Negotiation Playbook
The method your coach is trained on — phases, tactics, and the rules behind every suggestion.
The four phases
Phase 0 · Contact
Who are you for me to even talk to you?
Earn the right to negotiate — rapport, social protocol, status positioning.
- Enter slightly below the opponent, then level to equal — never stay below.
- Build basic rapport before any numbers; this phase runs mostly on manipulation.
- Decide your true objective first — sometimes the real goal is to politely refuse.
Done when: A basic willingness to engage exists.
Phase 1 · Create the agreement
Why should I deal with you — what can you offer?
Establish that a deal is possible in principle: what trades for what.
- Anchor the deal in rational exchange (you give X, I give Y).
- Resist here — do not concede terms yet.
- Surface the opponent’s needs with questions, not guesses.
Done when: The other side accepts the situation is solvable.
Phase 2 · Bargaining
How do I get terms that suit me?
Agree the specific conditions over multiple rounds.
- Each round aims to move the opponent, not to finalise.
- Never concede for free — tie every move to a reciprocal change.
- Pressure can be stronger now the relationship is robust — but dose it.
Done when: The specific terms land inside your conditions corridor.
Phase 3 · Lock it in
How do I make this durable?
Make the agreement executable, with motivation to comply.
- Summarise the agreed terms concretely.
- Fix the unchanged terms in writing to block a quick follow-up rise.
- Always leave the door open for the next round.
Done when: The agreement is fixed and the relationship stays open.
Tactics library
Time Pressure
Recognise: An artificial deadline — "decide today", an auto-renewal clock, "this quote expires".
Counter: Slow down. Separate the real deadline from the manufactured one — ask what actually changes if you take more time.
Big-Client Leverage
Recognise: Implied volume or status used to extract a discount up front.
Counter: Tie any concession to the volume actually materialising — "the discount applies when you reach X".
Competitor Leverage
Recognise: "Your rival offers less / you’re overpriced" — devaluing your offer.
Counter: Don’t match head-on. Reframe to scope and value, remind them of the cost of switching (~2–5%), and ask to see the competing quote.
Threat / Ultimatum
Recognise: A bare threat, or a threat plus an escape condition ("take it or leave it").
Counter: Bare threats don’t work; test for substance. Never stack threats — "who threatens a lot, does little".
FOMO
Recognise: "Last one, others were interested" — manufactured scarcity.
Counter: Recognise the scarcity is manufactured. Slow down and verify.
Anchoring
Recognise: A high (or low) first number planted to re-centre you.
Counter: Re-anchor; never accept the first option. Extract all options ("what else can you do?") before deciding.
Bluff
Recognise: A position or fact they can’t back — an alternative quote (real or on letterhead).
Counter: Calmly test for substance. Nothing beats a real alternative — even hinting at one you actually have triggers their anxiety.
Cooperation-Manipulation
Recognise: "We’re on the same side, help me out" — partnership framing used to extract a concession.
Counter: Separate the relationship from the rational deal. Stay warm, hold the math.
Need Manipulation
Recognise: Exploiting how badly you appear to need the deal.
Counter: Don’t show need; keep your responses short. The most dangerous person is the one who talks little.
Stalling (Dynamo)
Recognise: Endless distancing with no clear answer — "let me get back to you", "we’ll circle back".
Counter: Force a concrete next step with a date. (Useful for you when you’re under a price hike — keep working the old terms.)
Principles
No one acts without benefit.
Immediate or deferred. If someone won't act, they see no benefit — or you failed to show it.
Your need interests no one until it meets theirs.
Lead with the opponent's need; your need only matters where it intersects theirs.
Extract needs with questions — don't guess.
Ask one question at a time; never bundle answer-options into an open question; if dodged, reformulate and re-ask.
A too-fast "yes" is a warning.
You asked too little, or there is a misunderstanding.
Don't be the rescuer.
Solving the opponent's problem for free teaches them to repeat it — make them compensate.
Never concede for free; don't give your number first.
Tie every move to a reciprocal change in the deal's math — volume, timing, quality, scope.
Resist any change made against you, even small ones.
No resistance signals you should have pushed harder. A client's resistance to a price rise is a positive signal; calm acceptance is the alarm.
Dose your pressure.
It damages relationships. After a hard session you'll reflexively want to keep pushing — be careful with regular clients.
Always leave the door open.
"Call me if you change your mind." Enables 5–50% client return rates.