In B2B deals, the first counter often comes too early. The Academy of Business Negotiations Daily Tactics module teaches a cleaner opening move: feigned surprise, also called the flinch.
When your counterpart puts a number or term on the table that does not work, resist the urge to fire back with your own position. Show a short, controlled reaction that signals the opening missed the mark. A raised eyebrow. A slight lean back. A brief pause. A simple line such as, “That is more than I expected.”
No anger. No attack. Just a credible signal that the position does not fit the deal you can support.
Why the flinch works
Many counterparts dislike friction. When they see a negative reaction to their position, they often soften it before you have argued a single point. The number comes out. You react. Silence sits. Then they add room, conditions, or a revised figure. That early movement clears positions that were not going to hold anyway. Your real energy can stay on the issues that actually move profit dollars.
This is useful in vendor cost talks, freight increases, payment-term pushes, and service-level resets. The goal is not theatrics. The goal is information and space. You learn how flexible the opening really was without spending a concession of your own.
Keep it believable
Feigned surprise only helps when it looks real. Overacting makes the move transparent and weakens trust. Keep the reaction light and short. Then pair it with silence. Do not fill the pause with your counter, your justification, or a long speech. Let them speak next.
If they adjust, note the new range and keep probing. If they hold firm, you still learned something useful: that number may sit closer to a real constraint. Either outcome improves your next move and protects the quality of the eventual package.
Practical takeaway: In your next live negotiation, when a tough number lands, flinch once, stay quiet for a few seconds, and let the other side respond before you counter.
Want the framework behind this? Download the free 5 Laws of Negotiation ebook: 5laws.negotiationsacademy.com
