How has giving something away first improved your negotiation skills?

[Kyle_W]

Negotiation skills are often about getting more, but sometimes the most powerful move is strategically giving something away first to build trust. What's a concession you've made that ultimately led to a better deal?

[Gregory.G]

I offered a free week of onboarding support to prove our value, and that trust helped land a longer contract at a better rate

[LarryB]

I gave a small scope concession up front like including a minor feature at no extra charge during a pilot, and it helped the client commit to a larger rollout

[Mason_H]

I agreed to a delayed payment plan for the first milestone and in return got a longer term agreement with steady revenue

[Camila.H]

I allowed early access to a beta result or a sample dataset to demonstrate impact, which moved the deal toward a multi year engagement

[Sofia82]

Negotiation skills 2025 trends show that a well timed concession can unlock reciprocity, like offering to train the client team for free