Answer pressure tactics in a way that keeps you in control.
You rarely need a clever comeback when someone uses a pressure tactic on you. Most of the tactics from lesson 6.1, "The pressure tactics you will meet", lose their grip when you either say plainly what is happening or carry on as if it had not happened. Spotting a tactic is half the job. The other half is answering it in a way that keeps you calm, keeps the relationship intact and keeps the deal on its merits.
Your most useful response is to name it, neutrally. Notice the pressure, describe it in a neutral voice without accusing anyone, ask a question about it, and use the answer as information. Naming a tactic is different from accusing someone of using one. It puts the pressure on the table where both sides can see it.
Daniel is at a car showroom, and his salesperson says the price is only available if he signs today. Daniel doesn't argue. He says the deadline feels tight and asks what happens if he needs until Monday to decide. A typical answer, given as an illustration, is that the salesperson would have to check with their manager but could probably hold the price.
An answer like that often shows the deadline is softer than it sounded. Sometimes it shows a real reason, such as limited stock, and that is worth knowing too.
When the other side flinches at your number, you have two options. You can name the flinch and ask what they were expecting, which turns their reaction into information you can use. Or you can ignore it completely and carry on as if they had said "I see." In both cases, never soften your number because of a facial expression.
When a long silence falls, wait. If you have made a reasonable offer, you don't need to add anything, and counting slowly in your head can help you sit through it. If the silence goes on for a long time, asking "What are your thoughts?" hands the turn back to them without giving anything away.
Higher authority is easiest to deal with before it is used. Early in the conversation, ask who decides. You might ask who else needs to approve it, or whether they can agree terms today or someone else must sign off. Lesson 3.1, "Research the market and the other side", suggested these as normal questions to ask.
If someone else decides, you have three choices:
ask whether that person can join the conversation hold back your final concessions until you are dealing with the person who can agree match the tactic politely by saying you also need to check with someone, for example your family, before you commit
Whichever you choose, direct your concessions to the person who can actually agree. Daniel learned from the salesperson's answer that the manager has to approve the price, so he decides not to make his best offer to the salesperson at all. He asks to speak with the manager directly, so his concessions go to the person who can say yes.
A take-it-or-leave-it position may be a firm wall, or it may be made of paper. You find out by going around it rather than pushing against it. Don't argue about whether they negotiate. Go back to interests and criteria, as taught in modules 1 and 2: ask about flexibility elsewhere in the deal and cite objective data.
Wei Ling (an example candidate) has a job offer, and her recruiter says the package is standard and they don't negotiate. She doesn't argue the point. She acknowledges what the recruiter said and asks what flexibility there is in the rest of the package, such as the start date or the timing of the first review. She says she is keen on the role, and mentions that market data she has seen for similar positions sits a little higher than the base. This tests whether the "standard" is truly fixed without challenging the recruiter's honesty.
If the offer really is final, fall back on your BATNA from lesson 2.1 and compare the offer with what you will do if you leave it. If the offer is better than your BATNA, take it. If it is worse, leave it, politely. Base the decision on your preparation rather than on the tone of the sentence.
One rule covers almost every tactic in module 6: don't agree to anything important while under time pressure. If you feel rushed, ask for a break of an hour or a day. Saying you would like to think it over and come back by a stated time, for example tomorrow afternoon, is a normal request, and a reasonable counterpart will almost always agree. If they refuse, the refusal tells you a lot about the deal and about the person offering it.
A nibble, an extra ask that arrives late in the deal, is a concession like any other, so either name a price for it or decline. You might offer to include delivery if the two of you can agree on the price for the extended warranty. You don't need to resent a nibble, and you don't need to give it away either.
Now choose five of these tactics and write a short response to each, one line each. Say each line out loud until it sounds like you.
Write a one-line response to each of five tactics, then say each one out loud.
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