The Most Common Mistakes Salespeople Make in Negotiation

Negotiation is a critical skill in sales, yet so many salespeople approach it the wrong way. Instead of guiding the conversation with confidence and strategy, they fall into predictable traps, losing deals, leaving money on the table, or damaging relationships with potential clients. 

One of the problems we see worldwide is that everyone seems to have their own opinion on how to negotiate well… and few of those opinions agree with one another… which means they can’t all be right… which means 99% of people are likely wrong! 

The reality is that most sales negotiations don’t fail because of price. They fail because salespeople make avoidable mistakes that weaken their position, undermine their own credibility, or they may push prospects away. 

If you’re struggling to close deals or constantly battling price objections, it’s time to re-evaluate your approach. Just because you watched a movie or learned from an experienced negotiator or read a book from a hostage negotiator, doesn’t make you a great negotiator. It likely helps you fall into some of the traps but it may also give you a false sense of confidence. 

Let’s explore SIX of the most common negotiation mistakes in sales and, more importantly, how to fix them.

1. Talking too much and listening too little

This is at the heart of great communication and great selling. It applies to negotiation equally. It’s what we’ve been flown around the world to teach: talk less, ask more, listen more. 

Salespeople often feel they need to dominate the conversation in negotiations, throwing out features, benefits, and pricing structures in an attempt to convince the buyer. But negotiation is not about talking people into submission, it’s about understanding their needs and crafting a mutually beneficial solution.

Research from Gong.io found that top-performing salespeople speak for only 46% of a sales call, while underperformers dominate the conversation at nearly 70%. Why? Because successful negotiators ask the right questions and let the buyer talk. The more your prospect talks, the more insight you gain into their real concerns, priorities, and pain points.

Other research and our own teachings suggest that a salesperson should only speak between 25% and 33% of the time. 

Fix: Go into negotiations prepared with open-ended questions. Instead of pushing your agenda, let the prospect do the talking, they will often reveal key information that gives you the upper hand. “Lead” them towards the outcomes you want, using smarter questions… and NEVER run out of questions. 

2. Leading with price instead of value

One of the biggest mistakes in negotiation is bringing up price too soon. Many salespeople feel pressured to justify cost upfront, often out of fear that the buyer will immediately push back. But when you focus on price first, you train your prospect to do the same, reducing the conversation to a transactional discussion rather than a value-driven one.

Equally, in most industries we hear that buyers may also bring up the price discussion early: either to undermine the salesperson or because they are untrained on how to buy on value. 

Either way, the responsibility lies with the salesperson to take control. A Harvard Business Review study found that buyers are more willing to pay higher prices when they understand the full value of a product or service. If you fail to communicate this value before discussing cost, you are guaranteeing a price objection.

Fix: Focus the conversation on ALL the value you bring to the client: as a salesperson, as a business/team AND as a product/service/solution. Show how your solution solves a real problem before discussing price. In fact, try to get the client to quantify those benefits as tangible outcomes. When the price does come up, link it directly to the tangible outcomes you got them to share, rather than letting it stand alone.

3. Making concessions too quickly

Many salespeople are too eager to close the deal at any cost, which leads to premature concessions. If you give discounts, change terms, or agree to conditions too quickly, you not only weaken your negotiation position but also signal to the buyer that your original offer wasn’t serious.

In our one day Negotiation Skills course we teach salespeople to “rank” their concession factors (what they’re prepared to negotiate) into different “types”, so they know in advance what to give up and what factors to fight for. 

A study from McKinsey found that companies that consistently push back on price reductions and stand firm on value see a 20-25% increase in deal profitability. Negotiation should be a give-and-take process, not a race to drop your price at the first sign of resistance.

Fix: Never give something away without getting something in return. If a buyer asks for a discount, counter with trade-offs adjusting terms, delivery schedules, or bundling services rather than simply cutting price. Extra tip: if you are asked to give away something you’re perfectly happy to let go, play the game and pretend that it will cost you a lot, this builds goodwill. 

4. Failing to prepare properly

The best salespeople prepare for meetings. That’s a core skill at the heart of our Persuasive Selling Process. Over 90% of the time when salespeople ask us to coach them on sales mistakes they’ve made, it’ll come down to preparation. 

The best negotiators win before they even enter the conversation. Yet, too many salespeople show up to negotiations without a clear strategy, hoping to improvise their way through.

According to research by the Sales Management Association, salespeople who thoroughly prepare before a negotiation win deals 47% more often than those who don’t. This includes understanding the client’s pain points, knowing your walk-away point, and having a plan for objections. The research we used to prepare our course on negotiation suggests that up to 77% of the negotiation race is won during the preparation phase. 

Fix: Preparation isn’t just about knowing your product/service, it’s about understanding the buyer’s psychology, their motivations, and their alternative options (BATNAs). Before negotiating, research the client’s business, anticipate objections, and plan your responses and questions accordingly.

5. Allowing emotions to take over

Negotiations can be frustrating, especially when buyers push back aggressively or challenge your offer. But reacting emotionally, whether through defensiveness, frustration, or desperation, can kill a deal instantly. Buyers sense when a salesperson is losing control, and it gives them leverage.

A study by Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation found that negotiations are 33% more successful when sellers remain calm, patient, and almost emotionally detached. The best negotiators treat the process like a game, they stay strategic and never take things personally.

Fix: Learn to pause before responding. Pausing shows confidence. If a buyer makes a tough demand, take a moment to collect your thoughts before answering. Stay professional, keep your emotions in check, and treat negotiation as a conversation, not a battle. This is business, not life and death! 

6. Ignoring non-verbal cues

A significant portion of communication happens beyond words. A prospect’s tone, body language, and facial expressions can often reveal more than what they’re actually saying. If you ignore these cues, you risk missing critical signals about their true level of interest or resistance.

As we’ve taught for years: studies from Albert Mehrabian’s research on communication show that 55% of meaning in negotiations comes from body language, 38% from tone of voice, and only 7% from the actual words spoken. This means you can say the right things but still lose a deal if your delivery lacks confidence or if you misinterpret a prospect’s signals.

Fix: Pay attention to eye contact, posture, and tone, both yours and the buyer’s. If they cross their arms, avoid eye contact, or seem disengaged, it may indicate resistance. Adapt accordingly by addressing concerns or changing your approach. This fix is what separates good communicators from exceptional ones. CHOOSE to read body language all the time and you’ll have an edge when you next negotiate.

Close more deals 

Negotiation is not about being the most aggressive, the loudest, or even the most persistent party. It’s about being strategic, confident, and in control of the conversation. The best negotiators listen more than they talk, focus on value over price, and remain adaptable under pressure. They also research, prepare and even role play with their colleagues before meeting with the client - this isn’t common, but it works!

If you want to close bigger deals, at higher margins, with less resistance, start by eliminating these common negotiation mistakes. Small adjustments in your approach can mean the difference between winning the deal or walking away empty-handed.

50% OFF – Essential Negotiation Skills^™ (Limited Time Only) 

Negotiation isn’t about being pushy, it’s about protecting margin, building trust, and closing with confidence. For a limited time, we’re offering 50% off our Essential Negotiation Skills Online Training.

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Offer expires: Midnight, 31 March 2026

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If you or your team are leaving money on the table… this is your moment to fix it.