Winning negotiations begin long before the first meeting. Preparation is your biggest leverage point.

Gather Data

Collect as much pricing, cost, and market information as possible. Use the methods in Know the Data to map the playing field before the call.

Define Your BATNA

Write down your fallback alternative if no agreement is reached. Compare it against the value of the deal to stay clear on your limits.

Set Your Strategy

Choose 2–3 strategies from the playbook to use, and decide which concessions you’re willing to make (and at what price). Rotate tactics so you don’t become predictable.

Keep a Log

Maintain a simple record per supplier or customer: what was discussed, tactics used, responses, and outcomes. Review it before every negotiation to refine your approach.

Tip: A negotiation log builds long-term leverage. Suppliers rotate salespeople—your log lets you rotate strategies smarter.

Use this as your quick picker before a call. Combine 2–3 complementary plays.

Strategy	Example Script	When to Use
Play alternatives	“We’re evaluating two viable routes. If you can reach [target] with [conditions], we’ll close with you.”	To increase leverage or confirm your own BATNA
Be unpredictable	Vary timing/size of concessions; avoid patterns.	If counterpart seems to “game” your behavior
Conditional concessions	“If you reach €9.40/unit, we extend term to 12 months and lock quarterly forecast.”	When you must give something—get something back
Anchor & callback	“If you can beat €9.20 with the same SLA, call me.”	To set reference points and save time
Internal sell	“To get Finance approval from [Name], I need [target]. What can we structure?”	When you need their “best number” credibly
Strategic pessimism	“Budget is tight—unless we reduce this, it won’t pass.”	To lower their price expectations
Frame instead of fake	“Given market moves and our risk profile, we need to be at €X.”	Protects credibility while pushing the number
Suggestive questions	“Is the bottleneck changeovers or materials—what’s driving cost?”	To surface constraints without claims
Save SLA & payment terms	Negotiate after price is near done.	To swing total cost of ownership late

The more high-quality data you collect, the better you can shape a price that’s defensible and durable. Your goal: illuminate cost drivers, capacity limits, and the supplier’s pricing logic.

Subtle Probing: Say and Ask Things That Invite Numbers

• Casual anchors: “Similar scope often lands near €1,000—does that sound in range, or are we talking higher?” (If they say “it’s more,” you’ve learned a floor is above €1,000.)
• Precision nudges: “If quantity increases by 20%, how does your unit price usually flex?”

Triangulate via Others (Ethically)

Leverage adjacent stakeholders to surface insights (procurement, finance, ops, or partner teams). Offer value to get value:

Example: “We can share our consumption profile and cost-to-serve insights if you can outline your typical price build-up model (fixed vs. variable, breakpoints).”

Use Alternative Suppliers (Even If You Don’t Need Them Yet)

Explore competitors to loosen information and benchmark credibly. Vary your approach: informal RFIs, quick discovery calls, or small test quotes to extract structure (MOQ, setup fees, logistics, surcharges).

Ask for Financial/Operational Signals

• Cost breakdowns / balance indicators: “Can you show how NRE/setup, tooling, logistics, and margin factor into the quote?”
• Capacity/risk signals: “What drives step-changes in your cost (shift changes, batch sizes, changeovers)?”

Always Request Tiered Pricing (“Staffelprijs”)

Even if you don’t need it now, price breaks reveal fixed vs. variable structure.

Tip: With 100/500/1,000-unit tiers, you can back-calc approximate fixed costs (tooling, setup) and incremental unit costs. This helps you build a defensible counter and time your volume commitments.

Your power comes from clarity on alternatives. Estimate both sides’ breakpoints and refine them during the conversation.

Pre-Call Estimation (Based on Data)

• Model your BATNA (e.g., competitor pricing + switching cost + risk premium).
• Estimate their BATNA (capacity utilization, pipeline, switching friction, urgency).

Live Probing During the Negotiation

• “If we commit to X volume now, what’s the best you can do on unit price?”
• “Where does pricing start to move for you—what’s the break that matters internally?”

Checkpoint: If their “best” is still above your modeled BATNA, pivot to value levers (volume, term, bundling, payment terms) before conceding on price.

