Setting Goals for Successful Negotiation

73% of employers expect you to negotiate. 55% of professionals don’t. That’s a costly silence. Negotiation isn’t about being difficult. It’s about showing up prepared and knowing your value. Here's how to do it right: 1. Research what’s fair ↳ Know the going rate for your role and level. 2. Know your impact ↳ Have proof of what you’ve led, built, or improved. 3. Define your range ↳ Set your target and your bottom line. 4. Look beyond salary ↳ Include PTO, bonuses, equity, flexibility. 5. Practice out loud ↳ Once is better than never. Confidence shows. Common missteps to avoid: 🚫 Accepting an offer on the spot 🚫 Leading with your lowest number 🚫 Ignoring the full compensation picture Smarter ways to respond: 🗨 “Based on what I bring, let's revisit the package.” 🗨 “What flexibility is there in total compensation?” 🗨 “Thanks. Can I take some time to review this?” Coaching 100s of people into roles they actually love  has taught me: You don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate. Your new boss is expecting it. You just have to be ready. 🔖 Save this for when the offer comes in. 📤 Send it to someone who’s due for a raise. Reshare ♻️ to help someone in your network. And give me a follow for more posts like this. P.S. Looking to grow your salary? Each month, I help a select number of people get 40-80% pay bumps and land fulfilling $200K-$500K roles. DM me "Salary" to learn how.

"We have budget for $199,000," the procurement manager spat at me. I had a $325,000 deal forecasted, and we had 7 days left to close it. That was June, 2020. End of quarter. Egg about to be smeared all over my face. I paced around my house while my family swam at the pool. Cursing under my breath. Back then, I knew every negotiation tactic in the book. But that was the problem: My negotiation "strategy" was actually what I now call "random acts of tactics." A question here. A label there. Throw in a 'give to get.' There was no system. No process. Just grasping. Since then, I now follow a step by step process for every negotiation. Here's the first 4: 1. Summarize and Pass the Torch. Key negotiation mistake. Letting your buyer negotiate with nothing but price on their mind. Instead: Start the negotiation with this: “As we get started, I thought I’d spend the first few minutes summarizing the key elements of our partnership so we’re all on the same page. Fair?” Then spend the next 3-4 min summarizing: - the customer's problem - your (unique) solution - the proposal That cements the business value. Reminds your counterpart what's at stake. They might not admit it: But it's now twice as hard for them to be price sensitive. After summarizing, pass the torch: "How do you think we land this plane from here?" Asking questions puts you in control. Now the onus is on them. But you know what they're going to say next. 2. Get ALL Their Asks On the Table Do this before RESPONDING to any "ask" individually. When you 'summarize and pass the torch,' usually they're going to make an ask. "Discount 20% more and we land this plane!" Some asks, you might want to agree to immediately. Don't. Get EVERY one of their asks on the table: You need to see the forest for the trees. “Let’s say we [found a way to resolve that]. In addition to that, what else is still standing in our way of moving forward?” Repeat until their answer is: "Nothing. We'd sign." Then confirm: “So if we found a way to [agree on X, Y, Z], there is nothing else stopping us from moving forward together?" 3. Stack Rank They probably just threw 3-4 asks at you. Now say: "How would you stack rank these from most important to least important?” Force them to prioritize. Now for the killer: 4. Uncover the Underlying Need(s) Ignore what they're asking for. Uncover WHY they're asking for it. If you don't, you can't NEGOTIATE. You can only BARTER. You might be able to address the UNDERLYING need in a different, better way than what they're asking for. After summarizing all of their 'requests,' say this: “What’s going on in your world that’s driving you to need that?” Do that for each one. Problem-solve from there. P.S. These 7 sales skills will help you add an extra $53K to your income in the next 6 months (or less) without working more hours, more stress, or outdated “high-pressure” tactics. Go here: https://lnkd.in/ggYuTdtf

