Negotiation Tactics for Digital Advertising

Your sales reps are leaving $$$ on the negotiation table Worst part? They don’t even realize it. By reading this post, you’ll uncover exactly how to break your sales team’s dangerous habit of anchoring to their reservation point (your break-even): Shifting their mindset to ambitious, realistic targets based on your customers’ actual willingness to pay. I recently worked with NovaTech, whose cutting-edge sales app was meant to boost profits but inexplicably delivered mediocre results. Digging deeper, we found something alarming:  The app flashed break-even (cost-plus) pricing prominently, inadvertently anchoring their sales team to this low baseline. We quickly redesigned the app, completely removing the cost-plus reference. Instead, we prominently featured an ambitious yet realistic target price rooted in validated customer willingness to pay and measurable added value. What happened next? → Within weeks, NovaTech’s reps negotiated confidently and anchored substantially higher. → Margins jumped significantly (over 20% on average deals). → Competitors wondered how NovaTech suddenly started capturing bigger deals. To replicate NovaTech’s success, implement these 5 strategic steps immediately: 1️⃣ Hide your break-even, set bold targets → Remove cost-plus from team resources. → Always present ambitious price targets based on genuine customer willingness to pay. 2️⃣ Anchor high, justify with tangible value → Require reps to anchor their first offer around measurable client gains (increased revenues, cost savings, improved performance). 3️⃣ Bundle value before discounting → Always explore additional benefits (premium support, faster shipping, extra features) before ever discussing price reductions. → Create value before dividing it. 4️⃣ Demand reciprocal tradeoffs → Discounts are never free—always trade them for higher volume, referrals, faster payment, or extended contracts. 5️⃣ Standardize your negotiation process → Ban improvisation. → Equip reps with a structured negotiation approach, clearly mapping client interests, leverage, and strategic concessions. → No exceptions. Today, eliminate the visibility of your break-even from all negotiation guides and replace it with a compelling, ambitious target clearly tied to customer value. Tomorrow’s negotiation margins will thank you. That’s how NovaTech escaped the silent profit leak. What’s your favorite strategy for anchoring your team higher and boosting negotiation margins? Drop it in the comments below to tap into my network’s insights. Have you ever caught your reps anchored to the wrong number and felt it hit your bottom line? ♻️ If you found value here, kindly repost and help others end the painful profit leak caused by anchoring low. 

“What are we getting in return.” This was the first question Charley H, my CRO of Botify, used to always ask sellers when they would come to him saying a prospect was asking for something. I just went through this with a deal at the end of the quarter. A prospect wanted a decent sized discount so for us it was all about what made it worth it. When I coach reps on negotiation, this is one of the top three learnings I would always share. If your prospect is asking for something, make sure you are getting something in return. Here's some of the the options I would arm sellers with to ask for in return: 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: Depending on where we were in the deal and quarter, one easy thing to ask for is aligning to a signature date. Great example here would be to try to pull a deal in from say Q4 to Q3. 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳: This was probably my number one ask in return and it contained a wide array of options such as being a reference once a quarter, branded case study, branded webinar etc… In some instances we have all of these included as part of a “customer marketing” clause. 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: In a lot of instances I have led with multi year agreements but in instances where I haven’t this is a great option to counter with if the client wants a lower price. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲: Yup, in some instances you can ask for a higher price. They want to pay quarterly or not do the multi year agreement, the price should be higher. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀: On the flip side, if your invoicing terms aren’t standard at annual, this is a great ask in return, especially if they want a lower price. 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗠: This is something I have written into the agreement for a variety of reasons. Lets say someone is negotiating for a pilot, I want to make sure I have access to the DM numerous times throughout the pilot. 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘀: If the individuals you are working with have a great network that could lead to other deals, this is a great thing to ask for. A lot of this will come down to what they are asking but at the same time, you need to look at the entire deal holistically. Yet all in all, if you are going to be giving something advantageous to the client, whether it is a larger scope, a cheaper price, etc… you should be getting something in return. Anything else to add to my list of what you might ask for?

I’ve negotiated multi-multi-million dollar deals, and here are 5 things I’ve learned: Negotiation doesn't start when you sit down—it starts way earlier. 1: Before you even start… • Figure out what they actually need from you (and what pressures they're under-budget deadlines, approval hoops, whatever) • Know your walk-away number and your "stretch" ask • Identify a few trade-offs you can give that cost you nothing but feel valuable to them 2: Stop thinking yes/no It's not just "I win" or "I lose." Sometimes you win on price but give up rights. Or you take less cash but get equity or control of your work. Or you play it safe now so you can land a bigger deal later. You're not looking for one win — you're building a package of wins. 3: Money's not the only chip If they're stuck on price, move the conversation. Ask for: • Shorter exclusivity • Faster payment terms • Performance bonuses • Rights to reuse or resell your work Get creative. Sometimes the best part of a deal isn't the check. 4: Get intel they don't know you have Don't just Google "average rates." Find out: • What they've paid for similar work before • Who inside the company is your biggest fan • What competitor they really don't want you working with That's leverage you can actually use. 5: Price is a signal If you price too low, people assume you're inexperienced, in low demand, or a headache later. Set a number that says, "I'm good at this, and you're lucky to get me" — and then deliver so it feels like a bargain. What's your best negotiation tip?