Episode #451 Saad Saad
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Saad Saad
Saad is a negotiation trainer and consultant who helps some of the world’s largest companies define and implement effective negotiation strategies. He is also the author of In the Lead, an Amazon bestseller offering practical, research-backed insights for mastering sales negotiations.
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What’s the secret to successful negotiations? It’s not just about making offers or striking deals—it’s about creating the right kind of friction. In this episode, Paul Watts sits down with negotiation expert Saad Saad, who emphasizes that introducing healthy tension into conversations is a key strategy for achieving favorable outcomes. Saad explains how friction in a negotiation helps both parties fully assess the terms, leading to stronger, more deliberate decisions. Tune in to hear how mastering the art of friction can transform your approach to high-stakes deals and turn challenging negotiations into opportunities for success.
Outline of This Episode
- (0:58) The difference between strategy and tactics
- (1:50) Saad’s go-to negotiation strategy for high-stakes deals
- (2:47) Saad’s three favorite negotiation tactics
- (4:56) The role of preparation and self-awareness in negotiation
- (6:52) Common negotiation strategies for complex sales
- (8:27) Handling aggressive negotiation tactics
- (11:35) Saad’s top negotiation dos and don’ts
- (15:13) Saad’s real-world negotiation story
Saad’s Go-To Negotiation Strategy for High-Stakes Deals
When entering high-stakes negotiations, Saad’s go-to strategy is to “play offense.” He stresses that successful negotiators must be proactive, guiding the conversation and being intentional at every step. Rather than reacting to what the other party is doing, playing offense allows you to steer the dialogue toward your desired outcome. This mindset is crucial in ensuring that the negotiation remains in your control, allowing you to secure the best terms while maintaining a positive relationship with the other party.
Saad’s three favorite negotiation tactics
Saad Saad shares three negotiation tactics that he consistently uses to gain leverage in his conversations.
- The first is introducing a healthy amount of friction into the discussion, ensuring that the conversation feels like a true exchange between both parties. This friction prevents the negotiation from becoming one-sided and ensures that you are not just accommodating the other person’s demands.
- His second tactic emphasizes the importance of being crystal clear on what you want to achieve. By knowing exactly what you need and being able to convey that with clarity, you ensure that your objectives are understood and taken seriously.
- Finally, Saad recommends justifying your requests in a compelling way. When you can back up your position with solid reasoning and data, you make it much harder for the other party to dismiss your terms, giving you greater leverage throughout the negotiation.
These three tactics combine to create a strong framework for successfully navigating high-stakes negotiations.
The Importance of Preparation and Self-Awareness
One of the key elements Saad emphasizes is the importance of preparation. Without adequate preparation, even the most seasoned negotiators can find themselves conceding too quickly or failing to achieve their objectives.
In addition to preparation, Saad highlights the value of self-awareness in negotiations. Understanding your own tendencies—such as a desire to accommodate others or a tendency to over-compromise—can help you navigate the negotiation process more effectively. Recognizing these tendencies allows you to adjust your approach and stay focused on your goals.
Handling Aggressive Negotiation Tactics
Saad had a friend who was negotiating the sale of a commercial property. Initially, the buyer’s offer was significantly lower than the asking price, but Saad helped his friend craft a compelling case for the property’s value by introducing friction into the conversation. By standing firm and not rushing into compromise, they created tension that forced the other party to reconsider the value of the deal.
Through this process, Saad’s friend was able to secure nearly 85% of his original asking price, demonstrating how strategically introducing friction—without making the situation adversarial—can lead to better outcomes.
Saad’s story underscores that friction is not about being combative; it’s about making sure the negotiation feels like a genuine, two-way exchange that pressures both sides to fully evaluate the terms and come to a more favorable agreement.
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Learn More About Saad Saad
What was a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your approach to negotiation, and how did it influence your strategy and tactics?
I don’t have a single pivotal moment; instead, it’s been a series of experiences that led me to realize the importance of friction in negotiation. Negotiation, to me, is fundamentally about securing your most ideal outcome. Your compass should not be finding win-win situations, but rather identifying the outcome that aligns with your goals and ensuring you can steer the conversation toward that outcome. It’s a constant process of balancing ambition with reason, and that’s what drives my approach.
Can you share a specific negotiation tactic that has consistently helped you close deals more effectively? Please provide an example where it worked.
One tactic I consistently rely on is being crystal clear about the most ambitious, yet reasonable, outcome I want. Knowing exactly what I want and how to articulate it is essential. It helps ensure I play offense, and helps drive the direction of the conversation and influences the final outcome.
What is the most challenging negotiation you’ve ever faced, and what strategy or tactic helped you turn it into a win?
Salary negotiations are among the most challenging for me because they are deeply personal and emotionally charged. To navigate them effectively, I step back and assess the relationship with the other party. I focus on whether they view our interaction as a two-way street, which helps me determine how to create the right amount of friction to move the conversation forward and reach a good outcome.
What are your top three must-have tools, frameworks, or resources that sales professionals should use to improve their negotiation skills?
First, my book In the Lead offers actionable insights and frameworks for mastering sales negotiations. Second, The Trusted Advisor provides excellent advice on how to build rapport and trust in negotiations. Lastly, the work of Mary Parker Follett on conflict resolution is invaluable—her ideas are foundational to effective negotiation strategies.
With buyer behaviors evolving and AI playing a larger role in sales, how do you see negotiation strategies and tactics changing in the future? What should sales professionals do to stay ahead?
AI can be an excellent preparation tool, helping you prepare, predict different potential outcomes, and ensure you’re applying sound strategies by helping you define the behaviors that align with those strategies.
What are some simple but powerful negotiation tactics that most salespeople overlook?
One tactic I see most salespeople overlook is knowing exactly what they want and articulating it clearly. It sounds simple, but many jump into negotiations without a firm grasp on their ultimate goal or how to communicate it. Starting with a firm “no” can also be an effective strategy to set boundaries and avoid conceding too quickly. Both of these approaches give you a strong foundation and direction in the negotiation process.
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