Episode #444: Santino Pasutto
Meet
Santino Pasutto
Santino Pasutto, MBA, is a seasoned sales leader with expertise in driving double-digit growth, scaling startups, and leading enterprise sales with $1.2 billion under management. He specializes in building scalable sales operating systems, negotiating high-value deals, and integrating data-driven insights to optimize performance. Santino’s leadership empowers teams and delivers predictable, scalable results across diverse industries.
Our Mission Is To Change The Negative Perception Of Sales People
Our Vision Is A World Where Selling Is A Profession To Be Proud Of
Mastering negotiation is a game-changer for any sales professional. In this episode, Santino Pasutto shares powerful strategies and proven tactics that have helped him navigate some of the most complex negotiations in the industry.
From understanding the difference between strategy and tactics, to handling aggressive procurement techniques, Santino breaks down the essential elements that make negotiations successful. Whether you’re aiming to refine your approach or improve your closing rate, the insights shared in this episode will help you negotiate with confidence and achieve the results you’re looking for.
Outline of This Episode
- (0:00) Introduction to Santino Pasutto
- (1:04) The differences between negotiation strategy vs. tactics
- (2:14) Santino’s go-to negotiation strategy
- (3:33) Santino’s favorite negotiation tactics
- (5:33) The role of planning strategy and tactics
- (6:39) Resource-Based Modeling (RBM)
- (9:55) How to recognize and counter aggressive negotiation tactics
- (12:28) Santino’s top three negotiation strategy and tactics dos and don’ts
- (15:46) Closing the Deal: Know Your Worth
The Importance of Clear Strategy in Negotiations
Santino explains that negotiation strategy refers to the overarching plan designed to achieve specific outcomes. It’s essential for setting the tone of the negotiation and aligning with long-term goals. In contrast, tactics are the specific maneuvers used to implement that strategy.
By understanding and defining the strategy clearly, both parties can ensure that the negotiation is a collaborative process focused on mutual benefits. Santino emphasizes the importance of knowing your approach and the desired results, whether you’re negotiating with a client for a single deal or for a long-term partnership.
Resource-Based Modeling (RBM)
Santino highlights the value of Resource-Based Modeling (RBM), a framework he uses to assess competitive advantages in negotiations. Developed by Jay Barney, RBM helps evaluate whether a resource or capability is truly valuable, rare, difficult to imitate, and leveraged effectively within an organization.
- Value: A resource must help the organization respond effectively to market opportunities or threats, offering a competitive advantage.
- Rarity: A rare resource is unique and not widely available, giving the company an edge in the market.
- Imitability: If a resource is hard or expensive to replicate, it becomes a long-term competitive advantage.
- Organizational Leverage: The company must effectively use and integrate the resource to fully realize its value in operations and customer solutions.
Santino explains that understanding these four key elements—value, rarity, imitability, and organizational leverage—is crucial when positioning a product or service during a negotiation.
If a resource passes these four tests, it’s likely to offer a strong competitive advantage, which can be highlighted to the client to demonstrate why the offering is unique and worthy of investment. This strategic framework ensures that negotiations are built around a differentiated value proposition, making it easier to close deals with confidence.
Recognizing and Countering Aggressive Tactics
Aggressive tactics such as “take it or leave it” or last-minute demands are common in high-stakes negotiations. Santino shares his method for recognizing and countering these tactics without escalating tensions. By focusing on the long-term relationship, asking probing questions, and maintaining composure, Santino avoids being pressured into unfavorable deals.
He stresses the importance of managing expectations and setting boundaries to ensure that negotiations don’t devolve into a battle. Recognizing these tactics early allows for a more strategic response and maintains the integrity of the negotiation.
Closing the Deal: Know Your Worth
Santino shares a powerful story about how he used a well-crafted cover letter to win a major deal. He was working with a client who had previously passed on their product multiple times. To address the client’s hesitation, Santino simplified the math behind the product’s value, which had previously been buried in lengthy text.
In his cover letter, he highlighted four key points:
- The client’s current usage
- The market price comparison
- The proposed cost
- The estimated savings.
By presenting this information clearly and concisely, Santino made it easy for the client to understand the benefits without wading through complex documents. The approach worked, leading to a letter of intent and ultimately closing a major deal. This story illustrates how simplifying key points and making the decision process easier for the client can dramatically improve your chances of success in negotiations.
Resources & People Mentioned
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Learn More About Santino Pasutto
What was a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your approach to negotiation, and how did it influence your strategy and tactics?
Earlier in my career, I was working with a firm that had a transactional mindset, often trying to sell on scarcity; a compliance theory. During a proposal meeting, I presented a solid business case, genuinely believing in the value we offered. The client stopped me and said, “You’re not walking out of here with a PO today.” It was a good reminder to slow down to speed up by meeting clients where they are at in their buyer journey.
Can you share a specific negotiation tactic that has consistently helped you close deals more effectively? Please provide an example where it worked.
I rely on client listening meetings. I map out at-risk accounts or those with wallet share potential and interview multiple stakeholders to uncover patterns and insights. This approach allows me to refine offers, align with client needs, and often eliminate the negotiation process entirely. By making the offer so precise, we frequently earn direct awards.
What is the most challenging negotiation you’ve ever faced, and what strategy or tactic helped you turn it into a win?
Outside of getting my boys to do their homework? Negotiating a $10 million engineering contract taught me the value of preparation, understanding objectives, and de-risking solutions for the client. Anchoring discussions on measurable value shaped my focus on creating win-win scenarios and building trust through transparency.
What are your top three must-have tools, frameworks, or resources that sales professionals should use to improve their negotiation skills?
BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement): Knowing your walk-away point ensures clarity and confidence.
Consultative Selling Frameworks: Providing insight, offering measurable value and aligning to business objectives strengthens your position.
Excel: Essential for creating financial models, conducting scenario analysis, and illustrating value.
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?
Sales has evolved from information asymmetry—where sellers had the upper hand—to information symmetry, with buyers often having equal or greater knowledge. AI accelerates this shift, requiring sellers to prioritize insight-driven strategies, demonstrate measurable value, connect complex ideas, and align solutions with the strategic goals of C-Suite leaders to succeed.
What’s are some simple but powerful negotiation tactics that most salespeople overlook?
Just be human. Find win-win solutions—they exist. Sales isn’t something you do to a client; it’s something you do with a client. If you’ve used a consultative approach throughout the buyer journey, don’t abandon it during negotiation. Staying collaborative and solution-oriented builds trust and leads to stronger, lasting relationships.
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