Negotiating fees for music for a wedding or figuring budgets based on union scale do not require extensive negotiating skills. It is what it is, more or less. However, if you have to negotiate an orchestra contract, or the terms Read more
“Be Prepared” is the Boy Scout’s motto, but it also applies to negotiations. The week, day or night before you are to meet, you should think through some different possible scenarios. First of all, anticipate the major points that may Read more
You can take care of many things via email, but in negotiation discussions I prefer to talk face to face. Absent that, the telephone is an okay second choice for me. In direct conversations you read body language. If you Read more
If you fail to separate the issues from personalities the result can turn into a showdown. Egos and machismo can come into play. What starts out as a contract negotiation can turn into, “I’ll show that guy. He can’t do Read more
When you have successfully gone through the interview process, come out on top and received a verbal offer, it’s easy to think that you have got the job. But you haven’t. Details still have to be negotiated—like your salary! Up Read more
Negotiating should not be about winning. It should be about getting to a place that is mutually satisfactory for both parties. Occasionally you may be up against a person whose personality just grates on you. You may not like him Read more
To drive a hard bargain is, of course, to be demanding and unwilling to give ground when negotiating something. More often than not it is better to do the opposite and “drive a soft bargain.” I practically gave away the Read more
A New Year’s Resolution — Be Nice to the Stagehands Stagehands make a musician’s life easier. They are at the concert hall well before us and they remain long after our portion of the event is over. They make it Read more
Writing projects (read: compositions and arrangements) are always up for negotiation. What I always try to do is let the person hiring me talk first. After we have discussed what is involved, I quickly calculate how much time it will Read more
I once was invited to be part of a panel discussion at the International Trombone Association’s annual convention. The subject was orchestra opportunities for trombonists. When I arrived at the venue, I looked at the sessions and concerts that had Read more