If you have ever walked away from a conversation not just feeling but knowing you could have gotten a better deal, trust when I say that I feel you. Contrary to public opinion negotiation isn’t just for boardrooms, big contracts or market women. it’s a daily skill from settling prices with vendors all the way down to convincing a client to sign a proposal.

The secret no one will tell you though is that great negotiators didn’t just appear over night. They were regular clueless human beings who took the time to learn the skill. Harness it and in turn the skill grew on them.

The impact is not just theoretical, actual events back it up. One organization saw a 75:1 return on their negotiation training investment turning $36,000 into $2.7 million in revenue. Another report by Huthwaite International found that companies increased revenue by 53% and productivity by up to 50% after training their teams in the art of negotiation. Even on an individual level, people who’ve learned how to negotiate effectively have even shown from a study from the University of California, Berkeley to earn up to 13% more than their peers.

Now as easy as it sounds, It starts merely with listening more than you speak. When you understand what the other party truly wants no matter how they twist it, you are at an advantage because you have put yourself in a better position to present an offer that not only suits them but suits you better. But then again, Confidence matters too. Not the loud, pushy kind, but the calm, informed type that makes others trust your value and want to tap from it.

If you have never heard the saying “patience is a virtue” listen carefully when I say it or rather write it now. Don’t be in a hurry to speak. People are often threatened by silence and tend to reveal more. That is your best opportunity to show up.

Above all, negotiation is not a battle field . It’s a conversation with a goal, mutual satisfaction. Practice it often. Study your wins and losses. And soon, you’ll find yourself walking away not just with better deals, but with better and more lasting relationships too.