Negotiating While Female: What it Takes to Close the Deal

The gender pay gap often gets traced back to a negotiation gap between men and women in the workforce. As the issue becomes more widely known, many people have shared their opinions and research on how this can change.

With Sheryl Sandberg’s “lean in” tactic being spread throughout the workforce and Michelle Obama stating that women don’t “negotiate hard,” women are starting to be aware how important it really is to take action in order to improve their own career growth and overall success. As this weighs on their minds, many women are unsure of how to go about using this tactic in a truly effective way.

Consider this statistic: Salary.com found that 84% of employers expect prospective employees to negotiate salary during the interview stage. Yet only 30% of women bother to negotiate at all, while 46% of men negotiate.

According to Beth Caron, the director of franchise development for Great Clips*, the idea of closing a deal or negotiation and not being liked is a real fear many women have. And without having that self-confidence, negotiation will be a struggle.

“You never know unless you ask. You won’t offend anyone by asking, especially if you are in a negotiating situation. If negotiation is not an option, they will let you know. They won’t lose respect for you just for asking. Early on, I was scared that people may think poorly of me or lose respect for me by simply engaging in that conversation,” Caron said.

When in a sales positions, especially franchise sales and development, Michelle Sudovich, the director of franchise sales for The Brass Tap*, believes that it’s important that women don’t sell themselves short in a negotiation process.

“Aim high. Let them make the first move, and then really take your time to evaluate it without rushing. Revisit it and make sure to have high expectations. The worst thing you’re going to get Is a ‘no,’” Sudovich said.

Another key to negotiating that can be overlooked is using your listening skills. In order to be a successful negotiator, you will need to be collaborative to close the deal. It must be a mutually beneficial situation to be a productive negotiation. By really listening, you can find out exactly what it is they want and what you can do to make that happen.

“I was encouraged and coached to ask for something when there is a mutual benefit --instead of just asking for something. The deal should be a win-win for both parties involved,” says Caron.

Aside from listening, doing your research will help the negotiation go smoothly. For a salary negotiation, you must be very clear on what is being asked of you so you know exactly what you are negotiating. If you come prepared and informed with what you want and why you deserve it, your chances of success will skyrocket.

If you are in a sales position, it is likely you’ll come across people you have negotiated with before. Be sure to build relationships and not enemies as you will likely see them down the road.

“When closing a franchise deal, you really need to understand who you are working with and understand who you are buying from, because it’s a relationship. Make sure your buyer is fully informed about what he or she is getting into,” says Sudovich.