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20 Negotiation Tactics that Made me $10M
Free Webinar: How to Speak Like a Leader in 2026
Book: 25 Behavioral Biases that Shape our Choices

20 Negotiation Tactics that Made me $10M

It’s that time of year again: budgets, contracts, salaries.

Chances are, you’re negotiating something. (And if you’re not… maybe you should be.)

Over the years, I’ve sold more than $10 million in services for my business. And if that’s taught me anything, it’s this: You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate.

In every negotiation, someone’s playing chess and someone’s being played. I want you to be the one moving the pieces.

I didn’t always know how to do this. In the early days, I made the same mistake I see leaders make all the time: Saying yes too early.

That’s because I didn’t have a BATNA (see tip #9 below).

So here are the 20 negotiation tactics that have helped me create millions in revenue for my business:

1/ Rapport before requests

People say yes more easily when they like and trust you.

2/ Focus on conditions, not just price

Often, success hinges on timelines, guarantees, or scope.

3/ When talks stall, change approach

Don’t push harder. Instead, switch frameworks, ask a new question, or change who’s at the table.

4/ Anchor first, then move in small steps

Setting the first number shapes the entire range, and each small move signals your limits.

5/ Slow the pace. Rushed talks = bad deals

Time pressure leads to mistakes; calm, deliberate negotiation leads to clarity and strength.

6/ When someone asks for a discount, ask “why?”

Sometimes asking for a discount is just a reflex. If your price is fair, stick to your guns.

7/ Listen first: Make the first minutes about them

Understanding their needs gives you leverage and makes them feel heard.

8/ Act like the customer - even when you’re selling

This flips the power balance between buyer and seller.

9/ BATNA (Best alternative to negotiated agreement)

Knowing your best alternative gives you confidence and keeps you from accepting a bad deal.

10/ At the start, agree on a common goal and timeline

Alignment on outcomes avoids confusion and sets a collaborative tone.

11/ Use silence as a tool. Say your point, then let it land

Once you made your offer, stop talking and let the other side respond.

12/ Mirror their last few words. “Pressure around timing?”

Mirroring builds instant rapport and often reveals useful information.

13/ Set the agenda. It’s a quiet way to shape the outcome

Framing the discussion gives you early control and clarifies expectations.

14/ Bring multiple offers to the table. Optionality = leverage

Create three variations of your core offer to segment customers.

15/ Frame your offer as an investment with return, not a cost

ROI beats expense every time.

16/ Write down the agreement. If it’s not on paper, it’s not real

Documentation creates accountability.

17/ Use strategic reciprocity. Give to get. But give deliberately

Give something they value, but do it with intention—never randomly.

18/ Clarify language. “What do you mean by premium service?”

Vague terms lead to mismatched expectations - ask for precise definitions.

19/ Ask at the beginning: “What’s the biggest obstacle you see?”

Uncover objections early, before they derail the process later.

20/ Find out what’s important to them. It may not be the price

Sometimes it’s speed, status, security, or support—ask, don’t assume.

Oh, and I split the difference all the time. It is fast, feels fair for both sides and – provided you followed the 20 tips above – will give you a good outcome.

Get my 1-page cheat sheet with these tips here and save it for your next negotiation.

FREE WEBINAR

How to Speak Like a Leader in 2026

Communication is the number one skill in business according to LinkedIn. And in 2026, the leaders who master both human connection and AI-enhanced communication will dominate their industries.

To give you the best possible start to the year that may change work forever, join my free webinar "How to Speak Like a Leader in 2026" on 11 December at 15:00 CET | 14:00 GMT | 9:00 EST | 6:00 PST | 19:30 IST.

You'll walk away with practical tools you can use immediately - from structuring compelling stories to eliminating filler words to leveraging AI without losing your authentic voice.

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

The Choice Factory

If you want to understand what really drives decision-making – yours, your customers’, or your team’s – this book delivers.

The Choice Factory by Richard Shotton is a fast-paced dive into 25 behavioral biases that shape our choices more than we realize. It’s written with marketers in mind, but its lessons go far beyond ad copy.

Here are 3 powerful takeaways for me:

1. Context beats character

Shotton shows how we routinely fall for the “fundamental attribution error” – overestimating the role of personality and underestimating the power of context.

The same person can behave very differently depending on where and when you meet them. This insight flips a long-held marketing belief on its head: in addition to a target audience, brands also need a “target context”.

Ask not only who your audience is – ask when and where they’re most likely to engage.

2. Avoid negative social proof

Well-meaning campaigns often sabotage themselves. When Wikipedia says “only 1% of readers donate,” it’s telling you not to bother. That’s negative social proof.

If you want to motivate people, show them what others are doing, not what they’re not.

3. Habits change at transition points

People rarely switch brands on a normal Tuesday. But catch them after a major life event – a move, a new job, or just before a milestone birthday – and they’re far more open to change.

Apparently I am a walking clichée as I signed up for a “100km in 24h hike” just before my milestone birthday this year :)

Whether you’re in marketing or not, The Choice Factory helps you see the hidden forces that drive decisions – including your own.

Have an inspired weekend,

Oliver