The “Just Suppose” negotiating tactic is a useful way to get more information

During a negotiation, there often arise cases where we’d really like to get the other side to give us information that they really don’t want to give to us. If only there was some way to test the other side’s willingness to settle with us.

Such a tactic does exist – it’s called the “just suppose” tactic.

Imagine you were on the buying side of a negotiation looking to buy multiple items of a particular product or service.

You might ask the seller to give you a quote for 1, 10 or 20 of the item or service (or a contract for 1, 6 or 12 months). Once you have a response to the request for price, you’ll have lots of information about their costing scheme, any setup charges, economies and production/service costs.

The “just suppose” tactic is very powerful when used appropriately. To help you get the most out of this tactic, here are several suggestions that can help you get information during a negotiation:

• Just suppose we change the specifications?
• Just suppose we change when the work is actually done?
• Just suppose we buy more items than just the ones being negotiated?
• Just suppose we provide the required materials?
• Just suppose we increase the quantity?
• Just suppose we agree to a longer contract?

Now all of these suggestions are great news if you are trying to buy something. But what if you are the one doing the selling? In negotiations, everything is an opportunity.

Once you hear the buyer starting to ask “just suppose” type questions, you should start to be on alert to what might be coming next. Here are several ways that the seller can react to the tactic:

• Don’t come up with new prices “off the cuff”. Take time to plan your prices carefully.
• Not every “just suppose” question actually needs to be answered. You can avoid answering these types of questions by using responses such as “they won’t”, “we can’t”, or “that will be very expensive”. Think about how your answer will structure the other sides expectations before you make a response. Sometimes parking or postponing your response may be the right solution.
• If you do offer a concession, then make it contingent on you receiving their order immediately. Closing concessions should be conditional upon agreement.

The selling party has a counter tactic called “would you consider” which can be used in response to “just suppose” questions. “Would you consider increasing the length of the contract beyond that period?”

Both of these tactics can open new negotiating possibilities that may help both parties move towards a successful solution.

Remember negotiation should be seen as an enabling process, not a blocking one.

© 2011 Scotwork Negotiating Skills NZ, www.scotwork.co.nz