Silence 

In our society, we are quite uncomfortable with silence. Silence acts as a vacuum which people feel compelled to fill. Occasionally, people are so uncomfortable with silence that they will actually bid against themselves. Silence, therefore, can be an effective negotiating tactic.

However, silence is really more than a tactic. It is a style of negotiating that can be enormously effective. It's not a matter of entering into long silence battles with the other party (this can often be counterproductive). Rather, it's an extra long pause when you sense that the other person is trying to decide whether or not to make a concession; a hesitation before answering a question such that the other person may rush in and answer their own question for you; or perhaps an attempt to get the other party to make a first offer or describe to you what they think would be a "fair" approach.

When we negotiate, we often talk too much and listen too little. Try more silence as part of your basic approach to the negotiating process.

If you want better results, attend a negotiation skills development program.