here are my top tips:

1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE: Not every pitch will work for everyone so before you go to present the products or the business, whether it’s to just one person or to many, do a little research to ensure you’re presenting at the appropriate level. If your presentation is too lightweight, you’ll bore them; too in depth, you’ll confuse them. Either way, they will switch off and your vital words will fall on deaf ears.

2. WIIFM: Yes, that old chestnut, but it’s worth repeating as it’s so often forgotten. Bearing in mind tip no. 1, what are the challenges faced by this person or this group of people? How does your business opportunity or your product solve their problems? Focus on answering these questions rather than trotting out the mechanics of your offering. Your audience must feel you’ve prepared your presentation specially for them, even if it’s essentially the same one you’re giving all the time.

3. CONTINUALLY LEARN AND PRACTICE PRESENTING: One of the most important skills any network marketer can hone is that of becoming an accomplished speaker. It impacts so many other areas of your life as it massively increases your self-confidence. The more professionally you can deliver your message, the more readily it will be received, the more lives you will touch and the more money you will make in your business. Learning to present well is an investment in yourself and can give you the greatest return on the capital you’ve invested.

4. HANDLE DISSENTERS WELL: One of the major fears I hear from network marketers is that of being faced with doubting prospects or those who dispute what they’re being told. Unfortunately, the tendency is to dig in and fight your corner but this can turn the discussion into an argument and work against you, especially if you’re giving a presentation in front of a group. When you’re faced with negativity, always start your answer with “That’s a very good question…” and continue with your viewpoint. Wherever possible, turn things around to make your audience right. Download a free “one-sheet crib sheet” on this important subject at http://www.laddersofsuccess.com.

5. SHOW, DON’T TELL: Show the products you’re talking about. Let people feel, smell and see for themselves instead of just hearing what they are like. If you’re making a presentation about the business opportunity, remember that your company has probably done a lot to make things easier for you. Make sure you get the prospecting materials they offer, show the pictures of the top distributors, talk about them as if they are real people .

6. LET YOUR GUARD DOWN: People buy from those they know, like and trust. How can they do any of this if you won’t let them get to know the real you. You don’t have to be perfect, you can talk about your own challenges, beliefs, family, hopes and dreams. Doing so gives your prospects more opportunity to identify with you so you can use the similarities to build rapport.

7. STORIES INSTEAD OF FACTS: When we get excited about our products, we often delve into the features of the products, what works and why. This is all very exciting once you’ve had your first wonderful product experience, but it doesn’t make for a very exciting lead-in to your presentation. People want to know about results. They want the bottom line. There’s plenty of time to get to the detail later but to start this way could send most of your prospects to sleep (apart from the professors in the audience, of course). The best way to illustrate what your products or business opportunity can do is through telling stories. Use your own story or a case study of someone you know. Use emotive words. Remember, not just the facts, the feelings too.

8. MAKE ‘EM LAUGH: When people laugh they feel more relaxed and amenable. Every situation has a humorous side and if you’re telling a tragic story your prospects will welcome the respite that comes with a moment of levity. The golden rule is to move people: make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, then they buy. This is something I aim to do in every presentation because it means I’ve moved my audience emotionally. I appreciate this is an advanced technique, but if you learn how to do it, you’ll increase your success rate exponentially.

9. DON’T TELL – ASK: Instead of telling your prospects everything, get them answering questions. Rather than saying “Did you know that only 1% of people retire financially free?”, ask them “What percentage of people do you think retire financially free?”. This gets your prospects involved and if you word your questions correctly, you’re coaching them to the purchase decision rather than having to push them into buying. This is a technique I teach that I’ve perfected over the years. It works great for network marketers and women and I call it “pull selling”.

10. GIVE A REASON TO ACT NOW: Again, not being salespersons, many network marketers give a great presentation and then wimp out without asking for the order. Your prospect’s motivation will never be higher than it is at that moment so make sure you use this to your advantage. Think of reasons why they should place their order today. Some possible reasons might be because you are offering a special bonus OR prices are about to increase OR there’s an order deadline coming up so they’ll get their goods sooner OR you’re placing an order too so they’ll save on the postage OR you’re offering a discount on orders placed today OR you’re seeing someone else who could become a distributor and will go beneath them. Whatever it is, tell them, and secure the sale.

