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Sales Skills / Negotiate Without Fear / Lesson 02
LESSON 02 · NEGOTIATE WITHOUT FEAR

Find Your Best Alternative

Practical ways to find your best alternative, the option you can walk to if the negotiation fails.

Your alternative is your power. Know it before you start.

10 tipsEasy things to say7-day plan
Start with tip 1
Jump to the 7-day plan

10 tips that really help

These ideas come from Never Split the Difference (Chris Voss), Getting to Yes (Roger Fisher and William Ury), Start With No (Jim Camp), and everyday practice. The first six help the most. Pick one and try it today.

Photo for the tip: Your best alternative is your real power
TIP 1

Your best alternative is your real power

Knowing what you would do if this deal fails tells you how firmly you can negotiate and when to walk away.

TRY THIS
Write down your alternative.
Photo for the tip: List every other option you have
TIP 2

List every other option you have

Other customers, other products or doing nothing for now are all alternatives that shape your confidence.

TRY THIS
Brainstorm at least three.
Photo for the tip: Estimate what each alternative is worth
TIP 3

Estimate what each alternative is worth

Putting a rough value on each option turns a vague feeling into a clear number you can compare with the offer.

TRY THIS
Rank them by value.
Photo for the tip: Improve your alternative before you negotiate
TIP 4

Improve your alternative before you negotiate

Contacting another buyer or finishing a side project strengthens your position before the important talk.

TRY THIS
Take one step today.
Photo for the tip: Never reveal your weakest point
TIP 5

Never reveal your weakest point

If you need this deal badly, keep that private, because desperation invites hard bargaining.

TRY THIS
Practise a neutral answer.
Photo for the tip: Consider their alternative too
TIP 6

Consider their alternative too

Understanding what the other side would do without you helps you judge how much they need an agreement.

TRY THIS
Guess their options.
Photo for the tip: Use your alternative as a floor
TIP 7

Use your alternative as a floor

Any offer better than your alternative is worth considering, and anything worse should be declined.

TRY THIS
Set the floor in writing.
Photo for the tip: Stay honest about it
TIP 8

Stay honest about it

You do not need to exaggerate your alternatives, and false claims are easily tested and damage trust.

TRY THIS
Be calm and truthful.
Photo for the tip: Review your alternative during the talk
TIP 9

Review your alternative during the talk

Circumstances change, so recheck whether your best alternative has improved or worsened.

TRY THIS
Pause and reflect mid-negotiation.
Photo for the tip: Feel the calm it gives you
TIP 10

Feel the calm it gives you

Knowing you can walk away safely lets you listen, think and speak without fear.

TRY THIS
Notice the difference.

Easy things to say

When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many sales conversations.

KNOW

“I have other options if this does not work.”

CALM

“I am comfortable either way.”

ASK

“What is your alternative?”

IMPROVE

“I will strengthen mine before we meet.”

CHECK

“Is this the best deal available?”

THANKS

“Thank you.”

Your first week

One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.

DAY 1
List your alternatives
DAY 2
Rate each one
DAY 3
Pick the best
DAY 4
Improve it
DAY 5
Estimate theirs
DAY 6
Use it to set your limit
DAY 7
Review

Further reading

  • Never Split the Difference (Chris Voss)
  • Getting to Yes (Roger Fisher and William Ury)
  • Start With No (Jim Camp)

The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.

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Next lesson: Research Their Needs and Pressures →

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These lessons share general learning and everyday ideas. They are not medical or mental health advice. If you feel very anxious, low or unwell, please talk to a doctor or a qualified professional.

More lessons in “Negotiate Without Fear”

Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.

← Previous: Know Your Goals and Your LimitsNext: Research Their Needs and Pressures →

  1. Know Your Goals and Your Limits
  2. Find Your Best Alternative
  3. Research Their Needs and Pressures
  4. List What You Can Give and What You Need
  5. Set Your Opening Position
  6. Plan Your First Three Sentences
  7. Decide Your Walk-Away Point
  8. What They Say vs What They Need
  9. Ask "Why Is That Important to You?"
  10. Look for Win-Win Trades
  11. Separate the Person From the Problem
  12. Create More Options Before You Decide
  13. Use Fair, Objective Standards
  14. The Pie Is Bigger Than You Think
  15. The Power of Calm
  16. Let Them Say "No" First
  17. Open-Ended "How" and "What" Questions
  18. Use "How Am I Supposed to Do That?"
  19. Mirror and Pause
  20. The Late-Night FM DJ Voice
  21. Let Them Talk Themselves Into It
  22. Never Give a Discount for Free
  23. Trade, Do Not Just Give
  24. Hold Your Price With Confidence
  25. Respond to "That Is Our Budget"
  26. Use Odd and Precise Numbers
  27. Bundle Instead of Cutting Price
  28. When to Walk Away
  29. Handle a Pushy Negotiator
  30. Respond to a Deadline Threat
  31. When They Say "Take It or Leave It"
  32. Deal With Silence and Stalling
  33. Stay Polite When You Are Angry
  34. Negotiate With Someone More Senior
  35. Summarise Every Agreement Out Loud
  36. Put It in Writing the Same Day
  37. Leave Both Sides Feeling Good
  38. Do Not Celebrate Too Soon
  39. Protect the Relationship After the Deal
  40. Learn From Every Negotiation
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