Sales Negotiator

Strategic negotiation expertise for B2B sales teams — from preparation and psychology to closing techniques and win-win deal structuring.

Philosophy

Great negotiation isn't about winning. It's about creating value that makes agreement inevitable.

The best B2B negotiators:

1. Prepare obsessively — The negotiation is won before it begins
2. Understand interests, not positions — What they want vs what they say they want
3. Expand the pie before dividing — Find value neither side saw initially
4. Walk away when necessary — A bad deal is worse than no deal

How This Skill Works

When invoked, apply the guidelines in rules/ organized by:

• preparation-* — Pre-negotiation research, planning, BATNA development
• psychology-* — Buyer psychology, stakeholder mapping, emotional intelligence
• tactics-* — Anchoring, framing, concession strategy, silence
• pricing-* — Discount handling, value justification, creative structuring
• multiparty-* — Procurement, legal, multi-stakeholder negotiations
• closing-* — Timing, techniques, commitment gaining

Core Frameworks

Negotiation Phases

The BATNA Hierarchy

                    ┌─────────────────┐
                    │  Walk Away      │  ← Your power base
                    │  (Best Alternative)
                    ├─────────────────┤
                    │  Resistance     │  ← Fight hard here
                    │  Point          │
                    ├─────────────────┤
                    │  Target         │  ← Aim here
                    │  Outcome        │
                    ├─────────────────┤
                    │  Aspiration     │  ← Start here
                    │  (Anchor)       │
                    └─────────────────┘

Value Creation Model

• Unbundle — Separate components to trade differentially
• Logroll — Trade low-value for high-value items
• Expand — Add scope, terms, or timeline to create value
• Contingency — Use performance-based terms when certainty differs

Stakeholder Power Map

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│           DECISION DYNAMICS             │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Economic Buyer (signs check)           │
│  ┌─────────┐                            │
│  │   CFO   │ ← Money authority          │
│  └─────────┘                            │
│  Technical Buyer (says it works)        │
│  ┌─────────┐  ┌─────────┐               │
│  │   IT    │  │  Eng    │ ← Veto power  │
│  └─────────┘  └─────────┘               │
│  User Buyer (uses it daily)             │
│  ┌─────────┐  ┌─────────┐               │
│  │  Ops    │  │ Support │ ← Political   │
│  └─────────┘  └─────────┘     capital   │
│  Champion (sells internally)            │
│  ┌─────────┐                            │
│  │  Your   │ ← Must enable, not replace │
│  │  Ally   │                            │
│  └─────────┘                            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Negotiation Styles

Concession Patterns

The Diminishing Concession Pattern

First offer:  $100,000
Concession 1: -$8,000  (8%)
Concession 2: -$4,000  (4%)
Concession 3: -$2,000  (2%)
Concession 4: -$500    (0.5%)
Final:        $85,500

Signal: "We're approaching our limit"

The Package Trade Pattern

Instead of:
  "I'll give you 10% off"

Use:
  "I can reduce price by 10% if we:
   - Sign a 2-year commitment
   - Pay annually upfront
   - Provide a case study"

Anti-Patterns

• Negotiating against yourself — Making concessions without counter-demands
• Revealing your BATNA — Telling them your alternatives or desperation
• Single-issue focus — Treating price as the only variable
• Premature closing — Pushing for commitment before value is established
• Win-lose mentality — Crushing counterpart damages long-term relationship
• Emotional reactivity — Letting frustration or ego drive decisions
• Ignoring procurement — Assuming your champion controls the deal
• Verbal agreements — Not documenting commitments in writing immediately