Goal

Think through best/worst case scenarios rather than just a Best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), start with a high end goal and remain open to better things.

Summary

A few sentences on know facts. Why are you there? What do you want? What do they want? Why?

Labels/Accusation Audit: given the summary, anticpate how your counterpart feels about the facts.

Some template labels:

  • It seems like _______ is valuable to you.
  • It seems like you don’t like _______.
  • It seems like you value ________.
  • It seems like you’re reluctant to _______.
  • It seems like _______ makes it easier.

Calibrated Questions: prepare three to five questions to reveal value to you and you counterpart.

  • Templates for value:
    • “What are we trying to accomplish?
    • How is that worthwhile?
    • What’s the core issue here?
    • How does that affect things?
    • What’s the biggest challenge you face?
    • How does this fit into what the objective is?
  • Templates for behind-the-table:
    • How does this affect the rest of your team?
    • How on board are the people not on this call?
    • What do your colleagues see as their main challenges in this area?
  • Unearth deal killing issues:
    • What are we up against here?
    • What is the biggest challenge you face?
    • How does making a deal with us affect things?
    • What happens if you do nothing?
    • What does doing nothing cost you?
    • How does making this deal resonate with what your company prides itself on?
  • Follow up labels:
    • “It seems like ________ is important.
    • It seems you feel like my company is in a unique position to ________.
    • It seems like you are worried that ________.”

Non Cash offers:

“What could they give that would almost get us to do it for free?”