Purchasing Hardball
Playing Price
Business Horizons
September - October 2004

Abstract:
Sales negotiations are a game that can either destroy or build value. Managing buyers' perceptions of the value a firm's products and services deliver is both a necessity for properly establishing price in a negotiation and a key to improved profitability. With the right tools, sellers can understand how to communicate value to customers and deal with their hardball tactics by negotiating the offer instead of the price. Because customers will not be easily deterred from tough negotiating, the insights provided here will help sellers anticipate and counter the arguments customers construct to derail their value message.

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