A deal is on the table, and the numbers don't quite meet. You want a good outcome — but you also want to work with these people again next year. This is where you learn to do both.
The Scene 🎬
You run a small design studio, and a client you rather like has come back for a bigger project — a full website rebuild. You've sent your proposal: a fair price, a sensible timeline, a clear scope of what's included. This morning they've asked for a call, and you already know why. They love the work. They just think the number is too high.
Here's the thing you have to hold in your head the whole way through: this isn't a battle to win. If you fight hard and squeeze every penny out of them, you might get today's price and lose next year's work. If you fold at the first push, you'll deliver the project resenting it — and they'll come back expecting the same discount again. What you actually want is a deal you can both live with: a number you can afford to say yes to, on terms you can deliver well, with the relationship still warm at the end of the call.
Good negotiators know a quiet secret. Price is only one thing on the table. There's also scope — how much you do. There's timeline — how fast. There's payment terms, ongoing support, who owns what. A skilled negotiator rarely just drops the price; they trade. "I can move on that, if you can move on this." Every concession buys something back. That's what turns a tug-of-war into a deal.
So when they say "it's too expensive", the worst thing you can do is either dig in like it's a personal insult, or cave on the spot to keep the peace. The skill you're building today lives in the calm middle: hold your position warmly, ask what's really driving their number, and trade your way to a yes.
Warm up — talk for a minute or two
Think of a time you agreed a price or a deal — at work, buying a car, renting a flat. Did you push, fold, or trade? Looking back, would you do it differently now?
In your culture, is open haggling normal and expected, or does pushing on price feel awkward and a little rude? How might that shape the way you negotiate in English with people from elsewhere?
Who's who
You
The Studio Owner 🎨
You want the work and you like this client — but the project has to pay properly and be deliverable without wrecking your other commitments. Your job today: protect your price and your relationship at the same time.
The other voice
The Client 🤝
They rate you highly and genuinely want to hire you — but they've got a budget to answer for and a habit of pushing. Not an enemy; a partner with a real constraint. Understand it, and you can solve it together.
First: read the conversation in the next tab. Don't just watch whether the price moves — watch how the deal is traded. Notice every time a concession is swapped for a concession instead of simply given away, and notice how the tone stays warm even when the position stays firm.
The Conversation 💬
Read it out loud, one role each — then swap. Notice how You never simply caves and never simply fights: every move either asks a question, holds the line warmly, or trades one thing for another.
YouThanks for making the time. Before we get into numbers — I'm really glad you came back to us, and I'd love to make this work. So let's find something that works for both of us.
ClientLikewise, we love your stuff. But I'll be honest — the proposal came in higher than we'd budgeted. Quite a bit higher, actually.
YouOkay, thank you for being straight with me. Before we talk price, can I ask — what number were you working towards? It helps me understand what we're solving for.
ClientHonestly, we were hoping to come in around twenty per cent below your quote. That's the shape of it.
YouRight. I appreciate you putting a real figure on it. I'll be equally honest: twenty per cent off the price as it stands is a bit further than I can go — help me understand what's driving the number. Is it a hard ceiling from finance, or is it more that it felt high against what you expected?
ClientA bit of both, if I'm honest. There is a ceiling. But it also just felt like a lot for a website.
YouThat's fair, and I'd rather sort it now than have it sit there. So let's look at what's inside the price rather than just the price. A chunk of the cost is the custom photography and the extra language versions. If those aren't essential for launch, we could take them out — and that brings the number down a good way towards where you need to be.
ClientThe photography we could probably supply ourselves, actually. The second language we do need, though.
YouGood — that already helps. So here's where I can meet you. If you can supply the photography and we push the timeline out by two weeks, so it fits more comfortably around my other projects, then I can bring the price down to sit inside your ceiling. How does that land?
ClientTwo weeks longer is fine on our side, actually — we're not launching until the spring. So that trade works for us.
YouThen I think we've found it. One thing I'd want to keep as it is: the payment terms — half up front, half on delivery. That's what lets me hold the price at this level. Are you comfortable with that?
