Money Fix: Negotiating for a win-win

Whether it's a salary, raise or the price of a car, most everything is negotiable. You just have to know how to play the game.

What matters most?

It's isn't about getting, but giving. The more you give, the more you'll receive, says Jeff Gitterman, CEO of Gitterman & Associates Wealth Management in Iselin, N.J. Have a vision for how the deal will get done, but go with the flow.

Decide beforehand what you'll give, and never give more, advises Michelle Brennan Hall, president of Brennan Wealth Advisors in Dallas.

Anticipate any problems that could keep the negotiation from being a success, says Jim Camp, CEO of Camp Negotiation Institute in Dublin, Ohio.

Listen before you speak. It's no accident the words "listen" and "silent" are spelled with the same letters. Understand what the other side wants and doesn't want. Smile. Hear them out, then state your case.

Whether it's the price of an item, or salaries in your industry, "Rely on facts, do your research," says Scott Gamm, a New York-based family finance adviser for H & R Block's Dollars & Sense program.

Clarify any "No's" by asking, "Is this a no for now, a no for the next several days?" says Jim Charette, author of "The Answer is Yes But First You Have to Ask." This will make plain where they stand.

Be the difference-maker. Don't think anything is off the table, and continue suggesting creative solutions. The bottom line, says Brennan, is for you and the other party to walk away feeling like winners.