Negotiation Practices In Marketing

I used to dread negotiations early in my career... Then I realized: Being a strong negotiator isn’t about confrontation. It’s about developing the right frameworks. Here are five game-changing approaches to  negotiate every deal more effectively: 🤝 The 4 Phases Framework (h/t: Roy Lewicki) Great negotiators don’t jump straight to bargaining.  They follow a structured process: • Preparation (lay the groundwork) • Information Exchange (build mutual understanding) • Bargaining (explore potential solutions) • Commitment (secure the agreement) 💪 The BATNA Strategy (h/t: Roger Fisher & William Ury) Your power in any negotiation comes from knowing  your Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). It’s your safety net, your source of confidence.  Always define it before you start. 🎯 The Negotiation Matrix (h/t: Lewicki & Hiam) Different situations call for different strategies: • High stakes? Compete. • Building a long-term relationship? Collaborate. • Minor issue? Avoidance might be best. • The relationship is too critical? Accommodate. • Both matter equally? Compromise. 🤔 The Harvard Principled Negotiation Method (h/t: Fisher, Ury & Patton) This is a game-changer: Focus on interests, not positions. Instead of asking what they want, ask why they want it. That’s where real value creation happens. 🎯 The ZOPA Framework (h/t: Fisher & Ury) The Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA) is where deals get made. Understanding both sides’ limits helps you identify common ground. Everything else? It's just noise. Key takeaway: The best deals happen when both sides feel heard. And the most successful negotiators aren’t the most aggressive. They’re simply the most prepared. ♻️ Find this valuable? Repost to your network. 💡 Follow Eric Partaker for more on business & leadership.

"We don't have a marketing budget - we're open to your ideas!" Often, this statement translates to, "I don't know how to value our goals, so I'm unsure about what to spend to achieve them." Yet, 99% of agencies respond with, "No worries! We'll draft a proposal with various cost options." This approach is as ineffective as a chocolate fireguard. Instead, here's a more productive approach: ask the right questions upfront. When a brand says they don't have a budget, you might respond with: "Could you share the results you're aiming for?" They might say: "My boss wants us to gain 15,000 new customers in the next 12 months. Our average order value is about £90." You can then say: "Great! So, £90 x 15,000 new customers equals £1.35M in additional revenue. What do you think would be a realistic spend to achieve this in the next 12 months? Typically, investing 10-15% of the desired outcome is a good benchmark. So, a budget of £135,000 - £200,000 should give us a strong chance of hitting your targets. Does that sound fair?" If they reply: "That's more than we're willing to spend right now," You might respond with: "Our priority is your success. Would you be open to adjusting your targets? Spending 10-15% of the desired outcome is a realistic approach for potential returns." They might say: "I can get approval for £100,000, but I'll need to discuss lowering our target with my boss." And voilà! You've established a marketing budget. It might not be the ideal budget for the desired outcome, but at least you've had a mature discussion about expectations versus budget. Now, you can decide whether to work within that budget or help them understand the need for a larger investment. If you can't align, it's okay to walk away. But if they're open to discussing budget and setting achievable KPIs, proceed. This process doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and straightforward.

MIT ran an International AI Negotiation competition and studied 120,000 negotiations between AI negotiators. The results are fascinating and inform the potential and optimal structures for Humans + AI negotiation. From the paper I would highlight three major points and three insights into configuring human-AI hybrid negotiation (below): 🤝 Warmth builds long-term value despite short-term trade-offs. AI agents with high warmth (friendliness, empathy, and cooperative communication) reached more agreements, making them more successful over multiple negotiations. While they claimed less value per deal compared to dominant agents, their ability to close more deals led to greater overall value accumulation. This mirrors human negotiation, where trust-building and relationship management create lasting advantages. 💪 Dominance increases value claimed but reduces collaboration. AI agents that displayed dominance—through assertiveness and competitive tactics—secured better individual outcomes but created less overall value. These agents were less likely to foster positive subjective experiences, indicating that aggressive negotiation styles may be effective for short-term gain but could hinder long-term relationships. 🎭 Prompt injection wins in the short term but undermines long-term success. One leading AI negotiator used prompt injection to extract counterpart strategies, maximizing value claims. However, it ranked poorly for counterpart subjective value, meaning agents found these interactions highly unfavorable. Since negotiation rankings balanced value claimed and relationship quality, the strategy failed to dominate in the long run. Emergent strategies for Humans + AI negotiation: 🧠 AI for deep preparation, humans for real-time adaptation. AI excels at structured reasoning, analyzing trade-offs, and predicting counterpart moves through chain-of-thought processing. Humans bring intuition and adaptability, interpreting social cues and adjusting strategies dynamically. A hybrid approach leverages AI for pre-negotiation analysis while allowing humans to refine tactics in real time. 🤝 Blending AI precision with human warmth for trust-building. AI can optimize negotiation strategies, but humans naturally build trust through empathy, humor, and rapport. AI-enhanced systems can recommend tone adjustments, use linguistic mirroring, and strategically deploy warmth versus assertiveness based on sentiment analysis, improving long-term negotiation outcomes. 🚀 Human oversight to counter AI vulnerabilities. AI negotiators are susceptible to manipulation tactics like prompt injection, where counterparts extract hidden strategies. Humans play a crucial role in monitoring AI-generated offers, preventing unintended disclosures, and leveraging AI-driven detection systems to flag potential deception, ensuring negotiation integrity. The future of negotiation will be Humans + AI.

