This article makes great points about basic negotiation. One other point for people not used to sales is that you get way better with repetition. Getting a part

This article makes great points about basic negotiation. One other point for people not used to sales is that you get way better with repetition. Getting a particular price once gives you the confidence to ask for it again. Conversely there's a lot less push-back if you forthrightly state your terms instead of dithering. These are both the product of experience. For people starting out I think it's fine to low-ball a few deals to gain experience and get insight into what the market will bear. But you need to learn from that process as quickly as possible. The most important learning for me was to ensure that clients put money on the table to close the deal. At that point they are invested in your success, especially if they had to push for it from their own management chain.