ClientHalf up front is fine. That all sounds workable. I'm glad we talked rather than just trading emails.
YouMe too. So, just to confirm what we've agreed: the second language stays in, you supply the photography, we move the deadline two weeks later, half up front and half on delivery — and the price sits at the figure inside your ceiling. I'll put that in writing this afternoon. And thank you — this is exactly the kind of project I enjoy.
From memory — no peeking back up!
1. When the client pushes for twenty per cent off, You doesn't argue and doesn't give in. Instead You asks a question — what was the question, and what did asking it achieve that arguing wouldn't have?
2. You never simply drops the price. Every time something is given, something comes back the other way. Name at least two of those trades — what did You give, and what did You get for it?
3. Right at the end, when the deal is basically done, You still holds one thing firm. What was it, and why keep hold of that particular thing rather than throwing it in to seem generous?
1. You asks what's driving the number — "is it a hard ceiling from finance, or did it just feel high?" That turns a flat demand into a problem you can solve together. It buys information (there's a real ceiling and a perception issue), lowers the temperature, and stops You from either fighting or folding before understanding the real constraint. 2. Several trades: the client supplies the photography in exchange for a lower price; the timeline moves out two weeks in exchange for the price coming down; and the price only holds because the payment terms stay as they are. Nothing is given for free — each concession buys something back. That's the difference between trading and caving. 3. The payment terms — half up front. You keeps it firm because it's what makes the reduced price affordable to deliver: cash up front protects You's own position. The lesson: know the one or two things you won't trade away, and hold them warmly but clearly even when the mood is friendly.
Useful Phrases 🧰
Ten phrases that carry you through almost any negotiation — from the opening handshake to the closing summary. Say each one out loud BEFORE you reveal it. Guessing first is how they stick.
Say it like you mean it. In a negotiation, how you say it matters as much as the words. Stay calm and unhurried — a slow, steady voice signals you're comfortable, not desperate. And learn to love the pause. When you name your position and then simply stop talking, the silence does the work: it tells the other side you mean it, and it quietly invites them to move. Most people rush to fill a silence with a concession. Don't be that person — let the quiet sit.
🌱 Opening & framing
Phrase 1
You want to open the negotiation warmly — signalling from the first breath that this is a shared problem to solve, not a fight to win. Which line sets that collaborative frame?
A. "Let's see how low you're willing to go."
B. "Let's find something that works for both of us."
C. "I'm not going to move much, just so you know."
B — "Let's find something that works for both of us." It frames the whole conversation as a joint search for a deal, not a contest. That tone makes the other side more open and protects the relationship from the first word. A treats them as an opponent to beat; C plants your feet before you've even heard them, which invites a fight.
Phrase 2
Before you get anywhere near haggling, you want to understand what the other side actually needs. There's a natural way to ask permission to dig first. Complete the chunk: "Before we talk price, ___ ___ ___…?"
"Before we talk price, can I ask…?" It slows things down and puts a question ahead of the number, so you're negotiating with information instead of guesses. Cousins: "Can I understand your side first?", "Just so I know what we're solving for…"
🧱 Holding your position without hostility
Phrase 3
They've pushed for a discount that's genuinely too big. You need to say no to the number — but without hostility, and while keeping the door open. Which line holds firm and stays warm?
A. "Absolutely not, that's ridiculous."
B. "That's a bit further than I can go — help me understand what's driving the number."
C. "Fine, whatever works for you."
B — "That's a bit further than I can go — help me understand what's driving the number." "A bit further than I can go" is a soft, firm no — it declines without slamming the door. Then, instead of stopping there, it opens a question, turning a standoff into a shared problem. A is hostile; C caves instantly and teaches them to push you every time.
Phrase 4
They keep pressing and you're tempted to explain yourself at length — but over-explaining sounds like an apology, and apologising weakens your position. Rather than justify your price for a whole minute, you hold it in one calm line and stop. In your own words — how might you name your position simply and then let the pause do the work?
e.g. "This is the price that lets me do the job properly." … then say nothing. / "I've priced this as fairly as I can." … then wait. / "That's where I need to be on this." … and let it sit. The skill here is the silence after the sentence. State your position once, calmly, without a wall of justification — then close your mouth. The pause signals confidence and quietly hands the next move to them. Rushing to fill it with reasons (or a discount) is exactly what weakens you.
