Sales & negotiation
Defend value when a customer asks for a discount
B2B sales Thomas BERTRAND Negotiation framework
Practical exampleYOUR SITUATION
Your proposal is selected. A 15% discount is demanded.
You are a sales manager at a B2B services company. Your proposal was selected for its quality. In the latest meeting, Thomas BERTRAND, Procurement Director, asks for a 15% discount and points to a cheaper competitor. He wants to sign this week, but the scope of the two offers has not yet been compared.
YOUR COUNTERPART
Thomas BERTRAND
Procurement Director
Services company- Mindset
- Pragmatic, demanding, price-focused
- Primary expectation
- Secure savings and justify his choice
YOUR MISSION
Understand the request, make the value of the offer tangible, and work toward a balanced agreement without immediately conceding on price.
Your room to maneuver
In this scenario, any discount is capped at 5% and must be tied to an approved trade-off. You can adjust the scope or timeline. Any exception requires management approval.
YOUR FRAMEWORK FOR THE CONVERSATION AND REVIEW
A four-step negotiation framework
A framework for defending value and building an agreement.
Clarify the request
Identify the budget constraint and compare scope.
Connect value to needs
Reinforce the desired outcomes and differentiators.
Explore trade-offs
Explore options and tie each concession to something in return.
Formalize the agreement
Recap the scope, terms, and next step.
Difficulty Intermediate
Fictional practice example · Preparation sheet