A presentation can be said as the important key in the meeting because it is the right way you need to perform if you would like to promote your business very well. Doing presentation will be a good challenge for you because you will stand in front of audiences to say something you would like to promote. If you will do meeting presentation, it is important for you to check some tips provided in this article so you will be able to feel confidence and the process of presentation can run well. Keep in mind that the information just supports you. Everything will be okay if you feel ready to perform this process for your business.

1. Choose the right audience. In this case, you must know the audiences you will face so you can make good preparation that will be great in supporting your presentation. Just be sure that you have enough knowledge about the audience so you can provide the best information for your needs and you do not need to be nervous in facing your audience.

2. Get everyone involved. In doing presentation, you must be able to get everyone involved because it will help you in doing the right presentation. If the audiences are able to get involved, you might create the best presentation that will be functional for your needs because you provide enough information related to the business you are running.

3. Use the best format in your presentation. There are some formats that are used to support your presentation so you can run it very well. In this case, it is better for you to choose the use of Microsoft PowerPoint that will be seen as the right way to present your business. By using this PowerPoint, you can do the process of presentation very well.

New Year. New Year’s resolution. Like most things that are worthwhile it’s true that when we invest solid preparation in an important presentation we achieve a better result. I have never doubted it — but some times I have definitely been better prepared than on other occasions. So, in common with most people I have decided on a New Year’s resolution this January — be better prepared for my business presentations.

But this time, since my previous New Year’s resolutions rarely lasted much beyond February, I have noted down the key elements of better preparation. This simple check list should ensure that I am both better prepared for my presentations and less apprehensive about the output. It is equally true that sound preparation results in higher self-confidence and lower anxiety when speaking in public. Now that’s a bonus objective.

• Write it down. Be prepared to write or type the whole of the presentation in full. Check over the length of the sentences and abbreviate where necessary.
• Organize it. Aim to type the presentation in a standard lower case style using double line spacing. Use capitals at the start of a sentence or to emphasize certain words or phrases only. Begin each sentence on a new line. This will be important if you are to read the presentation from this script. Remember to select a typeface that you can read easily.
• Mark it up. Word process the presentation with the appropriate mood advice, intonation markings and advice for extra emphasis. These pointers are for you — they should not feature in any scripts that you give to the organizer, the audience or the Press.
• Read it. Read the presentation fully all the way through. Repeat this procedure several times becoming more and more familiar with the words and phrases. Where any particular words or sentences don’t work then mark these up for subsequent editing. This is the best time to ensure that all the words sound right and you are not to be caught out by tricky pronunciation.
• Read it aloud. Read the presentation out aloud. Then read it again several times over. It’s best to do this exercise standing up and possibly facing a mirror.
• Record yourself. Try to record yourself reading the presentation out aloud. Once you have a decent recording, you can listen to yourself delivering the presentation when driving to and from work. Allow the words to sink in and become more familiar. This isn’t necessarily a technique for learning the presentation but is definitely excellent preparation.
• Prepare notes. Prepare the written presentation for the conference. Depending on the event one can use small cards or A4 (letter) size sheets. Small cards can carry the major points, threads and quotations of the preparation without the full text of the speech. A4 or letter size sheets can contain the full marked-up text of the presentation. If sheets are used these should be single sided only and not stapled. Note the page numbers in case their order is upset.
• Contact the conference organizer. Discuss the final arrangements for the event. Make sure that the organizer has a suitable and up to date resume of your achievements, interests and professional standing. Discuss with the organizer how they will use this material to make your introduction.
• Be early Arrive early at the conference venue. Either meet up with the conference organizer on arrival or leave them a message via phone or reception informing them of your arrival. From the conference organizer’s perspective this is extremely useful. Check over the spare copies of the presentation and have them available for any Press contacts that might participate.
• Test everything. Take the opportunity to test both the sound quality and the seating arrangements in the conference room. If there is a sound system you should check over the microphone adjustment technique and confirm your audibility at the back of the room. Complete similar checks with any presentation equipment that you will use — particularly if you intend to integrate video within the presentation. Don’t forget those seating arrangements. A quick word with the organizers will confirm the expected audience. If audience numbers are on the low side for the size of the room discuss with the organizer how you might mark out a seating area near the front. Roll up your sleeves and pitch in at this point.