I recently closed a six-figure deal with an enterprise client. While most deals this size take 6-8 months, I closed this one in under 60 days. Here's exactly how I did it: When selling to an enterprise company, it's easy to get trapped in long deal cycles. To avoid this from always happening, here are the 4 steps I take to expedite my enterprise closing process: 1. Subject Matter Expertise Plays    Most sellers pitch products. We pitch proven expertise in their space. This shifted the entire conversation from "vendor" to "expert." • Pitched as an industry expert, not influencer • Showed proven processes from our team  • Focused on vertical expertise vs following Expertise beats influence every time. 2. Multi-Threading     Instead of focusing on one champion, I built relationships across the organization. Each stakeholder had different things that made this a win for them. • Built relationships with seven key stakeholders • Sent a recap email to each buying department so everyone knew what was going on • Had notes for each department's goals and why they wanted to win Throughout the deal, I always asked who would feel left out if they weren't involved. Every time I found a new person, I made it a point to meet them. That means more allies for the deal to sell internally. 3. Weekly Momentum Building    Most deals need more momentum. That's why I keep the energy high. • Sent weekly videos to keep my POC informed • Highlighted each stakeholder's priorities • Highlighted work we were doing along the way Momentum beats perfection. 4. Procurement Fast Track This is where deals typically go to die. Not today my friends. This is where the party starts. As soon as I get introduced to procurement, I ask for a quick 15-minute call so I can quickly text edits as my lawyer goes back and forth. • Asked for concerns up front • Built solutions into proposal • Asked what do you people typically redline when they approach you Being proactive beats being reactive every time. Because doing the little things well will always yield great results. P.S. Have a favorite step?

Here’s the framework I used to help my client negotiate a 17% salary increase BEFORE they received an offer ↓ I call this the RAVE approach. Here’s how it works: R - Research 1. Conduct thorough research BEFORE the process starts - set goals - determine your priorities - determine your ‘walk-away’ number 2. Use sites like Fishbowl, Blind, Glassdoor to understand recent compensation packages. 3. Check sites like Payscale, and Levels[.]fyi to check general salary ranges. 4. Look at similar job descriptions in states like WA, and NY to see base salary ranges. Know your numbers before you say numbers. If you don’t know them, don’t provide them. Simply ask for more time and respond later. A - Articulate 1. Present your case clearly and persuasively. 2. Use logic, data, and evidence to support your position. 3. Address potential counter arguments proactively. ***Defer the negotiation to after the interview if possible. If you’re forced to provide an expectation, keep your answer minimally sufficient. V - Value *Your best negotiation tool is your interview. 1. Deliver clear examples of how you have created value for past customers and employers. 2. Connect your skills and experiences to return on investment (ROI) opportunities. 3. Leverage targeted pitch decks to explain how you would deliver results for the business. E - Explore 1. Consider all aspects of the offer once in hand. 2. Understand what components of the offer are negotiable, and prioritize them according to where you want to focus. 3. Common components often include: - Base salary - Sign on bonus - Equity, or restricted stock units - PTO - Work from home, or flexible location days 4. Establish common ground on areas of agreement when you counter. And remember; be reasonable and transparent. Hiring teams want you to be happy with your offer. Let them know if you’re not. - - - What would you add to this framework? Let me know in the comments.

The G.A.I.N.S. Comp Negotiation Playbook by Jacob Warwick Every successful negotiation starts with leverage. While most people ask, “What can you offer me?,” the people who secure the highest comp say, “Here’s how I’ll solve your most pressing challenges and create new possibilities for your business.” This shift isn’t semantic—it fundamentally transforms how decision-makers perceive your value. When you make them feel confident, inspired, and excited about the future you’ll build together, compensation becomes a natural reflection of that value, not a negotiation point. Whether you’re planning six months ahead or sitting in discussions right now, here’s the process Jacob Warwick developed through trial and error with hundreds of clients over 15 years. Here's the playbook: G: Gather intelligence. Go beyond the obvious. Dig into the company’s real challenges, understand who truly makes decisions (hint: it’s not always on the org chart), and know their market better than they do. A: Align with their needs. Stop selling your resume. Start demonstrating how you’ll solve their specific problems for the company/team. When you position yourself as the solution to their challenges—not just another candidate—the power dynamic shifts immediately. I: Influence key stakeholders. Create champions throughout the organization, not just with the hiring manager. Show each stakeholder how you’ll make their world better, and they’ll fight for your compensation later. N: Navigate complexity. Master the delicate dance of pushing for what you’re worth without creating tension. Know exactly when to advance discussions and when to build relationships. Timing is everything. S: Secure your value. Get agreements right, start delivering value before day one, and build the foundation for your long-term success. Here's more on part 1: G: Gather intelligence that others miss The most valuable information won’t show up in press releases or job descriptions. To build real leverage, spend time on three key intelligence domains: 1. Organization dynamics Forget the org chart—real power flows through history, unspoken alliances, and relationships. Approach: - Identify who gets consulted before decisions are made (often not who you’d expect) - Learn which past failures still haunt leadership thinking - Discover which rising stars have the CEO’s ear - Uncover the true drivers that aren’t discussed openly How to execute this: Before any interview, ask your network, “Who really influences decisions at this company?” and “Whose opinion does the leadership team value most?” The answers might surprise you. During the interview, ask questions such as: - How are decisions typically made in this organization? - Who are the key people I will collaborate with? - What’s the history behind this position? Is it new or am I replacing someone? - How can I best show up for you? And how can I best show up for [name other team member(s)]? Keep reading: http://bit.ly/3S1qiT2

