A polite yes is not the same as a real agreement. In B2B negotiations, the phrase that tells you the conversation is finally on the right track is “that’s right.” It means you named your counterpart’s actual business need, not just the position they opened with.
Chris Voss draws this distinction in Never Split the Difference, and it maps cleanly to commercial deals. “You’re right” is often a way to stop the pressure. “That’s right” is recognition. You described their situation accurately enough that they feel seen, and that is when movement becomes possible.
Positions hide the real need
Buyers and vendors often lead with price, terms, or policy. Those are positions. Underneath them is a negotiation need: inventory certainty, cash flow, a boss’s target, fill rate, or category growth. If you only trade against the stated number, you can win the argument and still miss the deal that would have improved both businesses.
The work is to get underneath. Ask what a win looks like for their team. Ask what is driving the timing. Keep asking until the answer stops being a percentage and starts being a business problem you can actually solve.
Reflect it until they confirm it
Once you think you have the need, say it back in their language. “What I am hearing is that inventory certainty matters more than a lower unit cost. You would rather pay a bit more and know the product will be there than take a cheaper price and risk stockouts. Is that right?”
If they say “that’s right,” you have a map. Structure the offer around the real constraint: allocation, lead times, safety stock, or a volume plan, not only cost. That is how you create mutual value instead of splitting a number neither side wanted.
Listen before you pitch
Getting to “that’s right” requires active listening, mirroring, and patience with silence. You are not trying to win the room. You are trying to prove you understand the pressure they are under. When that lands, psychological barriers drop and the rest of the negotiation gets simpler to close on terms that serve profit dollars.
The practical takeaway: Do not chase a fast yes. Keep reflecting their situation until you hear “that’s right,” then build the deal around that need.
Want the framework behind this? Download the free 5 Laws of Negotiation ebook: 5laws.negotiationsacademy.com