New Year’s resolutions typically demand some forbearance or abstemiousness on my part — which inevitably results in my defaulting on the arrangement. But this resolution — to be better prepared for my presentations — simply requires focus, clarity and self-organization. Now, could that be a matter for another New Year’s resolution?

I recently attended the Biennale of Sydney at Cockatoo Island which showcases contemporary visual arts.

The whole adventure of wandering around Cockatoo Island and interacting with some of the exhibits made me view the artwork from a different perspective – some assumptions that had been made on first glance were soon replaced with aha moments.

Similarly, looking at our own presentations from differing perspectives can assist each of us to become better speakers.

The importance of self-reflection following a presentation

After delivering a presentation it is easy to forget about it and move on to the next task. However to grow as a speaker it is important to reflect on what went well and what could be improved upon. This is an important practice whether you are presenting to a few people or a few hundred people.

The review process

When reviewing your presentation, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What did you do well?

2. What could you improve upon?

3. What would you do differently next time?

When giving a presentation each speaker gives part of themselves and so there is often an emotional response to the presentation. For some, this can be an intense response; for others it can be a mild one.

This emotional response will have an impact on your perception of the success of the presentation. So it is important as part of the review process to be aware of the emotions that you may be feeling about the presentation.

If your experience was a good one then the euphoria (or relief) from the presentation will allow you to see it with a positive perspective. If your experience was less than desirable or even disastrous then it is easy to fall into negative self-talk mode diminishing your confidence for future presentations.

Give yourself time to review all aspects of your presentation free from any emotional connection to the presentation.

We are often our own worst critics, so if you are not able to recognise anything positive about your presentation, allow the emotional connection to pass before you begin the self-review.

An additional question to consider

As part of the review process, also consider this additional question:

If you were sitting in the audience, what impression would you have had of the presentation?

By placing yourself in the audience you are able to see your presentation from a different perspective.

What next?

Once you have completed your self-reflection it is important to then note your findings and use them when preparing your next presentation.

Self-reflection is one method that you can use to evaluate your presentation. It is an essential component of the evaluation process enabling you to work on specific areas that you would like to improve and to also build upon your current strengths as a speaker.

Do you undertake a self-reflection process following a presentation?

When looking for a way to settle debts, undoubtedly you will come across these two options. Basically debt negotiation is when you negotiate the debt with your creditors. This can either be done by you personally or you can get help from the professionals. This plan is normally chosen by consumers who have trouble making their minimums each month. A new payment plan will then be worked out which might include the following:

· Low monthly installments over a longer period of time

· You will only need to a part of the debt (the other part gets forgiven)

· You will be given a lower interest rate

The aim by your creditors is so that they get their money back, if not all then some. Helping you would be in their best interest as if you were to file for bankruptcy; they would not get any money at all.

Credit counseling is not something you can do on your own, instead you have to work with a counseling service. Then, the counseling service will work with your creditors to come up with a way to settle your debt and most of the time, the solutions are almost the same as with debt negotiation. To know if you need credit counseling services see if any of the characteristics below fits you:

· You do not have debt negotiation skills

· You need help remembering how many bills you have to pay each month

· You wish that you only needed to pay one party who will then distribute payments to your creditors.

Like with everything else there are risks associated with both debt negotiation and credit counseling services which are listed as below:

Debt Negotiation risks:

1. Working with a lawyer can be very expensive

2. If you are try to negotiate debt on your own, you might not get the best deal as you are inexperienced

3. You have to negotiate with each creditor separately and this could be stressful

Credit Counseling risks:

1. Most companies charge an upfront fee before even starting

2. You can feel left out because you will not be included in the negotiations

3. Research is required on your part as many counseling services take money without providing much assistance.

But, the benefits are actually the same. You will be able to see a reduction in your debt, you will get a payment plan that will suite your budget and you can better manage your finances, reducing the risk of you filing for bankruptcy and putting a permanent blemish on your credit report.

Good Guy/Bad Guy is one of the best known negotiating gambits. Charles Dickens first wrote about it in his book Great Expectations. In the opening scene of the story, the young hero Pip is in the graveyard when out of the sinister mist comes a large, very frightening man. This man is a convict, and he has chains around his legs. He asks Pip to go into the village and bring back food and a file, so he can remove the chains. The convict has a dilemma, however. He wants to scare the child into doing as he’s asked, yet he mustn’t put so much pressure on Pip that he’ll be frozen in place or bolt into town to tell the policeman.

