Following on with the 5 Don’ts we come to the second of the “GAFFS” or the letter “A” which is Don’t: Accept the first offer.

Let’s face it, if you were to accept the first offer, or if the other party accepted your first offer, how do you think it would make you feel? I’ll bet that shortly after walking away with the good feeling you had a few moments earlier, you soon would have a big question in your mind.

The feeling that would soon overtake you could be classified as buyer’s or seller’s remorse. The obvious question that would arise in your mind would be “I wonder how much better I could have done if I only had taken time to ask questions, or in effect, initiate a negotiation?”

Remember what we learned in the 5 R’s “If you don’t ask; you don’t get!” Well if you accept the first offer, obviously you didn’t ask, and guess what — you didn’t get! So, next time you have the opportunity, and the opportunities are all around you, ask for something before you commit. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! The worst case scenario is that the other party may say “No” in which case you have lost nothing except perhaps a moment of your time. On the other hand, you may just end up with a better deal having taken a minute to probe beyond the first offer.

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