What will you do if your counterpart in business negotiation is more powerful than you?

Understand your goals and theirsMake a list of what you want from the negotiation, and why. This exercise will help you determine what would cause you to walk away, so that you build your strategy within acceptable terms. Equally if not more crucial is to “understand what’s important to the other side,” says Neale. By studying your counterpart’s motivations, obstacles, and goals, you can frame your aims not as things they are giving up to you, but “as solutions to a problem that they have.”

Prepare, prepare, prepare“The most important thing is to be well prepared,” says Weiss. That involves brainstorming in advance creative solutions that will work for both parties. For example, if the other side won’t budge from their price point, one of your proposals could be a longer-term contract that gives them the price they want but guarantees you revenue for a longer period of time. You also want to have data or past precedents at your disposal to help you make your case. If a potential client says they will pay you X for a job, having done your research allows you to counter with, “But the last three people you contracted with similar experience were paid Y.” Preparation gives you the information you need to “to get more of what you want,” says Neale.

Listen and ask questionsTwo of the most powerful strategies you can deploy are to listen well, which builds trust, and pose questions that encourage the other party to defend their positions. “If they can’t defend it, you’ve shifted the power a bit,” says Weiss. If your boss says he doesn’t think you are the right addition to a new project, for instance, ask, “What would that person look like?” Armed with that added information, says Neale, “you can then show him that you have those attributes or have the potential to be that person.”

Keep your coolOne of the biggest mistakes a less powerful person can do in a negotiation is get reactive or take the other person’s negative tone personally. “Don’t mimic bad behavior,” says Weiss. If the other side makes a threat, and you retaliate with a threat, “you’re done.” Keep your side of the discussion focused on results, and resist the temptation to confuse yourself with the issue at hand, even if the negotiations involve assigning value to you or your product. “Know what your goals are and direct your strategy to that and not the other person’s behavior. You have to play the negotiation your way,” Weiss says.

Stay flexibleThe best negotiators have prepared enough that they understand the “whole terrain rather than a single path through the woods,” says Weiss. That means you won’t be limited to a single strategy of gives and gets, but multiple maneuvers as the negotiation progresses. If the other party makes a demand, ask them to explain their rationale. Suggest taking a few minutes to brainstorm additional solutions, or inquire if they’ve ever been granted the terms they are demanding. Maintaining flexibility in your moves means you can better shape a solution that’s not only good for you, says Neale, but also makes them “feel like they’ve won.”

Principles to Remember

Do:

• Put yourself in their shoes — it’s crucial to understand what’s important to the other side
• Remember your own value — you are at the table for a reason
• Ask questions — you’ll get valuable insight into their motivations and interests

Don’t:

• Wing it — nothing beats good preparation
• Depend on a single strategy — develop a range of responses to push the negotiation in your favor
• Copy aggressive behavior — if they make threats or demands, stick to your goals

Agreed to the experts.................. 

My advice first of all would be to go to negociation well informed because information is power.

also you must be authorized to make flexible decisions if needed-so agree your possible maximum discount for example, with your superior before you go there

Whenever we go to negociation with your proposal the side who has money in his pocket is more powerful than the one who sells and there is nothing extraordinary in your case-so be confident.

Try to think what can be your advantage-for example it can be innovation, creative or flexible solution,tailor made option for for such VIP client, also show cost effectivness of your solution.

Think what you have from what is important to him-imagine yourself in his shoes-what would attract you than.

show possible outcome to  your opponent, even billioner will never ignore possibility to earn more.

begin from asking little more than you really need and than comprimise 

show respect to his power and be honest-tell why you think it is important for you to close this deal.

establish human contact, rapport, listen carefully-let him speak out all argument-begin to give feedback  only after you are sure you know all his arguments

it is also good technique-when it is to much push you do3 steps : stop, step back, " lets make it win win" -based on your particular case you will understand what these3 steps are

he will be pushing permanently-if you do same-it never ends-so you use opposite strategy -these3 steps-push only if you already have feeling that you have power at least not less than opponent

is you see still no result-it can be anyhow-dont make it too long-better find some reason to have a time out, politely explain that you want to adjust proposal to his particular needs, see what you can do-next time ( if properly agreed) is better than refuse

In negotiations people generally tends to over think on the matters and evaluate the competitors strength more rather than concentrating on their own strength. Believe in your strength and work on your own strategy rather than getting bogged by the things over which you have no control. Let them do whatever they wish to you better work on your plans and project your things with confidence.

There will never be a negotiation Lord, be steady and smart... 

Exp: "When you compromise you lose, when you seems to have compromise you have taken a step towards winning".                                      Thank You.

I fully agree with the answers been added by EXPERTS.............Thanks.

It doesn't really matter.   Normally it just means you have to accept a worse price than you otherwise would.  But you still make money on the overall deal, otherwise you wouldn't do it at all.

Every one has a weak point, i will look for it and use it to win points.

Dear Mr. Ibrahim, 

It is true that negotiations becomes more difficult when the other counterpart is more powerful.

I would consider3 main things in hard negotiations:

1- Given to consideration that you have already identified the objectives you want to achieve from the negotiation, make sure you identify the other counterpart's objectives and help him/her to achieve it and leverage strengths from both sides. 

2- Show understanding of the conditions needed from both sides to complete the agreement and aim for win-win strategy as a back up plan ONLY if the original plan tends to be hard to accept. 

3- Display high-level of emotional intelligence in the negotiation process, for example Corporate Social Responsibility, understand what values the other counter part adheres to and find common grounds to reflects these values in the negotiation. 

If the competitor is powerful in negotiation, then analyze your other alternatives, and assign a certainty-equivalent value to your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement.

Normally one can be powerful in negotiating on tangible goals. In such case, set your goal on intangibles (psychological factors, such as winning versus losing, protecting one's reputation). Rapport building makes one to listen and heed. Not always tangibles win but relationship too.