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Counter three asks with trades inside your authority

  • For Sales and customer success
  • You practice Setting limits and rules
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Advanced

About this exercise

The buyer asked for a 20% discount, Net 90 payment terms and a 36-month price lock. Build a markdown table with columns Their ask, Our position, What we ask in return, one row per ask. Every position must stay within an AE's authority. Each return must be a concrete trade (like term length, prepay or signing date). After the table add one line starting "Above my authority:" naming who would have to approve each original ask. Under 150 words.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Positions beyond authority. The AI accepts 15% or Net 60 to be accommodating. Try: Add: "Stay within AE authority: up to 12%, Net 45, 24-month lock."
  • Giving without getting. The AI offers concessions with nothing in return. Try: Add: "Every concession is paired with a concrete trade."
  • Wrong approvers. The AI says Finance or Manager for the wrong asks. Try: Add: "Name the approver for each original ask using the chart."
  • Extra commentary. The AI writes negotiation advice after the table. Try: Add: "Table plus the one Above my authority line, under 150 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the columns
  • Stays in authority
  • Asks for trades
  • Adds the last line
  • Sets a cap

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