❓ Asking questions before conceding
Phrase 5
Before you give anything away, you want to understand why they need what they're asking for — because the reason often points to a cheaper way to solve it. Put it in order:
what'shelp methe numberdrivingunderstand
"What would need to change for that to work for you?" It invites them to explain the real constraint behind the demand — a hard budget ceiling, a boss to answer to, a nervous feeling that it's "a lot". Once you know the why, you can often solve it without simply dropping your price. Cousins: "What's behind that figure for you?", "Where's the pressure coming from on your side?"
Phrase 6
They've asked for a lower price. Before you talk money at all, you want to check whether the whole package — everything included — is really what they need, or whether some of it could come out. Complete it: "Rather than just the price, let's look at ___ ___ ___ ___ ___."
"Rather than just the price, let's look at what's inside the price." This opens up scope — the amount of work — as something you can adjust, instead of treating price as the only lever. Often the other side is happy to drop a feature they didn't really need. Cousins: "Let's separate the price from the scope", "What here is essential, and what's nice-to-have?"
🔄 Trading concessions — if… then…
Phrase 7
This is the engine of every good negotiation: you never give something for nothing — you trade. There's a two-part shape that does it. Complete it: "___ you can do X, ___ I can move on Y."
"If you can do X, then I can move on Y." The "if… then…" links your concession to theirs, so nothing is given away free. It's fair, it's clear, and it keeps the deal balanced. Cousins: "I can come down on price, provided you can…", "Happy to move on the deadline, as long as you can…"
Phrase 8
They want a discount, but you've spotted a trade: if they handle the photos and give you a little more time, you can lower the price. Say the offer as an "if… then…", out loud, in your own words — how would you phrase this exact trade?
e.g. "If you can supply the photography and give me two more weeks, then I can bring the price down to your ceiling." / "I can lower the price, provided you cover the photos and we push the deadline out a little." Notice the shape: two things from them, one thing from you, all in a single balanced sentence. You're not caving — you're swapping. Say it calmly and then pause; let them react. (This is Phrase 7's "if… then…" put to real work — that's why it's worth making automatic.)
✅ Closing the deal
Phrase 9
You've reached a deal, but nothing's been written down and it'd be easy for the two sides to remember it differently. Before you finish, you want to say the whole agreement back, clearly, so you're certain you match. Complete it: "So, ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___, the second language stays in and you supply the photos."
"So, just to confirm what we've agreed, the second language stays in and you supply the photos." Reading the deal back out loud catches misunderstandings while everyone's still in the room, and quietly locks in the terms. The person who summarises the deal often shapes it. Cousins: "Let me make sure we're on the same page…", "So where we've landed is…"
Phrase 10
The deal is done and you want to close on a warm note — protecting the relationship so they're glad they hired you and happy to come back. Which line ends it well? (Gloss: "come back to us" here means hire us again in future.)
A. "Right, well, I suppose that'll have to do."
B. "Pleasure doing business — this is exactly the kind of project I enjoy, and I'm glad we sorted it together."
C. "Good, I got there in the end."
B — "Pleasure doing business — this is exactly the kind of project I enjoy, and I'm glad we sorted it together." It closes warmly and frames the deal as a shared win, which is exactly what makes them come back to us next time. A sounds grudging; C makes it about you beating them, which sours a deal you'd just made friendly. The last sentence is the one they'll remember.
🔑 Make them yours — for a real deal you're facing
Don't practise these for "a negotiation" — practise them for one that's actually coming up: a price you need to agree, a contract to renew, a salary or a fee to discuss. Pin three of them to your real situation and say each answer out loud until it's automatic.
A real negotiation on your horizon — what's the deal, and what does the other side most want from it?
The trade you could offer — "if you can do X, then I can move on Y." What's your X and your Y?
The one thing you will NOT trade away — and how you'll hold it warmly but firmly.
