People often lack confidence when they contemplate a negoti-

ation. As a result, they set their aspirations too low. Top sales-
people avoid getting stuck in the zero-sum framework, thinking
about what compromise they’ll accept. Instead, they focus on
what they really want. They free themselves to push a little
beyond their first ideas.

Point of Indifference

Experienced negotiators decide at which point they will become
indifferent to a negotiated solution. They clarify their boundaries
and what they will do if the negotiation fails. This is sometimes
called a Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA).

Having a walk-away alternative to the negotiation expands

the salespersons’ power. The resulting confident attitude encour-
ages the other negotiating party to treat the salesperson more seri-
ously. The other party comes to realize that he has to take the
salesperson’s interests to heart if he wants to obtain an agreement.

Great salespeople are creative about other ways of getting

what they need. They create a list of possibilities so that they
don’t feel boxed in. They choose the alternative that holds the
strongest possibility of meeting their interests, and they keep it in
mind throughout the negotiation. This option is their Best
Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement.

Core Message

World-class salespeople have a central message they want to send.
This is the first thing they say, and it characterizes the outcome in
a way that benefits both parties and improves the relationship.

The message starts the communication process by making the

salesperson’s intent clear. It describes the salesperson’s desire to
achieve mutual satisfaction by the end of the negotiation. Doing
so sets the tone for the discussions and makes it clear that the
salesperson wants to communicate cooperatively.

A core message can get lost in the blizzard of information

thrown around in the frenzy of a typical negotiation. Good nego-
tiators know this and work to reinforce a theme for their basic

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Communicate