Is there a secret to getting what you want in a contract and fee negotiation? Is there a magical strategy to winning? Yes, in fact there are five tactics that architecture and engineering firms can apply for successful negotiations.

Start High – This is an old trick, whether you’re an architecture or engineering firm project manager negotiating a fee or a developer negotiating the height of a proposed skyscraper. Begin with something higher than you’ll be happy with, so when you’re pushed to reduce your numbers, you’ll still be comfortable with something you can live with.

Go First – Assuming you’ve got as much information about the project and terms as the client, a recent study reported in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) suggests that you’ll be more likely to reach a number you can live with it if you begin the negotiations. The HBR report explains that when you’re the first to speak up, you come across as a confident professional, which naturally sways negotiations in your favor.

Provide Data – Solid information is difficult to argue with. If you’re fairly transparent with your calculations, and can explain clearly – with data! – how you came up with your numbers, there’s little the client can say to contradict you. Some experts in persuasion suggest that quantity is more important than quality – it’ll really look like you’ve done your homework if you litter the negotiation with hard facts.

Hurry – Researchers of consumer behavior have proven that when people feel like time is running out on a purchasing decisions, they’re more likely to act in the seller’s favor. If appropriate, use the project schedule as the pressure point to push negotiation faster.

Eat – Experiments performed and reported in the Harvard Business Review showed that negotiating over food created substantially higher contract amounts – 11 to 12 percent! – than when no eating was involved. Furthermore, the same study suggested that negotiating in restaurants was more profitable than over food in a conference room.

Ever wonder if there really is a way to get the upper hand in negotiations? A way to get the fees (and respect) that you deserve…without losing the client? There is. PSMJ's A/E/C Pricing and Negotiations Workshop is packed with 40+ years of proven strategies and tactics that the most successful architecture and engineering professionals are using to get results.

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How to Increase Fees when Clients Use Price for Selection

Break Your Fees Down - Keep Your Prices Up

How to Overcome Impediments to Effective Project Management