Often in sales, especially when we’re hungry to hit quota or land a new logo, we give away way too much too fast.
Free trials. Custom proposals. Discounts before they even ask for one?!
All before we’ve earned anything back…sound familiar?
The equilibrium is not about withholding value or stalling your deal, it’s about maintaining balance. I feel a Substance joke brewing, but luckily can’t think of any right now…
What I am going to highlight today is that great negotiation isn’t a moment that happens at the end – it’s a series of micro agreements throughout the sales cycle. In short, when we give, we should always get.
Not because we’re transactional, but because mutual investment signals mutual intent, and that’s how deals actually get done.
Let’s break down the 3 ways to use give-gets across your sales cycle:
- Early Cycle: The Negotiation Starts Day One
- Mid Cycle: Match Their Energy to Create Momentum
- Late Cycle: Close The Deal With The 4 W’s
1. Early Cycle: Negotiation Starts Day One
Negotiation isn’t reserved for the closing or “negotiation” stage, it begins in discovery.
Every time we offer up something valuable early (a pricing overview, looping in a specialized team member, a customized demo), we should expect commitment from the buyer side in return.
For example, if we’re giving a pricing range, we should be getting their evaluation criteria in return. If we’re pulling in product resources, they should be bringing in their technical stakeholders. No freebies.
Here are some examples of early stage gives and gets to weigh:
Early Stage Gives:
- Rate card or baseline pricing
- Custom pitch or overview
- Product participation on calls
- Relevant content (case studies, ROI docs)
Early Stage Gets:
- Clear timing of the evaluation plan
- Evaluation criteria and who’s involved in the decision
- Walkthrough of current tech stack and tools
- Next steps scheduled
2. Mid Cycle: Match Their Energy to Create Momentum
Once discovery is done, this is where deals can start to wobble.
One-sided effort is a red flag. If you’re organizing workshops, onsite visits, or putting together a proposal and your champion is “circling back” for a week straight, that’s not a mutual process.
So make your effort (your give) contingent on their effort (your get). One thing I’ve found helpful here is to use language like “Happy to provide this if we can align on X.” This helps to frame the give as contingent on a get. Not a threat, but rather a partnership.
To maintain momentum and equality, we match their energy.
Mid Cycle Gives:
- Trial access/proof of concept
- ROI models
- Customer references
- Proposal paperwork
- On site workshops
Mid Cycle Gets:
- Documented trial results
- Technical agenda for feedback calls
- Competitor context - where do we sit?
- Mutual action plan
- Access to signatory
3. Late Cycle: Close the Deal With The 4 W's
If you’ve balanced gives and gets the whole way through, this stage gets way easier. But here’s where things often go sideways and where the 4 W's of negotiation become essential.
Before offering any closing incentives like a discount or extended payment terms, ask yourself (and them):
- What? What do they want from you? What can they give in return? A multi-year term? Fast (and predictable) sign date? A case study?
- Why? Why is that important to them? Budget season? Burned in the past? Procurement pressure?
- Who? Who will sign? Are they in the loop now? Who else might slow it down?
- When? When do they need this to be live by? When does their fiscal close? When will legal be approved?
It is important to make sure that once you have all of those questions answered (or at least you know which you need the answer to!) you still maintain the balance as you go through the final stages of negotiation.
See some common examples below:
Late Stage Gives:
- Discounting
- Legal resourcing
- Access to onboarding/implementation resources
- Executive involvement
Late Stage Gets:
- Legal timing commitment
- Case study/logo rights
- Defined payment terms
- Signed agreement (ta da)
Even if the deal is “done,” don’t underestimate the power of post-close gets. A strong case study, payment timing, or internal champions can make or break your next deal in that same org.
Final Thoughts
Here’s what I want you to walk away with: the best reps don’t just negotiate. They manage momentum and trade value from the first call.
Don’t be afraid to ask for something in return. Not because you’re trying to be selfish, but because the second you start giving without getting, you’re training your prospect that this isn’t a partnership. It’s a favor. And you don’t close favors.
The equilibrium matters.
Want a copy of my full Gives/Gets tracker? Or just want to jam on a weird deal you’re stuck in? Connect with me on LinkedIn or shoot me a note, I am always down to talk sales.