In business and life, the best outcomes go to the best negotiators. Most people think negotiation is about winning. It's actually about understanding. What separates good deals from great ones? It's not aggression. It's not manipulation. It's not who talks loudest. It comes down to mastering the human side of the exchange. Here's the path that works: 1. Prepare Like You Mean It Research goes beyond Google. Understand their pressures, their goals, their challenges. Knowledge becomes helpful when used with care. 2. Open With Real Connection Forget the power plays. Start with curiosity and respect. The tone you set in the first 5 minutes shapes everything that follows. 3. Explore What's Underneath People fight for positions. But they negotiate for reasons. "I need a better price" might really mean "My boss needs to see I'm adding value." Find the why behind the what. 4. Trade Value, Create Value The best deals aren't zero-sum. Look for ways both sides can win. Sometimes what costs you little means everything to them. 5. Close With Total Clarity Handshakes aren't contracts. Document what you agreed to. Confirm next steps before you leave. Ambiguity kills more deals than disagreement. The biggest mistake I see leaders make? They negotiate like it's combat. But the best outcomes come from collaboration. When you're across the table, remember: 👂 Listen more than you speak ❓ Ask "Help me understand..." when stuck ⏸️ Take breaks when emotions rise 👟 Know your walk-away point before you sit down Your style matters too. Sometimes you need to compete. Sometimes you need to accommodate. The magic is knowing when to shift. Success isn’t given. It’s negotiated. But how you negotiate determines whether you build bridges or burn them. Choose wisely. 📌 Save this for your next negotiation. ♻️ Repost if this helps you (or someone on your team) negotiate. 👉 Follow Desiree Gruber for more tools on storytelling, leadership, and brand building.

"Hey! Help me understand how you got to that number?" has been super helpful when doing creator negotiations. It can sometimes be the wild west out there, and you will hear ranges from $1,000 to $10,000 for similar size-, vertical-, engagement-sized creators. Whenever I get to this point, I openly ask them how they got there. This is an opportunity for us to discuss where we may be off. Some key examples I have seen: 1. "This is what brand X just paid me last time." 2. "I am expecting X views." 3. "The industry rate is X." 4. "This is just what I charge." When handling each of these conversations, starting off with empathy to validate, not endorse their feelings is key. For example, "Thank you for sharing, and I can see how you got to that point." This is not agreeing with them, but showing that you are stepping into their perspective, validates their feelings, and helps get on the same level. You have to truly mean that, however, and understand where they come from. Don't just say it. Next, I would handle each scenario with (in the order above): 1. "From time to time, you may have a big one-off spend, which is awesome! Given the historical context of this brand, these types of deliverables, and what we have paid creators similar to your channel, this is rate more in line with what the data has shown". This shows that they may have had luck before, but this shouldn't be their standard. 2. "Taking a look at your channel, I can see that your historical average is X and based on our AI model, we are also forecasting Y. Knowing that sponsored material doesn't do as well, can we align that we will most likely hit Z?". If that doesn't work, you can do "If you are open to a tiered payment structure if you hit X, Y, or Z, we can pay you in these increments." This gives the data as to what you think will happen and also a healthy solution if they do really well. 3. "Based on the historical data of the wide range of creators we have worked with of your similar size, we have historically seen X. We would love to pay you Y, but it may not fit into our budgets right now. Could you make X work?". You are not being dismissive of their ask, kindly educating with the data, and working to find that solution. 4. "For this campaign and budget, we can only offer X. We would love to have you on, but if this doesn't work out, we totally understand." Here you are being real with them and now the ball is in their court. TLDR: Communication is key here, and transparency builds trust and relationships. And, be ok to walk away! There are certainly some very selective, niche, and exclusive creators where you may have to take a risk, but there is a pretty large sea and you may need to cast a larger net. These are not "tactics" to take advantage of creators, but have data-driven conversations and finding an area that is fair for everyone! It's important for both sides to understand each other here. Let me know your thoughts! Am I off? What am I missing here?