Quick test: close your eyes and run a whole mini-negotiation out loud — open warmly → ask what's driving their number → hold your position without folding → trade a concession for a concession → confirm the deal and close warm. When it flows without you hunting for the phrases, they're yours.
Your Turn 🎭
Now you're at the table. Speak your answers out loud FIRST — this is fluency practice, so keep talking even when it's not perfect. Use the timer: a real negotiation has a rhythm, and long silences to craft the perfect line will cost you.
Round 1 — you are negotiating 🎨
A supplier is quoting you for a big order and the price is over your budget. You want a better deal AND a good long-term supplier. No looking back at the phrases; reach for them from memory. Frame → hold → ask → trade → close.
SupplierSo that's our quote for the full order — I think it's very competitive for the quality you're getting.
SupplierToo high? I have to say, that's already a sharp price for us.
SupplierWell, what exactly is the problem — is it the total, or something else?
SupplierLook, we could possibly do something on price — but we'd need something back.
SupplierOkay. I think we can work with that, actually.
Round 2 — now YOU are the other party 🤝
Swap seats. Now you're the supplier, and a customer is pushing hard on your price. Hold your ground warmly, ask what's behind their number, and trade rather than simply drop it. Invent the product; give the deal some life.
CustomerLook, we really want to work with you — but honestly your quote is well above what we can spend.
CustomerThere's a hard limit from our side, and your number's about fifteen per cent over it.
CustomerWe could drop a couple of the extras, I suppose. Would that help?
CustomerAlright. I think we can make that work. So what have we agreed?
The Twist
🎯 The take-it-or-leave-it
One more round — no script. Right when you thought you were closing in on a deal, the other side plays hardball. They fold their arms and deliver an ultimatum: "That's our final number. Take it or leave it — and we need an answer now." It's a squeeze, and it's meant to rattle you. Start the timer and handle it live. Don't be bullied into a bad yes, and don't storm off in a huff — stay calm, keep your options open, and keep the relationship intact. Buy yourself a moment, test whether the ultimatum is really as fixed as they say, name what you'd need to make a deal work, and be genuinely willing to walk away pleasantly if it doesn't. The goal isn't to win the standoff; it's to stay steady, protect the relationship, and leave the door open either way.
Before you close the tab…
Run back through what you just said. Could you honestly tick each of these?
I opened warmly and framed the deal as a shared problem, not a fight.
I held my position without either caving or getting hostile.
I asked what was driving their number before I gave anything away.
I traded a concession for a concession instead of just dropping my price.
I confirmed the deal clearly and closed with the relationship still warm.
Any you couldn't tick? That's your target for your next real negotiation — run the twist once more and win it back.
The Bigger Picture 🔭
Most people picture a negotiation as a battle — two sides pulling on the same rope, and whoever pulls hardest wins. But the deals that actually last almost never look like that. They look like two people leaning over the same table, trying to solve a shared problem: how do we make this work for both of us? The moment you stop trying to beat the other person and start trying to understand them, the whole thing gets easier — and, strangely, you usually come out with more.
That matters because the best deals aren't the ones where you squeezed every last penny out. They're the ones where both sides walk away able to work together again. The client who felt fairly treated comes back next year. The supplier you didn't crush gives you the favour when you're in a tight spot. A reputation for being firm but fair is worth more, over a career, than any single win — and it's built one warm handshake at a time.
And notice the two quiet tools that did most of the work. First, "if… then…": nothing given for free, everything traded, so the deal stays balanced and no one feels robbed. Second, the pause — naming your position and then simply falling silent, letting the quiet carry the weight instead of a flood of words. The loudest, most stubborn person in the room rarely gets the best deal. The calm one who asks good questions, trades cleanly, and knows when to say nothing usually does.
Two bigger questions
"Win the negotiation" and "keep the relationship" can pull in opposite directions. When they genuinely conflict — when a better price would cost you goodwill — how do you decide which matters more, and does the answer change depending on whether you'll deal with this person again?
Some cultures and workplaces treat hard bargaining as respect — you're expected to push — while others read it as aggression. When you're negotiating across that gap, whose norms should set the tone, and how do you find out what game the other side thinks they're playing?