Recently, I had a surprising conversation with a salesperson who dismissed win-win negotiation as a weak approach. “Win-win is for loser salespeople,” he said, clearly seeing it as a soft strategy that leads to compromised margins and lost ground.
His stance came as a shock to me.
In my years of through navigating challenging negotiations, I’ve seen win-win as the foundation for stronger, lasting relationships and profitable outcomes.
Intrigued, I asked him a few questions to get to the root of his thinking.
Turns out, he was looking at negotiations through a fixed lens, focusing only on price and product. He wanted to sell at full price, while his customer was pushing for a 30% discount. From his perspective, even offering 5% off meant a loss, as he viewed the negotiation purely in terms of numbers. But here’s the issue with this fixed frame - when we limit the discussion to price alone, we shrink the possibilities. Which in turn means that we often miss creative solutions to complex problems - solutions which could benefit both parties!
There is a better way to negotiate! It is to change the frame!
Expanding the Frame - Price Isn’t the Only Factor
Focusing on price alone is a limiting factor in any negotiation. Instead, I encourage my clients to shift the conversation to value. When you broaden the scope, you’ll find countless ways to satisfy both parties without necessarily sacrificing margins or compromising.
Take, for example, a situation where the customer is asking for a discount. Instead of viewing a discount as a loss, think about what additional services or benefits can be offered to maintain the original price while delivering more value to the customer. Perhaps the customer values accelerated delivery, exclusive access to future updates, or a customized solution that makes their purchase even more beneficial. Perhaps they need a "win" in front of their new boss! All of these can be factors within the negotiation! When you start to incorporate these elements, the discussion pivots. It is now not a battle over numbers but instead a problem solving conversation around creating value. For both!
Building the Win-Win - Beyond Price and Product
It’s not about “giving in” or meeting the other side’s demands at your expense. It’s about building a framework for negotiation that uncovers and addresses the unique priorities of both sides. In my coaching work, I help mid-career executives look beyond the transaction and create lasting agreements that serve the interests of all parties.
Consider a few strategies that go beyond price
Incorporate Added Services - Ask if your customer can use after-sales support, or additional consultation time. This can be of significant value to the client without eroding your margins.
Flexible Payment Terms - Offer structured payment schedules that make it easier for the client to commit without requiring a major initial investment.
Bundled Solutions - Combine related services or products as a package to add value without discounting your core offering.
These options create room for both sides to feel like they’re gaining something without losing on either end.
Moving from Fixed to Flexible - The True Power of Win-Win
Win-win gets a bad reputation in some circles because it’s misunderstood as weakness, a willingness to compromise on everything to make everyone happy. But real win-win negotiations require resilience, creativity, and strategy. They’re about transforming a limited discussion on price into a more flexible conversation on value and benefits. This shift is precisely what my clients achieve through our work together.
Win- Win Negotiation in Executive Compensation Packages
Negotiating a win-win in executive compensation means thinking beyond base salary to build a package that supports both your goals and the organization’s. For example, say you feel strongly about a higher base salary, but your hiring organization has a constrained budget. A fixed mindset would likely see this as a roadblock, leading to a back-and-forth over salary that may leave both parties frustrated and possibly with no deal. But if you came at the problem with a win-win approach, you focus on the total value of the package and explore how both sides can reach their respective goals.
You can ask questions like, “Are there other areas where the budget has some flexibility?” or “What non-monetary perks might be added that align with my goals and responsibilities?”
Let’s say the organization has limited room for a base salary increase but can offer a performance bonus tied to strategic milestones. Or maybe there’s room for additional stock options, flexible work arrangements, or enhanced benefits that support your career and personal priorities. Now we are talking!
You’re now collaborating to design a package that supports your value and the organization’s objectives!
Conclusion
My conversation with that salesperson ended on a friendly note, though I could see he wasn’t fully convinced. I will be the first to admit that it takes a specific skill set to create these outcomes and a willingness to look beyond the obvious. And of course lots of practice!
The one way to get good at it is to take the other side's perspective - what could they value or what could I give them that would make them say yes...when you spend time thinking for the other side - a whole new universe of possibility becomes available! You will be surprised by how much room there is to grow the pie, leaving both sides with a “win” that’s well worth the effort.
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