Use these plays intentionally. Rotate them to avoid becoming predictable, and stack them to compound advantage.

(a) Play the Alternatives

Signal credible options to increase your leverage—and to refine your own BATNA.

Script: “We’re evaluating two viable routes. If you can help us get to [target] with [conditions], we can close with you.”

(b) Be Unpredictable (In a Professional Way)

Don’t always use the same pattern (e.g., never always concede late). Variation keeps counterparts from gaming your sequence.

(c) Keep Hope Alive

Suppliers move when they believe the deal is still winnable. Sometimes give a small win; sometimes hold. Calibrate momentum.

(d) Build in Stages: Conditional Concessions

Never give for free. Tie every concession to a meaningful ask.

If/Then Example: “If you can reach €9.40/unit, then we’ll extend the term to 12 months and lock the quarterly forecast.”

(e) Set an Anchor & Save Time

Define a reference point and protect your calendar.

Script: “If you can beat €9.20 with the same SLA, call me. Otherwise, we’ll proceed with the current plan.”

(f) Re-play Alternatives (Escalation Path)

Cycle back to options as new info appears: pilot lots, split awards, or staged volumes to extract better tiers.

(g) “I’m Not the Final Approver” (Internal Sell)

Use internal stakeholders credibly to justify your threshold.

Script: “To sell this internally to [Name/Role], I need your best number. What can you do so I can get this signed this week?”

(h) Strategic Pessimism

Lower expectations to reduce upward price pressure: “Budget pressure is tight; unless we can bring this down, it won’t pass.”

(i) Frame Instead of Fake (Avoid Bluffing)

Preserve credibility. Use facts, market moves, and risk framing to justify targets—don’t fabricate alternatives.

(j) Suggestive Questions

Invite disclosure without claiming facts.

• “It’s been a tough quarter, hasn’t it?”
• “Is the bottleneck changeovers or materials—what’s really driving cost right now?”

(k) Save “Small” Terms for the End: SLA & Payment Terms

Details that seem minor can swing total cost. Park them until the price is nearly set, then capture value.

• Payment terms: Net 60 vs. Net 30 materially affects working capital.
• SLA: Response times, fill rates, penalties—clarify at the end when price is anchored.

Supplier Cost Reduction

Context: Commodity component, annual volume 20k.

Plays: Tiered pricing + conditional concession + payment terms late.

Flow: Request 10k/20k/40k tier quotes → back-calc fixed costs → “If you reach €0.94 @ 20k, we’ll lock a 12-month term and provide quarterly forecasts.” → once price is set, push Net 60 and SLA response time.

Client Discount Request

Context: Enterprise SaaS renewal.

Plays: Anchor & callback + internal sell + suggestive questions.

Flow: Anchor at list – modest discount → “To get approval from Finance, I need a 24-month term or prepay.” → probe real constraint: “Is procurement pushing TCV or cash timing?”

Salary Negotiation

Context: Candidate with competing offer.

Plays: Play alternatives + frame instead of fake + conditional concessions.

Flow: “I’m excited to join. If we can align base at €X given market data, I can commit today. If base is capped, could we structure a sign-on + six-month review?”

• Tiered pricing: “Can you share 100/500/1,000-unit price breaks? We plan to scale and want to model TCO.”
• Cost structure: “What portion is setup vs. unit cost? Where do the main step-changes occur?”
• Anchor & callback: “If you can meet €9.20 with current SLA, call me directly and we’ll sign.”
• Conditional concession: “If you include freight and extend warranty to 24 months, we can award the full lot.”
• Internal sell: “To get approval from Finance, I need [target] or improved terms. What can we structure together?”

• ✅ Summarize price, volume, term, inclusions (freight, packaging), and all surcharges.
• ✅ Lock SLA metrics (lead time, fill rate, response time, penalties).
• ✅ Finalize payment terms, rebate logic, and indexation/escalators.
• ✅ Document tiered pricing and validity dates.
• ✅ Confirm implementation plan and single points of contact.

Remember: A price that can’t be executed isn’t a good price. Make it workable.