Words I like: “When the pressure is on, you don’t rise to the occasion. You fall to your highest level of preparation.”
– Chris Voss, Former FBI Lead Negotiator & CEO of The Black Swan Group
Ever notice how some people walk away from deals looking like magicians while the rest of us wonder what just happened to our leverage?
Here’s the truth: Most entrepreneurs are leaving serious money on the table because they’ve never been taught how to negotiate effectively.
We’ve got 5 battle-tested negotiation tactics for you, and the Chris Voss GPT to transform your next negotiation.
You can use this to:
- Negotiate terms with suppliers
- Finalize compensation packages for new team members
- Close your next big client deal
Use the Chris Voss GPT to Prepare for Your Next Negotiations
1) Master Your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
The person who needs the deal less wins.
Before walking into any negotiation, know exactly what you’ll do if this deal falls through.
This isn’t just a backup plan; it’s your power source.
Pro Tip: Develop at least two solid alternatives before any important negotiation. When a vendor knows you’re already talking to their competitors (and have solid offers in hand), their “non-negotiable” terms become surprisingly flexible.
2) Use Tactical Empathy (Chris Voss Special)
Former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss, revolutionized negotiation by proving that emotional intelligence trumps aggressive tactics every time.
What is the tactical empathy technique?
Label emotions you observe: “It seems like you’re concerned about delivery timelines” or “It sounds like budget flexibility is important to you.”
This disarms the other party while giving you critical insight into what matters most to them.
This information worth its weight in gold during later stages.
Pro Tip: Practice active listening and repeating the last three words someone says with a questioning inflection (higher pitch like “I’m Ron Burgandy?”) to encourage them to share more, including hidden concerns.
Use the Chris Voss GPT to Prepare for Your Next Negotiation
3) Present 3 Options
Never present just 1 option. Then it’s just yes or no.
Present 3 options: Good (but not good enough), Better (what they’re most likely to pick), and Best (plant the seeds for additional work together in the future)
Presenting 3 options reframes the negotiation from “Should I accept this?” to “Which one should I choose?”
It shifts the dynamic, giving your counterpart a sense of control while you still anchor the decision-making process.
Pro Tip: Design your middle option to be the one you want them to pick because it feels “just right.”
4) Anchor Strategically, Move Minimally
The first number on the table is the most powerful.
It becomes the benchmark for the entire negotiation.
Anchoring high (and credibly) shifts the mental playing field and redefines what’s “reasonable.”
From there, moving minimally signals confidence and discipline.
If you offer $15,000 and they counter at $10,000, your next offer shouldn’t be $12,500.
Try $14,625 instead. It also helps to add more significant digits (non-zeros) to the amount to reinforce moving minimally.
Pro Tip: Anchor with empathy. Set your number, but pair it with a soft voice and curiosity about their perspective. That’s how you stay firm and likable.
5) Frame Everything as Investment, Not Cost
Cost feels like money going out.
Investment feels like value coming in.
That subtle shift in language triggers a different mental model to focus on ROI instead of expense.
When you frame your offer as an investment, you’re aligning with outcomes, not transactions.
Pro Tip: Pair the word investment with specific benefits: time saved, revenue increased, or risk reduced to make the return feel real.
Use the Chris Voss GPT to Prepare for Your Next Negotiation
Preparing to Win
Your next negotiation can be won or lost before you ever sit down at the table.
The most successful negotiators spend 90% of their time planning and preparing and only 10% actually negotiating.
That’s why we wanted to give you the Chris Voss GPT to help you prepare for your next negotiation.
Here to help you stay two steps ahead,
Mike and the Malloy Industries Team
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P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help:
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