Getting More: How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World

60 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

“Getting More” is a Must Read – Review by a Former Student, January 11, 2011

I studied negotiation with Prof. Diamond as a student at Penn Law. His class is legendary, both at the Law School and Wharton, and it’s nearly impossible to get into, at least at the Law School. I got into the class as a 3L, and I was amazed by how well these techniques work. Prof. Diamond encourages his students to use the techniques to go out and haggle with their credit card companies, cell phone carriers, cable companies, and landlords in hopes of getting more from them. By the end of the semester, I most assuredly had gotten more. In fact, when I later called Comcast Cable to try to extend the free six months of HBO and Shotime I’d received while in Prof. Diamond’s class, the customer service representative said, “Ok, I’ll give you another six months free, but this is the last promotion you’re getting. I’m looking at your account, and you have more free promotions than most Comcast employees.” (As it turns out, that was not the last freebie Comcast would give me.)

But as time wore on and law school receded into the rearview mirror, I stopped practicing Prof. Diamond’s techniques as I had when I took his class. Gradually, my skills faded, although I still brushed them off every now and again when the situation clearly called for them. But I’d stopped contacting my cable company and other service providers to get free goodies, and I slowly forgot just how applicable Prof. Diamond’s methods are to nearly every interaction. In short, I started getting less. And then “Getting More” came out.

I realized about a dozen pages into the book that by failing to practice these tools, I was indeed getting less. This book really could not have arrived at a better time for me. And I can confirm that “Getting More” captures the negotiation course’s ideas and strategies to a tee. Many of the phrases Prof. Diamond uses in the book – such as “Be incremental,” “Think about the pictures in their heads,” “Be extreme, or come to me,” and “Is it your policy to [insert behavior]?” – appear verbatim in my course notes.

I’m happy to report that after reading Prof. Diamond’s book, I am back to getting more. Just last week, I used standards to buy my wife a pair of skis for less than the ski shop had paid for them. The next time I find myself forgetting to use these tools (and hopefully there won’t be a next time), I’ll re-read “Getting More.” In fact, this is one of those rare books that probably should be re-read annually.

The only downside to this book is that I and others had to pay $40,000 a year at Penn Law or Wharton to learn Prof. Diamond’s techniques, while “Getting More” costs a mere $13.85. The tools won’t work if they’re not used, as I learned, and money won’t just fall out of the binding when you open the book. But for those who use Prof. Diamond’s techniques, the $13.85 investment will come back to them hundreds of times over, or more. “Getting More” is a must-read.

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16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

The principles & techniques of negotiation taught by one of the best negotiation professors you’ll meet, December 29, 2010

I was lucky enough to have Professor Diamond as a Negotiations professor at University of Pennsylvania Law School. He was a tough teacher because he made us practice his techniques inside and outside of class. But his class has been one of the most valuable ones I’ve taken in my life.

I rely on the 4 Quadrant exercise to prep for any critical negotiation – and even my mom and brothers have learned to appreciate its effectiveness.

We recently used it to help my husband negotiate his benefits & salary at his new job.

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