ABOUT THIS EPISODE
You’ve probably heard the old negotiation advice: Never make the first offer. Let the other person show their cards first.
But decades of negotiation research suggest it isn’t that simple.
The first number placed on the table can create a powerful anchor, influencing everything that follows. Making the first offer can sometimes produce a better economic result — but aggressive opening positions can also reduce the chances of reaching an agreement and damage the relationship in the process.
In this episode of Time Tested Mastery, Mark Dolan draws on more than 40 years in sales, real estate, and leadership to examine when going first gives you an advantage, when it can cost you, and why preparation matters more than any simple negotiation rule.
You’ll learn:
- How the first offer creates an anchor
- When making the first offer can improve your position
- How an aggressive opening can actually kill a deal
- Why your opening number reveals information about you
- How to respond when someone else anchors the negotiation first
- Why price is often only one part of the real negotiation
- How to protect both the economic outcome and the relationship
Because in a relationship business, winning the number doesn’t always mean winning the deal.
Time Tested Mastery — Life Lessons Sell.
