How to Negotiate by seeing opportunity when others see a flaw.

I'll never forget the first time I watched a negotiation win. I was 16 and looking for my first car. We found a 1996 white Z71 in Amarillo that was within our price range because it had a basketball-sized dent just over the rear driver's side tire. Dad and I drove the hour drive from my hometown to Amarillo, and I had a gut feeling that this was going to be interesting.

The sales office was a repurposed single-wide trailer. Dad thought, “This is the place I'd like to make a large purchase.” We test-drive it and talk numbers and the whole used-car bit. I can vividly remember the basketball-sized dent being a big part of dad's negotiating strategy. It was to his favor that all three of us were negotiating as we made a semi-circle around the dent. Every time Dad would call out the dent, we all tilted our heads at the dent.

So anyway, he got a good deal on the truck. He was feeling proud, and I couldn't contain my excitement. It was my first truck. It was the best. Everything was finished, and the salesman-owner went inside one last time to get something before we drove away. So it was just me, dad, and the dent. He said, I'll be right back. So now it's me and the dent.

He comes out of the office with a wet plunger and a strange grin on his face. He walks past me as he says, “We are gonna see if we can get this dent out.” And I said what you might think I would have said, NOW!!!!??? He pressed the plunger in as the red flange expanded, allowing all the air to pass through the seal. And in one giant pull, a loud yell was released at the same time as the dent. I couldn't believe it.

The dent he just negotiated for was gone. The salesman walked out of the office, and he had that look on his face. You know the one. It's as if he just witnessed something he has never seen before and has the hunch he never will again.

Dad handed him his wet plunger as we all looked at what was left of the dent one more time in disbelief. We hopped in the truck and drove off, saying thank you. The last thing I remember is seeing the salesman still holding the plunger with both hands as we drove out of sight.

You will get a good deal when you can see an opportunity that others can’t. You don’t get a good deal when everyone sees the opportunity. Figure out what advantage you have, then look for the deal no one else sees.

Also, do your work in front of others. Otherwise, no one will have a story to tell.