“No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.”

At no point do you HAVE to make a trade. Trade negotiations can last days, weeks, maybe even longer, but even with the time that you’ve invested in getting something done, do not make a trade simply to get it done or because you’ve invested too much time into it. If the deal does not help your team or doesn’t feel right, there is nothing during a trade discussion that says you must come to a deal. Don’t put yourself in the situation where you have instant trade regret because you clicked accept after spending too much time on a deal or out of some sense of duty to the other team.

“There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.”

Understand that not every team in your league has a desire to trade. Many very successful fantasy owners prefer not to make trades and build their roster via the draft and waivers/FAAB/FA only.  There is nothing wrong with this approach and many players I respect adhere closer to this model.  Some of these people really won’t trade while others simply do not have or want to spend the time talking trades through.

If you are sending an offer to these owners in your leagues, I’d recommend that you use your best and final offer as you may not get a second chance to communicate with the team. Understand that without any form of trade communication, you will likely have to make it well worth it for them click accept.

In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.

We all want to play the game and see how much we can get out of a trade, but you have to realize that sometimes the easiest way is to start at a point much closer to your best and final rather than trying to work up to it.

At any point, if you get the offer you want, TAKE IT. Take some advice from the salespeople of the world and A.B.C., always be closing. On the other side, a bad trade offer can end your trade talks before they even begin, as well as, damage your ability to make trades in the future.

“In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack – the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.”

When opening up your trade talks, it is important to remember people like to communicate in different manners.  Some people prefer to send trade offers back and forth while others prefer to lay everything out in a chat. For home leagues, you may already know how people in your league prefer to start a trade discussion. If you do not know the tendencies of your league mates, it has been my experience that some combination of these two methods is the best approach.

I recommend sending an offer through the league software with a note attached letting the other team know what or who you’re interested in. Giving an explanation of your thought process while assembling the trade offer can provide some clarity to the other team.

Another method would be to send an email, DM, chat, etc. with similar information in regards to what or who you’re looking for and provide some information about who may be available from your roster. In this communication, you may also choose to lay out some trade offer ideas that you were looking into and give the other owner some options or a general starting point.

It is also important to avoid tunnel vision and stay open to new players and ideas during the course of trade negotiations. If you are focused on getting a single player, you may miss out on the opportunity to expand the discussion to incorporate other players.

For instance, if you keep asking about a certain player the other team refuses to move, you may not look at the rest of the roster or reach out to the other team. If you close yourself off, you may decide to give up on a particular player or decide that the team has no interest in trading while communication and having an open mind may have yielded a good return.