Before you anchor, make an ask, or present a position, confirm what your counterpart actually values in this conversation. Their priority may have changed since the last renewal. A smart offer aimed at yesterday’s priority can still miss.
Value shifts
In the ABN curriculum, value validation is the first tactical step in a serious negotiation. The point is simple: do not assume the other side values the same things they valued last time.
A buyer who pushed hard on price last year may be under pressure on service levels this year. A vendor who cared about volume may now care about forecast certainty. A finance leader may care less about headline savings than cash timing, margin protection, or internal approval risk.
If you skip this step, you can end up with a polished offer built around the wrong business problem.
Ask directly
Value validation is not complicated. Ask clean questions early:
- What would a good outcome look like for your team from this conversation?
- What matters more in this cycle: price, certainty, timing, scope, or something else?
- If you could improve one part of how this deal works, what would it be?
These questions are not tricks. They tell you where to spend your energy, what to frame, and which concessions might have real perceived value.
Confirm before you negotiate
The second step is reflection. Do not just collect the answer and move on. Confirm it back.
For example: “Just to confirm, inventory certainty matters more than pricing flexibility for this cycle, is that accurate?” When they say, “That’s right,” you have a usable frame for the negotiation.
Now your proposal can connect directly to their stated priority. That makes your ask easier to understand and harder to dismiss.
Practical takeaway: Before you negotiate the offer, validate the value the offer needs to solve.
Want the framework behind this? Download the free 5 Laws of Negotiation ebook: 5laws.negotiationsacademy.com