The solution to the convict’s problem is to use the Good Guy/Bad Guy Gambit. Taking some liberty with the original work, what the convict says in effect, is “You know, Pip, I like you, and I would never do anything to hurt you But I have to tell you that waiting out here in the mist is a friend of mine and he can be violent and I’m the only one who can control him. If I don’t get these chains off-if you don’t help me get them off-then my friend might come after you. So, you have to help me. Do you understand?” Good Guy/Bad Guy is a very effective way of putting pressure on people, without confrontation.

I’m sure you’ve seen Good Guy/Bad Guy used in the old police movies. Officers bring a suspect into the police station for questioning, and the first detective to interrogate him is a rough, tough, mean-looking guy. He threatens the suspect with all kinds of things that they’re going to do to him. Then he’s mysteriously called away to take a phone call, and the second detective, who’s brought in to look after the prisoner while the first detective is away, is the warmest, nicest guy in the entire world. He sits down and makes friends with the prisoner. He gives him a cigarette and says, “Listen kid, it’s really not as bad as all that. I’ve taken a liking to you. I know the ropes around here. Why don’t you let me see what I can do for you?” It’s a real temptation to think that the Good Guy’s on your side when, of course, he really isn’t.

Then the Good Guy would go ahead and close on what salespeople would recognize as a minor point close. “All I think the detectives really need to know,” he tells the prisoner, “is where did you buy the gun?” What he really wants to know is, “Where did you hide the body?”

Starting out with a minor point like that and then working up from there, works very well, doesn’t it? The car salesperson says to you, “If you did invest in this car would you get the blue or the gray?” “Would you want the vinyl upholstery or the leather?” Little decisions lead to big ones. The real estate salesperson who says, “If you did invest in this home, how would you arrange the furniture in the living room?” Or, “Which of these bedrooms would be the nursery for your new baby?” Little decisions grow to big decisions.

People use Good Guy/Bad Guy on you much more than you might believe. Look out for it anytime you find yourself dealing with two people. Chances are you’ll see it being used on you, in one form or another.

For example, you may sell corporate health insurance plans for an HMO and have made an appointment to meet with the Vice-President of Human Resources at a company that manufactures lawn mowers. When the secretary leads you in to meet with the vice president, you find to your surprise that the president of the company wants to sit in and listen in on your presentation.

That’s negotiating two on one, which is not good, but you go ahead and everything appears to be going along fine. You feel that you have a good chance of closing the sale, until the president suddenly starts getting irritated. Eventually he says to his vice president, “Look, I don’t think these people are interested in making a serious proposal to us. I’m sorry, but I’ve got things to do.” Then he storms out of the room.

This really shakes you up if you’re not used to negotiating. Then the vice-president says, “Wow. Sometimes he gets that way, but I really like the plan that you presented, and I think we can still work this out. If you could be a little more flexible on your price, then I think we can still put it together. Tell you what-why don’t you let me see what I can do for you with him?”

If you don’t realize what they’re doing to you, you’ll hear yourself say something like, “What do you think the president would agree to?” Then it won’t be long before you’ll have the vice-president negotiating for you-and he or she is not even on your side.

If you think I’m exaggerating on this one, consider this: Haven’t you, at one time or another, said to a car salesperson, “What do you think you could get your sales manager to agree to?” As if the salesperson is on your side, not on theirs? Haven’t we all at one time been buying real estate and have found the property we want to buy, so we say to the agent that has been helping us find the property, “What do you think the sellers would take?” Let me ask you something. Who is your agent working for? Who is paying her? It’s not you, is it? She is working for the seller and yet she has effectively played Good Guy/Bad Guy with us. So, look out for it, because you run into it a lot.

Power Negotiators use several Counter-Gambits to Good Guy/Bad Guy:

People these days can easily drown in debts because of the effects they acquire and need to pay at the same time. People take on so many expenses that they do not visualize a future of financial breakdown, and in some critical cases, even bankruptcy.

Credit card debt is the most common type of debt because it is extremely easy to get a hold of several credit cards at once. Because of this, credit card debt negotiation has become more and more popular. People are now realizing that having several credit cards is not always the best way of purchasing something.