You Cannot Acquire a Business Until the Seller is Willing to Sell You the Business The seller is a successful business person. Successful business people want to deal with peers. The seller is not going to sell you their business if they don't feel you are potentially their peer. 1. Treat the purchase of the business as if it were a sales process. Yes you are qualifying them as they are qualifying you. You need to persuade the seller to that they should choose you - in one of my podcast interviews, the buyer had a $1 Million lower bid than 10 others. He chose my podcast guest because of the personal relationship he developed. 2. Always make sure highlight your benefits, not your features. For example, we are a family business and intend to buy and hold - (that means you are not coming into fire people) 3. Determine the style of the seller, and complement or mirror their style. 4. Let the seller tell you what the price and terms should be. That is easy if you are buying an ON Market deal (via broker). OFF Market, let them set the price, do not negotiate with yourself. 5. Always respect the sellers and their accomplishments. I worked on a deal to buy a portfolio of courses from Udemy, it was doing $2 Million a year, and brought in majority investor to help - and got all three of us on conference call. The majority investor started pissing on the sellers couch - criticize the numbers AFTER we already signed the LOI. They got into pissing match on the phone - and you guessed it - the deal blew up. 6. Display an early intelligent and informed interest in the business and the mechanics involved in the overcoming the purchase - example, if you are buying a a contracting business and you don't have a contractor license, you are bringing a solution to the table. Same goes with CPA firms, some states require the owner to be the CPA, some do not, if you are trying to buy a CPA firm and you do not have a CPA license, have the solution ready to offer. 7. Keep it simple, these are not multiple billion dollar deals, if you cannot explain the deal points on one sheet of paper, it is probably too complicated.

An eye-opening observation about strategic SaaS deals: Transformation deals don’t have to take 18 months. Here's how to cut big deal sales cycles by 50%: 1/ Create a distinct point of view for your industry (Discovery) Most sellers fail to articulate a broad vision for the industry they work in and focus on what their company does. That will drastically limit your deal size. Instead, become a “performance curator” using your existing largest customers. Leverage their facts and stories to paint a clear picture of the big vision in their space and generate authentic curiosity. This will help with gathering meaningful data during Discovery and move you faster to the Insights stage. 2/ Actively collaborate with the prospect on how to change (Insights) Most sellers take way too long to get to the Insights stage, if it all. They think closing a deal is solely about teaching and persuading, rather than collaborating and co-designing something together. After gathering and receiving the prospect’s data, now will be the time when you bring together their change drivers and your subject matter experts (SMEs). I found the best way to do this is set up a design session, or what’s known as a “Lighthouse Workshop.” The goal of the session is to suspend limiting beliefs and get out of status-quo thinking. This is where both sides can open up on how to ideally tackle big problems and go after “moonshot” ideas.” 3/ Drive home why the prospect needs to change now (Accelerate) After too much time passes on working a large deal, most sellers get frustrated and deal-fatigued. This is when they get sloppy, succumb to the pressures of their management, and default to discounting to try to accelerate deal closure. That leads to an erosion of trust and quickly devaluing your solution. Instead, after completing a successful design session together where you architected the ideal way to operate, develop a narrative proposal and business case to secure (or create) budget. Make sure both executive sponsors (yours and theirs) sign off on it before it gets positioned inside their org. Both sides should have their hands on the proposal, ensuring it includes their specific terminology, initiatives, and realistic KPIs. This will help you accelerate closing the deal without compromising your reputation or cutting costs unnecessarily. If you're struggling to close large transformation deals within a calendar year, these are 3 great ways to enhance your approach. And remember this mantra at all times: "Less, but better." You already know quality is better than quantity at this level of sales... But are you truly living it? Those at the top are. 🐝

Working harder while earning the same salary isn't a sustainable career strategy - yet most professionals accept this as normal. The fundamental disconnect: raises aren't distributed based on effort or tenure, but on documented impact and strategic advocacy. The 5-step framework for successful salary negotiations: 1. Track your impact, not your activity 2. Time it strategically during budget planning periods 3. Script key talking points in advance 4. Research market rates and know your range 5. Eliminate apologetic language from your approach For professionals who struggle with confrontational conversations, structured preparation becomes essential. Scheduling formal discussions through calendar invites provides necessary preparation time for both parties. The most damaging mistake: apologizing for requesting appropriate compensation. Confidence in your value proposition is non-negotiable for successful outcomes. Your hard work alone will never translate to increased compensation without strategic self-advocacy. The market rewards those who understand this distinction. Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/3zxa3 #salary #raise #careeradvice #negotiation #workplacetips #professionaldevelopment #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #careerstrategy