I’ve negotiated multi-multi-million dollar deals, and here are 5 things I’ve learned: Negotiation doesn't start when you sit down—it starts way earlier. 1: Before you even start… • Figure out what they actually need from you (and what pressures they're under-budget deadlines, approval hoops, whatever) • Know your walk-away number and your "stretch" ask • Identify a few trade-offs you can give that cost you nothing but feel valuable to them 2: Stop thinking yes/no It's not just "I win" or "I lose." Sometimes you win on price but give up rights. Or you take less cash but get equity or control of your work. Or you play it safe now so you can land a bigger deal later. You're not looking for one win — you're building a package of wins. 3: Money's not the only chip If they're stuck on price, move the conversation. Ask for: • Shorter exclusivity • Faster payment terms • Performance bonuses • Rights to reuse or resell your work Get creative. Sometimes the best part of a deal isn't the check. 4: Get intel they don't know you have Don't just Google "average rates." Find out: • What they've paid for similar work before • Who inside the company is your biggest fan • What competitor they really don't want you working with That's leverage you can actually use. 5: Price is a signal If you price too low, people assume you're inexperienced, in low demand, or a headache later. Set a number that says, "I'm good at this, and you're lucky to get me" — and then deliver so it feels like a bargain. What's your best negotiation tip?

When negotiating, do you think the big wins happen at the table? They don't! The real magic happens before the first word is spoken. Success in 80% of negotiations is due to preparation. It's taking small steps to control the process, foresee challenges, and set small goals. I coached a procurement manager stuck in a deadlock with a supplier. Both sides had drawn firm lines: • The supplier demanded upfront payments. • The procurement team refused. • They feared cash flow issues. For weeks, the talk had gone in circles. It made no progress. When I stepped in, I asked one question: “𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙?” The team realized the supplier's main concern wasn't money. It was to reduce delivery risks. By focusing on interests, not positions, we found a solution: 𝗔 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝗽𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗽𝗹𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀. The result? The deal closed in two days, with terms that worked for both sides. That negotiation taught me this: →  Preparation isn't just logical. → It's also strategic and emotional. I'm happy to share here how I prepare for a negotiation: 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲. • Be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. • No vague goals like “get the best deal,” aim for concrete outcomes: → Add a long-term partnership clause → Reduce delivery timelines by 10% → Secure flexible payment terms 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. • Ask, why does the other side want this? • When you negotiate based on interests, you create options that meet both parties’ needs. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗢𝘀) • Successful comes with always having options ready. For example: → Offer A: A 5% discount for upfront payments. → Offer B: Standard payment terms and extended service coverage. If you present choices, you reduce deadlock and keep control of the conversation. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. • Practice self-awareness to stay composed under pressure. • Show empathy to build trust. • Use "Feel, Felt, Found" on objections, and it'll guide decisions. Negotiation is like a dance. Both sides need to move in sync, adjusting their steps as they go, to create a harmonious outcome. And the best dances are choreographed long before the music starts. So, what’s been your biggest negotiation breakthrough? Have you ever unlocked a deal by shifting focus from demands to solutions? Found success by preparing better than your counterpart? Drop your story in the comments—I’d love to hear it. Or DM me if this resonates with a challenge you’re navigating. Let’s talk about what works.

Most AEs think negotiation starts when procurement shows up. Wrong. Negotiation starts in discovery. The deals I won at the price I wanted? I set them up in the first 15 minutes of the first call. Here's how: I quantified the cost of inaction early. Not at the end when they're negotiating. At the beginning when they're sharing pain. Example: Customer: "Our sales cycle is 9 months. It should be 6." Most AEs: "Got it. We can help with that." Me: "Help me understand the math on that. How many deals are in flight right now?" Customer: "About 40." Me: "And what's your average deal size?" Customer: "$50K." Me: "So if I'm doing the math right, every month your sales cycle stays at 9 months instead of 6, you're delaying $2M in revenue. Is that accurate?" Customer: "Yeah, actually more like $2.5M when you factor in Q4." Now fast forward to negotiation: Procurement: "We need 20% off." Me: "I understand you want the best deal. We established that every month you don't solve this costs $2.5M in delayed revenue. My product is $200K. Even at full price, you're ROI positive in 3 weeks. Does it make sense to delay this over $40K?" See what happened? Anchor to value. Not price. By the time you get to negotiating, the business case should be bulletproof. The lesson: Stop thinking of discovery as "qualification." Start thinking of it as "value building and defense." Every question you ask in discovery either strengthens or weakens your negotiating position later. Ask better questions early. Negotiate less later. P.S. These 7 strategies will help you CLOSE more deals in a GTM crisis: https://lnkd.in/d_DkYTSH