Credit card debt negotiation is the most reliable way to reduce credit card debt, lower rates or negotiating for reduced balances. With reduced interest, you can pay off the principal faster with the same monthly payment. The other approach is debt settlement, which eliminates part of your debt at the cost of your credit score.

- How does the credit card debt negotiation process work? -

The credit card debt negotiation process has several steps that will gradually improve the client’s current situation and will deal with the problems that credit card debts bring into a client’s financial life. These are the steps:

1. Transferring balances: The credit card debt negotiation program will first advice the client to move all of his credit card debt into a new one free of charge. The payments will be easy to make and will go directly to the principal amount and no to the interest fees as it always does.

2. Remake deals with creditors: after making the decision of transferring your balances by suggestion of the card debt negotiation counseling team, do not start cancelling accounts until the final bill has been paid because the company could charge a higher interest rate if you close the account having an outstanding balance.

3. Create a personal budget: the card debt negotiation program recommends outlining a personal budget to visualize how to free oneself from debt. People tend to relax after entering the credit card debt negotiation program and start thinking that the counselors will solve his/her problems. That is why some clients take a long time to leave the program. Clients stop paying attention to the offers the counselors get and because of that, the creditors start looking for legal solutions, such as a summons.

- Is there anything else to be done to speed up the card debt negotiation process? -

One of the most important changes people can make in order to speed up the credit card debt negotiation process is learning how to live a normal life without exceeding credit card use. As we mentioned before, the average US citizen has 4 to 5 credit cards, but a single source of income. What people do not realize is that every credit card can hold their interest charges and monthly fees. Not everything has to be paid with credit cards, and that is one of the main objectives of the card debt negotiation program: teach people when and how to use credit cards.

Credit card debt negotiation acts as debt settlement, but this procedure is usually followed in the case of unsecured loans. In this process, a borrower can quench his credit card debt burden. Some times borrowers can get help from various debt settlement agencies in order to negotiate with lenders.

Credit card debt negotiation is a unique program that enables borrowers to manage their credit card debts properly. In order to reduce the unnecessary burden and stay away from all sorts of debt trouble, the credit card debt negotiation program is the ultimate solution that one can opt for.

We have different articles on interesting topics and current and former clients’ experiences with our programs. Take a look at the different situations on Card Debt Negotiation and related topics that people can fall into and how to keep yourself a debt free person.

Sellers must know how to start and finish a home sale right. A perfectly marketed, staged and promoted property is bound to fail when you do not understand how to effectively negotiate with prospective buyers. It’s a skill every home seller must learn and be good at. The difference of a good and best deal relies heavily on the seller’s ability to negotiate.

The ultimate goal of negotiating is to arrive at a win-win situation for both you and the buyer. Its basic element is trust. In order to gain it, you must give it. The process should be allowed to move forward. Don’t hesitate to make or request for compromises when negotiating.

Be ready to negotiate

Negotiating with buyers requires sellers like you to prepare for it. First, you ought to determine your goals. They must be realistic. This will serve as a basis when it come to the compromises you will be making eventually. When you take time to prepare for this, you will be more apt to negotiate with potential buyers.

Know what’s negotiable

In negotiation, not every offer will be favourable to you. Thus, a compromise for both parties is expected. It’s essential for you to determine which aspects of your home sale are negotiable prior to negotiating with buyers. When buyers are aware of this, you’re saving them from making vain offers. This will make the negotiation easier and smooth sailing for both seller and buyer.

Adjustments can be made to accommodate either your preference or the buyer’s when negotiating. Of course, this has to be mutually agreed by both parties. You might allow for an extended settlement date in exchange for keeping pieces of furniture.

Identifying aspects of the home sale that are negotiable will help make negotiating easier. It’s a wise decision, for instance, to remove your dining table before viewing appointments if you don’t intend to sell it. On the other hand, you might want to leave your floor carpeted if you wish to up your home’s appeal.

Make counter offers as necessary

As mentioned earlier, a buyer’s offer doesn’t always give you what you want or expect. Thus, you must be prepared to make counter offers when you negotiate. Do not hesitate to ask for adjustments. But you must also be willing to make compromises as well. Making counter offers will allow buyers to understand what you’re capable of compromising. In doing such, you can exhaust every option or alternative you and the buyer have until you reach a mutually satisfying agreement.

