Negotiation is an area you’re likely to be very good at. At the same time you are likely to be very uncomfortable with it. Many creatives can use a professional to do the negotiating for them and in most cases that is a good idea. But if you are a freelancer, or a wage earner, you are going to be on your own when it comes to making the deal. Here are a few guidelines to make it a little easier:

Keep your mouth shut. Let them make the first offer.

Look for a win win situation.

Use your creativity to come up with unique solutions to seemingly impossible situations. They want to pay you less, so give them options.

Don’t take it personally. This is business. Both sides have a viewpoint that deserves respect. They want to get as much as possible for as little as possible. It is called capitalism (greed). You want to earn as much as possible while getting the strokes you need to keep that creative ego alive. A smart business person will give you lots of strokes and less money – a great title and a small salary. Is that what you want? Try to be dispassionate and realistic (left brained).

Don’t deal with the devil.  If it doesn’t feel right, if it causes you to compromise your values, don’t do it. You may see money signs and be tempted to take a deal that will ultimately cost you in other ways. Look at the whole price before you make a decision.

Be willing to walk away. When you are willing to do that you have all the power. If you’re too needy, they will take advantage of you or they will decide you are not good enough. If you come on like a loser, you’ll get treated like one.

Ask for the sun and the moon. Have a bottom line. What is fair, what is the fair market value, what other options could make up for money? Know your lower limit – and don’t go near it.

Knowledge is power. Step one is to find out as much as you can about the person or organization you are dealing with. That way, you can anticipate their moves, get an idea, what their bottom line (or topline) amount is, how they made past decisions, what their goals are, and how you can help them. Go in with a game plan. What are others in comparable positions getting paid?

Don’t lock yourself in. With creatives, more than with most people, things change fast and often. Be wary of long term deals, no matter how attractive they might seem.

Take your time. No matter how good an offer sounds at first, give yourself a day or two to think about it. Don’t say yes on impulse and regret it later.

Use your intuition. Read the person and change tactics if necessary.  It is not so much what they say, it is how they say it. Watch for body language and other hidden clues. Read the subtitles when you are negotiating with someone. Most people ignore their gut reactions. Listen to this built in baloney detector. It is there to protect and serve. Let it.

Timing is everything. Pitch it at the right time. When someone is desperate for what you have, you have the upper hand. Pitch things when you are hot.

Do not lose your cool. Many deals fall through because a creative person was emotional and/or irrational. When you are on top you can get away with a lot.  But even when you are on top, if you are seen as difficult, nobody will want to work with you.