A TV sports anchor was negotiating a new contract. He wondered if negotiating via email, phone or in person was best.
Negotiating is best done via email for two reasons:
1. You’ll have a record of the discussion
If you end up in a disagreement or even in court, having a written record of the conversation will be valuable. In fact, it will be imperative if you are going to have a chance to win in court.
2. Word choice
Negotiating via email gives you more time to carefully construct your message. You can thoughtfully consider what you want to ask for, how to be precise in presenting it, and choose your words for maximum impact.
It is especially helpful if you’re like me and don’t always think well on your feet. The employer may come back with a response to which, in the moment, you don’t have a quick or intelligent reply. In email, you can take as much time as necessary to consider your reply.
Now that you know how to conduct your negotiation, be sure to read our 6 keys for getting to yes in contract negotiations.
