Sales Negotiation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of making a conditional concession ('If you… then I…')?
- To stall the negotiation
- To get something in return for every concession you make (Correct answer)
- To confuse the other party
- To signal you have no more room to negotiate
Correct answer: To get something in return for every concession you make
Conditional concessions ensure reciprocity, preventing the other party from interpreting each concession as a new starting point.
Question 2: A buyer keeps saying 'I need to think about it' after every proposal. What is the best tactic?
- Give them unlimited time and wait
- Ask 'What specific concerns would we need to address for you to decide today?' (Correct answer)
- Lower the price immediately
- Send a follow-up email with more product information
Correct answer: Ask 'What specific concerns would we need to address for you to decide today?'
This question surfaces the real objection behind the stall and moves the conversation toward resolution.
Question 3: Which negotiation style focuses on building long-term relationships rather than short-term gains?
- Competitive (win-lose)
- Collaborative (win-win) (Correct answer)
- Avoidance
- Accommodating at all costs
Correct answer: Collaborative (win-win)
Collaborative negotiation seeks mutually beneficial outcomes and preserves the relationship for future business.
Question 4: What does it mean to 'nibble' in a negotiation?
- Make a very small opening offer
- Ask for small additional concessions after the main deal is agreed (Correct answer)
- Gradually reveal your true budget
- Break a large deal into smaller parts
Correct answer: Ask for small additional concessions after the main deal is agreed
Nibbling involves requesting minor extras (free shipping, extended warranty) after the other party is emotionally committed to closing.
Question 5: A salesperson discovers the buyer's deadline is in two days. How should this information be used ethically?
- Create artificial urgency to match their deadline
- Use the deadline to understand their priorities and tailor the value proposition (Correct answer)
- Demand full price since the buyer has no time to shop elsewhere
- Ignore the deadline to avoid appearing opportunistic
Correct answer: Use the deadline to understand their priorities and tailor the value proposition
Understanding a buyer's deadline helps you align your proposal with their urgent priorities, making your solution more compelling.
Question 6: What is 'bracketing' in negotiation?
- Setting your offer above or below your target so the midpoint lands where you want (Correct answer)
- Framing the deal with legal contract brackets
- Grouping all concessions together at the end
- Limiting the topics that can be discussed
Correct answer: Setting your offer above or below your target so the midpoint lands where you want
Bracketing means offering an extreme number so that splitting the difference results in your actual target price.
Question 7: During a multi-party enterprise sale, who should you ideally negotiate with?
- The most talkative stakeholder
- The economic buyer with actual budget authority (Correct answer)
- The lowest-ranking person to avoid pressure
- The IT department because they evaluate the product
Correct answer: The economic buyer with actual budget authority
Negotiating with the economic buyer ensures decisions can be made and that concessions offered have real value.
Sales Negotiation 3
What is the primary purpose of making a conditional concession ('If you… then I…')?