Traveling is the Best Way to Dial in on Your Negotiation Skills

Published by Algorithmic Global on June 20, 2019June 20, 2019

Posted by Lukas Hernandez

If you really want to work on your negotiation skills then it is time to take a trip to a third world country. Recently I took a trip to Jamaica for a five-day vacation to explore new land and to get a feel of the Jamaican lifestyle. I was able to see beautiful beaches, rivers, and waterfalls. Jamaica is a beautiful country that has 120 rivers that everyone should take the time to visit. Although the beautiful scenery and delicious food were great I was much more interested in the Jamaican hustle. It seemed that every Jamaican was a small business owner and their top customers were tourists. This gave all purchases negotiable.

Being an obvious alien in Jamaica made it challenging because the natives felt that they could overcharge on the smallest items. At one point an elderly woman tried to charge $5 for a single mango in front of our resort. What the lady was not aware of was that I spent $10 on fifteen piece fruit basket from the downtown market earlier that week.

Below are three tips on negotiating in Jamaica.

Tip 1: When going into a negotiation in Jamaica have the price that you are willing to pay for the item or service in your mind already made up. This way you can start pricing way below that price. If the price goes above that willing number then it is time to move on (you lost).

Tip 2: Keep composure. Jamaica is a country where people have no problem with confrontation. Be ready to stand your ground and lower your voice and speak through your stomach.

Tip 3: Stay safe and don’t go anywhere that seems to be sketchy. The best thing that I did when I arrived was to find my designated driver. Chris (our driver) showed us all of the best local places to eat and drink. Trust your intuition, if your stomach says that it’s not a safe place then most likely it isn’t.