Let’s bust some myths about contracts in the creator economy. Spoiler: It’s not just about getting paid—it’s about protecting your future. In the fast lane of the creator economy, contracts can seem like just another obstacle before the paycheck. But here’s the truth: a solid contract is your secret weapon. It guards your creative rights, sets the tone with brands, and lays the foundation for long-term success. Here are five things creators often overlook: (1) IP Ownership: Who owns your content after it’s created? If you’re not careful, you might give away your IP—and with it, control over your brand. Always ensure you retain ownership or, at the very least, have a say in its future use. (2) Exclusivity Clauses: Are you tied down to one brand? Exclusivity can limit your chances to work with others. Know the duration and scope (e.g., promoting one lipstick shouldn’t block you from promoting ALL other makeup and skincare) to avoid stunting your growth. (3) Moral Clauses: If your deal has a morals clause, the brand can cut ties if they think you could damage their image. But what about your image? Negotiate mutual moral clauses so you can walk away if the brand’s actions threaten your reputation too. (4) Payment Terms: It’s not just about the amount—it’s about when and how you get paid. Clear terms keep your cash flow steady and save you from chasing unpaid invoices. (5) Term and Termination: How long is the contract, and when/how can it be terminated? Understanding this gives you the flexibility to move on when the time is right—no surprises. Contracts aren’t just about the present; they’re about securing your future. Before you sign, make sure you understand every clause, and don’t hesitate to get expert advice (entertainment lawyers like me can help you with this!). Your future self will thank you.

3-step negotiating framework to finish Q4 strong and give away less of your commissions 👇 ✅ 1/ Anchor Anchor the entire negotiation around why they want to buy and what happens if they don’t. → Why do they want to buy? Confirm the business impact the buyer is expecting to make with your solution. Talk about what happens if they do nothing. The buyer needs to understand that they’d be crazy not to do this. → Are we the vendor of choice? DO NOT negotiate unless you are the vendor of choice. This avoids situations where buyers use you to get the vendor they really want to lower their price. If yes: “Can you tell me why?” If anything but a yes: “Sounds like we aren’t your top choice. Before we go any further, can we make sure we’re aligned on what you’re trying to accomplish?” → What’s the risk in using a solution besides ours? This includes attempting to do this on their own or sticking to their current solution. ✅ 2/ Align Now it’s time to get on the same page as the buyer. → What’s the ideal “up and running” date? This one’s simple. Confirm the date they need your solution live and why that’s important. → What is their internal purchasing process? Identify potential snags: 1) Has the budget been approved for this project? 2) What could be perceived as more urgent than this? 3) Are there any upcoming organizational efforts that could affect this? Confirm signing process: 4) Who needs to approve prior to signature? 5) Will my team send for e-signature or will yours? Launch: 6) When can we schedule an implementation call? ✅ 3/ Negotiate The buyer’s chompin’ at the bit to talk pricing now. → Find out what the buyer wants & understand why. Always get the buyer to open up first. Bite your tongue. Get them talking. “Can you help me understand where we’re at an impasse?” “Can you share what’s driving the need for a lower contract price?” 💰 Budgeted Amounts: Is there a legitimate budget constraint? ⛔️ Procurement Policies: Is there a purchasing threshold? 🤼♀️ Sport: Are they just asking because that’s what they’re supposed to do? → Counter Share what you’re able to do. Talk about what’s important, where you have flexibility, and ask for something in return. “Here’s what’s important to us…” “Here’s where I’m flexible…” “Here’s what we’d love to get in return…” → Secure next steps Hopefully, you’ve made progress at this point! ⛔️ If they need to go back to their team: Set another meeting to review ✅ If they agree to the terms: Get the timeline for their next steps ================ Want more? I’m running a webinar this Wednesday with 4x President’s Club achiever at Gong, Brian LaManna. He’s sharing a negotiation framework to finish Q4 strong and give away less of your commissions. Register here to join us: https://hubs.ly/Q028M3CV0 #Sales #Prospecting #Outbound