Negotiation requires precision, flexibility, and face-saving language.
Opening positions
- “Our initial position is…”
- “We were hoping for…”
- “Ideally, we would be looking at…”
Making concessions
- “We could be flexible on [x] if you could move on [y].”
- “If you are able to meet us halfway on the timeline, we could consider…”
- “We might be able to accommodate that, provided…”
Signalling limits
- “That is our bottom line on this.”
- “I am afraid we cannot move further on price.”
Buying time
- “Could we come back to you on that?”
- “I would need to check with my team first.”
Key principle
Always link concessions: “If you can do X, we can do Y.” Never give without getting.
Practice
Negotiate a 10% discount and extended payment terms on a supplier contract. Use at least 3 phrases from above.
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