List What You Can Give and What You Need
Practical ways to list what you can give and what you need, building a map of possible trades.
Trades make deals. Know what is cheap for you and valuable to them.
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.
Know what you can give
Listing the things you can offer easily, such as faster delivery or a longer term, gives you room to trade.
Write them all down.
Know what you need
Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves so you do not trade away what matters most.
Mark your top three.
Find items cheap for you but valuable to them
A small concession for you may be a big gain for them, which makes trades fair and easy.
Search for these.
Find items valuable to you but cheap for them
Likewise, ask for things that cost them little but help you a lot.
List a few.
Rank everything by importance
A ranked list stops you from giving away something precious for something minor.
Number each item.
Prepare packages not single points
Offering combinations lets you trade across issues and find better deals than one-by-one haggling.
Draft two packages.
Decide your minimum acceptable terms
Knowing the lowest terms you would accept stops you from agreeing to a bad deal under pressure.
Write it down.
Plan the order of your concessions
Small steps back, in a planned pattern, signal that you are near your limit.
Map them out.
Prepare reasons for each request
People accept requests more easily when they hear a clear reason.
Write one line each.
Share the list with a trusted colleague
Another person can spot gaps and help keep you disciplined.
Ask for a quick review.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many sales conversations.
“I can offer faster delivery.”
“I need a longer contract.”
“If you extend the term, I can improve the price.”
“Which matters more to you?”
“That costs me little and helps you a lot.”
“Thank you.”
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
List what you can give
List what you need
Rank by value to you
Rank by value to them
Find cheap-for-you, valuable-to-them items
Prepare trades
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.
More lessons in “Negotiate Without Fear”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Research Their Needs and PressuresNext: Set Your Opening Position →
- Know Your Goals and Your Limits
- Find Your Best Alternative
- Research Their Needs and Pressures
- List What You Can Give and What You Need
- Set Your Opening Position
- Plan Your First Three Sentences
- Decide Your Walk-Away Point
- What They Say vs What They Need
- Ask "Why Is That Important to You?"
- Look for Win-Win Trades
- Separate the Person From the Problem
- Create More Options Before You Decide
- Use Fair, Objective Standards
- The Pie Is Bigger Than You Think
- The Power of Calm
- Let Them Say "No" First
- Open-Ended "How" and "What" Questions
- Use "How Am I Supposed to Do That?"
- Mirror and Pause
- The Late-Night FM DJ Voice
- Let Them Talk Themselves Into It
- Never Give a Discount for Free
- Trade, Do Not Just Give
- Hold Your Price With Confidence
- Respond to "That Is Our Budget"
- Use Odd and Precise Numbers
- Bundle Instead of Cutting Price
- When to Walk Away
- Handle a Pushy Negotiator
- Respond to a Deadline Threat
- When They Say "Take It or Leave It"
- Deal With Silence and Stalling
- Stay Polite When You Are Angry
- Negotiate With Someone More Senior
- Summarise Every Agreement Out Loud
- Put It in Writing the Same Day
- Leave Both Sides Feeling Good
- Do Not Celebrate Too Soon
- Protect the Relationship After the Deal
- Learn From Every Negotiation