An effective negotiation requires careful planning. It’s a lot of work but a definitely an enjoyable task. You just have to be ready for it, determine what you’re willing to negotiate and prepare to make counter offers. If you understand these, you’re on you way to negotiating effectively.

“Don’t take it personally… it’s just business.”

No doubt you have heard these words spoken by an opposing party to a business deal. Many people have heard these words, and they usually followed a bone-crushing blow from the other side. As if to make any wound acceptable, they remind you they wouldn’t do it on a personal level, but only in a business context.

As if the two are separable.

The reality is, personal and business are really not separable, and this is why: when you negotiate a deal, you do not negotiate with a retail shop, or a construction crew, or a brand of product – you negotiate with a person. And that makes it personal, every time.

Because negotiations are personal, there usually are emotions involved. Humans are emotional creatures; in fact, we are the only emotional creatures. We are unique from the rest of the created world in that we have wills, intellects and emotions. These three trademarks of the human psyche are integral to any negotiation, and the more value involved, the more these three human traits play a role.

When emotions take the stage in a negotiation, things can get skewed very quickly, and what began as a logical journey to a reasonable conclusion becomes an intense entanglement of anger, pride, and despondency.

When people get angry, they let reason go to the wind. “Okay, fine,” they say, “if he is going to treat me like I’m stupid, I’ll make sure he knows I’m not.” Then an unwise, unproductive decision is made.

When a negotiation becomes a showdown of who can prove they are getting the better deal, there’s a battle of pride, and the two sides just continue to try to top the other and the negotiation goes nowhere.

When someone feels like the breath was just knocked out of them, like when the opposing party downplays or even criticizes what the other party thought was the most valuable element of the deal, a hurt, dejected emotion surfaces and there is an underlying resentment from there on through the rest of the process.

Emotions are poison to negotiations.

A skilled negotiator who understands how to apply effective negotiation tactics will do all she can to leave emotions at the door… and lock the door behind her until an agreement is reached.

In many negotiations, emotions are expected to arise, and some situations almost guarantee them. When two people who have lived in their house for thirty years, reared their children there, made lifelong friendships with the neighbors, and remodeled the home with their own blood and sweat and tears, realize they are at a point where they must sell, they are not going to sell easily. You can bet these folks are going to have some serious emotions when accepting an offer to buy their home. They are selling a part of themselves and may need some serious motivation, which could be an irresistible, bullet proof, over-asking price offer from a buyer.

And this can mean a tough negotiation ahead.

High octane deals can create problems, but there are negotiation tactics to deal with them. Here are a few to consider:

• Understand the other party may be putting on a front

Some of the nicest, most pleasant people become monsters at the negotiating table. Why? Many reasons. For one, certain people believe you are supposed to be rude and hard-nosed in a negotiation. Yes, they are wrong, but telling them about it is useless. The important thing to remember is you must absorb the abrasiveness and harsh language with grace. Let them be as assinne as they want, but don’t let it affect you. Even if you are burning inside because the buyer just told you the mural your friend painted on the building side will be painted over as soon as the recording ink dries, DON’T LET THEM KNOW IT. Emotion is fine; expressing emotion in a business dealing is weakness.

You must be strong whether you feel it or not, because it is not so much how you feel that counts, it is how the other side perceives how you feel.

• View everything from the standpoint of fair market value

The fact that you hand planned those deck boards and involved your kids through the whole project really doesn’t matter. It may make the deck more valuable to you, but it doesn’t to your buyer. A deck is worth what the fair market value for decks is. Nothing more. In a similar way, the fact that it took you a full year of pursuit to secure that particular client doesn’t affect the value to the buyer of your business. The client is worth the fair market value of their revenue generation for the business. Nothing more.

Leaving personal emotions out of the deal will help a negotiator to view the value and transferability of his assets properly, and encourage a healthy and balanced negotiation.

• Have a third party do the negotiating

Usually big corporations involved in mergers and acquisitions and buy-outs employ the services of an attorney or attorneys to handle the negotiations. This is partly because of the technical know-how required in complicated deals, but it is more than that. Corporate execs know that to have an outside, neutral person to handle the dealing removes any personal element (or at least most of it) from the negotiations. The attorney’s job is not on the line, nor is his standing in the company. But the executive’s is, and there is power in removing those personal elements which can make a party weaker.