Your negotiation metrics are outdated and costing you dearly. Forget spreadsheets; success goes beyond numbers. Here you’ll have seven powerful metrics, recommended by 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗱’𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗣𝗢𝗡), to redefine success in your negotiations. This will boost your profits, partnerships, and strategic impact. After advising executives from global companies like ABB and transforming negotiation strategies for over 30 years, I’ve seen how outdated metrics silently erode value. Most companies measure negotiation outcomes with overly simplistic financial indicators: • Higher rates • Bigger contracts • Short-term gains But here’s the costly truth:  ↳ This narrow focus risks long-term profitability, reputational damage, and missed strategic opportunities. Harvard’s Program on Negotiation (PON) recommends evaluating negotiations with these seven powerful metrics: 1️⃣ Relationship (separate people from the problem): ↳ Does your negotiation build relationships by clearly separating interpersonal issues from substantive problems? 2️⃣ Communication (Listen actively and empathize): ↳ Are discussions focused on understanding the other side’s perspective, actively listening, and demonstrating empathy to solve issues constructively? 3️⃣ Interests (Identify shared and divergent interests): ↳ Does the negotiated outcome effectively address your core interests, your counterpart’s key interests, and relevant stakeholders’ interests? 4️⃣ Options (Create value through joint gains): ↳ Have you jointly brainstormed multiple creative solutions aimed at maximizing mutual gains and expanding the negotiation pie? 5️⃣ Legitimacy (Use objective criteria): ↳ Is the agreed solution backed by objective criteria, standards, or precedents, ensuring fairness and acceptability for all parties involved? 6️⃣ BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement): ↳ Is your negotiated agreement demonstrably superior to your best alternative if the negotiation fails? 7️⃣ Commitment (Clear and realistic implementation): ↳ Are the negotiated commitments detailed, clear, realistic, and actionable, ensuring both parties understand their roles and responsibilities? Companies embracing these comprehensive metrics don’t just close deals; they build enduring competitive advantages. Redefine your negotiation success metrics now. Use these seven dimensions to evaluate your next negotiation. Your future bottom line will thank you. What’s your favorite metric for measuring negotiation success? Share in the comments. ♻️ Found value here? Please repost. Let’s raise negotiation standards together. 

One of the biggest pitfalls to avoid in M&A or any complex sales cycle (in life for that matter) - Miscommunication (or lack of) and misunderstanding. Some #tejtakeaways below extracted from my own mistakes! Seems OBVIOUS I know yet - we have all lost money, deals, clients, business partners and even personal relationships as a result. So many things impede us from winning but poor communication shouldn’t be a reason. Think about your last “loss” - it wasn’t one material reason (such as a valuation or money/fees) but rather a misunderstanding (lack of communication) or frustration (not being heard or miscommunication). These issues can be unilateral or mutual but not if we lead with genuine curiosity, especially during volilte times. Here’s one of my tenets I deploy during discovery (if not at the kickoff of due diligence) to be a more effective negotiator: 🔹Pre-negotiation alignment and roadmapping - for all internal and external parties🔹 It’s extra work up front but exponentially increases the chance of deals closing. This requires being inquisitive, ‘active listening’ (thanks Christopher Voss) then auditing those findings with all parties. Here’s how: 💡 Before engaging in any negotiation or deal, we should clearly know our: - NON-NEGOTIABLES - minimal outcomes/expectations (quantitative + qualitative) - NEGOTIABLES - range of numerous outcomes/ scenarios 1️⃣ Create a side by side list of each for yourself and team. That’s your high level deal map for what will lead to either success or failure, quickly. 2️⃣ Gather the same data sets but from the other party’s perspective (‘active listening’). Inquisitively interview them to understand their vision/path to success. 3️⃣ Now merge all that data and extract the key themes. If what they desire and need is vastly different that yours, that needs a joint audit and conversation to confirm or amend. Once you explore further, it may change for the better and you’re on the way to a likely successful outcome. If not, it’s time to walk away and move on (it may save the relationship). Sounds simple, and it can be logically, but our emotions/wants get in the way. That’s silly so don’t let that happen. Step back, rethink, and don’t over complicate or hang on because we tried to fit a square peg into a round hole in the first place. We’ve all been there and it’s never a long term, high reward win. Qualify + decline: low probability deals to save capacity for high value + high quality deals (and better fees), not to mention saving head/heartache and time! LinkedIn Any additional thoughts or tips?