Q&A

I got to teach a workshop at GeekGirlCon last weekend and had a lot of fun! I’m always a little bit nervous about the kind of crowd I’ll get at a convention; negotiation seminars aren’t usually what folks are looking for at a con.

I shouldn’t have worried; the GeekGirlCon crowd was awesome!

They came out in force and asked a ton of great questions. Such great questions, in fact, that I thought I’d share them with you.

What Curiosity Can Teach You About Negotiating

Last Sunday night I, like the rest of my Twitter feed, watched something unbelievably cool. The rover NASA had cradled in a spacecraft, loaded on a rocket and lofted into space back in November, 2011, overcame considerable obstacles and the high possibility of failure, and safely landed on the surface of Mars.

Mars!

An entirely different planet!! Mars!

Which of course made me think: this is a great lesson on negotiation!

Good Advice #8: How to Negotiate a Raise

Ever wanted to negotiate a raise in your day job or with a client and not known what to say? This week’s Good Advice column is for you!

The (Freelancer) Rules of Acquisition

Alright, Freelancer, you wanna make a profit? Wanna see some good, cold, hard latinum filling out that bank account of yours? Then you have to follow the Rules!

The Rules of Acquisition have guided the business dealings of the Frengi for centuries. They are time tested and profit approved.

And if you think I’m joking, you’re crazy. While I might not endorse all of Quark’s business practices, knowing what you want and what you’re worth are absolutely necessary for success. Unfortunately, those are two principles I see many freelancers struggle with.

Here is your crash course in how to negotiate like a Ferengi, even if you’re just a lowly hu-man.

If You Really Want Something, Don’t Ask For It

That’s right, don’t ask for it.

But that goes against this blog’s near evangelical belief in the value of questions, you say!

You can’t get something if you don’t ask for it, you say!

Katie, you’ve finally gone off the deep end, you snicker.

But I mean it. If something is really important to you, don’t ask for it.

Demand it.