Price negotiation is the phase that decides the margin on the whole deal. The fundamental rule is that every concession should have something given in return. If you lower the price, reduce the scope at the same time, extend the deadline, ask for a longer commitment, a higher deposit, a reference, or a decision by a specific date. A discount given for nothing in return has three consequences: it signals that the original price was inflated, it opens another round of negotiation, and it sets an expectation for future deals. Before negotiating, set the floor below which you will not go, and decide what you will do if no agreement is reached – having that fallback ready is what gives you composure and has the greatest effect on the outcome. And expect that a customer who decides purely on price also tends to be the most demanding during delivery.
See also: Objection handling, Pricing of services, Ideal customer profile.
