DOCUMENT #13

The Blueprint System™ - Advanced Negotiation Series

Power Negotiation Phrases & Tactics

The exact words that have saved me millions in purchase prices

The Most Powerful Negotiation Tool:

SILENCE

80% of negotiation is won by whoever speaks less

Opening Gambits: Setting the Frame

Phrase #1: The Collaborative Frame

"I want to find a number that makes you happy to sell and me happy to buy. Let's work backwards from there."

When to use: First price discussion

Result: Positions you as partner, not adversary

Phrase #2: The Reality Check

"Help me understand how you arrived at that valuation."

When to use: When price is too high

Result: Forces them to justify, often revealing flaws

Price Reduction Power Phrases

Phrase #3: The Flinch

"Wow. [Long pause] That's... significantly more than I expected."

Follow with: Complete silence. Wait for them to speak.

Result: 70% immediately offer lower price or better terms

Phrase #4: The Benchmark Comparison

"I've looked at 12 similar businesses. The average multiple is 2.8x. You're asking 4.5x. What am I missing?"

Result: Shifts burden to justify premium

Phrase #5: The Risk Transfer

"I can pay your asking price if you're willing to guarantee the revenue for 24 months. Otherwise, we need to price in the risk."

Result: Either get guarantee or 20-30% price reduction

Terms Negotiation Magic Words

For Getting...	Say This...	Expected Result
Seller Financing	"What percentage would you be comfortable carrying?"	Assumes they will, just negotiating amount
Longer Due Diligence	"I move fast on good deals, slow on questionable ones. Which is this?"	Gets time while maintaining leverage
Earnout Terms	"I'm happy to pay more if the business performs. What targets make sense?"	They set targets, easier to achieve
Asset vs Stock	"My attorney says asset purchase. What would it take to make that work?"	Blame attorney, get what you want

Emotional Leverage Phrases

Phrase #6: The Legacy Protector

"I know this business is your baby. Help me understand what's most important to preserve."

Then say: "I can guarantee that if we can work on price..."

Phrase #7: The Future Fear

"What happens if we don't make a deal? What's your Plan B?"

Result: Surfaces their BATNA (usually worse than selling)

Closing Phrases That Seal Deals

Phrase #8: The Assumptive Close

"Sounds like we're close. Should we target closing for the 1st or 15th?"

Phrase #9: The Take-Away Close

"I'm not sure this is going to work. Maybe we should both explore other options."

Then: Start packing up your materials

Result: 40% make major concession to keep deal alive

Deadlock Breakers

Phrase #10: The Split Difference Redirect

When they say: "Let's split the difference"

"I appreciate that, but splitting the difference on a bad deal still makes it bad. What if we structured it differently?"

Phrase #11: The Creative Solution

"What if I could give you exactly what you need without it costing what you want?"

Then propose: Earnouts, consulting agreements, or retained equity

Power Phrases for Specific Situations

When Due Diligence Reveals Problems:

"This changes the risk profile significantly. We need to either adjust the price or you need to fix it before closing. Which do you prefer?"

When Seller Gets Another Offer:

"That's great - competition validates value. If their offer is better, you should take it. But if you'd prefer working with me, here's what I can do..."

When Seller Is Emotional:

"I can see this is hard for you. Take some time. When you're ready, let's find a way to honor what you've built while getting you what you need."

The Nuclear Options

Phrase #12: The Walk-Away

"I've done everything I can. This is my absolute best offer. If it doesn't work, I wish you the best."

Success rate: 60% call back within 48 hours

Phrase #13: The Deadline Drop

"My partners need an answer by 5 PM Friday or we're moving on to the other deal. I hope we can make this work."

Body Language Power Moves

Action	When to Use	Effect
The Lean Back	After making offer	Shows confidence, forces them forward
The Note Check	When they make claim	Creates doubt without speaking
The Slow Pack	During stalemate	Creates urgency to close gap
The Phone Check	During their pitch	Shows other options, reduces their leverage

Counter-Punches to Their Tactics

When They Say: "That's our bottom line"

"I understand that's where you are today. What would need to change for that number to move?"

When They Say: "We have another buyer"

"That's exactly why you should work with me - I can close faster and with more certainty. What are they offering that I'm not?"

When They Say: "Take it or leave it"

"I'll leave it. But before I go, help me understand what I could have done differently to make this work."

The 10 Commandments of Power Negotiation

He who speaks first after the offer loses
Always flinch at their first price
Never accept the first offer
Always bracket your offers
Make them sell you three times
Use odd numbers ($1,237,500 not $1.2M)
Get agreements on small things first
Always have a walkaway number
Time pressure is your friend
The deal is never done until money moves

Remember:

You don't get what you deserve in negotiation.

You get what you negotiate.