Find your zone of fairness. Pinpoint the overlap of what you need and what the other party is hoping for. The skill is recognising the middle ground and agreeing on how to get there.
Make your own needs clear and, at the same time, put yourself in the other person’s shoes to understand the pressures on them. Get used to stating your position precisely, saying, for example: ‘I need a 20 per cent reduction in fees to be able to continue using your service.’ Or, ‘I’m looking for a time frame of less than three months to close this deal or I’ll have to walk away.’