PR (Semester 2)

Why and when do we need to negotiate with media?

A negotiation is needed when PR wants to give news to their target publics through a reliable media that will agree on reporting accurate and reliable news accordingly. A negotiation is needed because it is necessary that both parties reach an understanding so that they could decide upon an agreement that will benefit both sides.

How to plan negotiation?

Preparation

Think carefully through:
Exactly what you need to achieve – why you neeed to negotiate
Exactly what the other party needs to achieve – why he or she should negotiate
What offers you can make that will benefit the other party
What you cannot agree to
What you believe he or she will not be able to agree to
Where and when best to meet
How to suggest the meeting
How to get it started on a friendly basis

Discuss and signal

A negotiation should be a discussion. If it turns from a discussion to and argument it is no longer a negotiation, so care is needed to defuse potential problem areas. Both sides must be willing to negotiate.
Explore each other’s position. Normally each party will state their position, interest, priorities and attitudes. During this stages, be clear and brief. Do not agree. Ask questions if you are not clear. Give clear signals to show areas and items where agreement is possible and where there are difficulties. Do not at this stage make any firm proposals nor agreements. The aim is to get the facts out from both sides.

Propose and package

When the facts out, and both sides have and idea of the other’s needs and problems, it is time to make proposals. The aim is to get agreement on a complete package deal. Neither side should make a firm commitment at this stage. Proposals are made with the expectation that the other side will also agree. The packaging comes as a lead-in to the bargain. It is an attempt by one side to fix on areas of agreement.

Bargain, agree, and close

A deal, an agreement, comes from the broad solution proposed and package. The basic agreement has been fixed, and now it is time to agree the finer details – to clarify the basic of the deal so both parties can see the relative costs and benefits to them.
Agreement must be clear, specific and put into writing. Use the close to reinforces the good work done in terms of long-term goodwill. Part on a professionally friendly basic.

Activate

Both sides should do exactly what they have agreed. The success of each negotiation is discovered only in the activation stage.

How to get win-win solution?


We do the win-win negotiation approach by developing ideas suggesting that agreement often can be reached if parties look not at there stated position but rather at there underlying interest and requirements. The win-win philosophy can assure that all parties benefit from the negotiation process which also produces more successful outcomes than the adversarial “winner takes all” approach.