Real-time tactical coaching for any negotiation — salary talks, contract renewals, vendor deals, or partnership discussions.
Negotiation quick prompts give you an experienced negotiation coach in your pocket. Whether you're negotiating a raise, closing a deal, or working out contract terms, these prompts help you understand the other party, strengthen your position, navigate difficult moments, and move toward agreement on your terms.
Each goal category supports a different stage of the negotiation. Use "Understand Their Position" early on, "Strengthen Your Position" when framing offers, "Navigate the Conversation" when things get tricky, "Move Toward Agreement" when you're ready to close, and "Analyze the Situation" as a checkpoint at any point.
Goal: Understand Their Position
When this applies: You want to learn what the other party really needs, what constraints they're working with, and what alternatives they have. Understanding their position is the foundation for every good deal.
Ideal settings: Early in the negotiation, when the other party makes a proposal, when you sense hidden constraints or unstated priorities.
Probe their interests
What it does: Identifies the difference between what the other party is asking for (their position) and what they actually need (their interests), then suggests a question to uncover what's really driving them.
When to use it:
They've made a demand but you're not sure why
The conversation is stuck on positions rather than interests
You want to find creative solutions but need to understand their real needs first
Something about their request doesn't add up
Example scenario: The vendor insists on a 15% price increase. Is it because their costs went up? Because they're trying to standardize pricing? Because they know you're locked in? Understanding the "why" opens up entirely different negotiation paths.
What to expect: Analysis of positions vs. interests based on the conversation, plus a specific question you can ask to dig deeper.
Uncover constraints
What it does: Analyzes the conversation for budget limits, timelines, authority levels, or approval processes the other party has mentioned or implied. Distinguishes hard constraints from soft ones.
When to use it:
They say "we can't" and you want to know if they really can't or just prefer not to
You're trying to figure out how much room they actually have
Their timeline or budget seems arbitrary
You need to know who has decision-making authority
Example scenario: Your counterpart says "our budget is capped at $50K." Is that a hard limit set by the CFO, or a soft target they'd love to hit? The language they use — "can't" vs. "typically" vs. "we'd prefer" — tells you a lot.
What to expect: A breakdown of constraints mentioned, classified as hard or soft, with a question to test whether a stated constraint is truly fixed.
Detect BATNA signals
What it does: Identifies signals about the other party's alternatives — other vendors, competing offers, or fallback plans they've mentioned or hinted at.
When to use it:
They mention competitors or alternative options
They seem unusually confident or relaxed about walking away
You want to gauge how much they need this deal
Their urgency level doesn't match what you'd expect
Example scenario: The hiring manager casually mentions "we have several strong candidates in the pipeline." Is this true leverage, or a bluff to weaken your salary request? Hedy helps you read between the lines.
What to expect: Analysis of any alternative signals from the conversation, plus a way to probe their options without revealing yours.
Assess decision criteria
What it does: Identifies what criteria the other party is using to evaluate the deal — price, quality, timeline, risk, relationship — so you can structure proposals around what matters most to them.
When to use it:
You're not sure what they value most
They keep raising different objections and you can't tell what's driving them
You want to tailor your proposal to their priorities
Multiple decision-makers may have different criteria
Example scenario: Your client keeps asking about delivery timelines even though you're discussing pricing. Maybe timeline is actually their top priority and price is secondary. Knowing this changes your entire strategy.
What to expect: A ranked list of decision criteria based on conversation cues, with a question to confirm what matters most.
Goal: Strengthen Your Position
When this applies: You want to present your side more effectively — framing offers, setting anchors, leveraging information, and structuring multi-issue trades that work in your favor.
Ideal settings: When making or responding to proposals, when you need to reframe the conversation, when structuring complex deals with multiple variables.
Frame the value
What it does: Suggests how to reframe your offer to emphasize what the other party values most, using objective criteria, market comparisons, or shared goals.
When to use it:
Your offer isn't landing the way you want
They're focused on price when your value is in quality or service
You need to justify your position with external benchmarks
The conversation has become purely transactional
Example scenario: You're asking for a higher salary but the recruiter is focused on the number. Reframing around the value you bring — revenue generated, team impact, market rates — shifts the conversation from cost to investment.
What to expect: A specific reframe of your current position tailored to what the other party has shown they care about.
Anchor effectively
What it does: Analyzes anchors that have been set in the conversation, or suggests when and how to set one with specific language.
When to use it:
Numbers are about to be discussed and you want to go first
They've set an anchor and you need to counter it
You want to know if the current anchor is helping or hurting you
You need the right number and the right framing for your anchor
Example scenario: The vendor opens with a 15% price increase. That's now the anchor the entire negotiation revolves around. Should you counter-anchor aggressively, or reframe the conversation away from percentages entirely?
What to expect: Analysis of current anchors with specific language for setting or countering them.
Leverage information
What it does: Identifies information asymmetry in your favor — things you know that the other party doesn't seem aware of — and suggests how to use this strategically without damaging the relationship.
When to use it:
You have market data or competitive intel they don't seem to know about
They've revealed a constraint you can use to your advantage
You want to introduce information at the right moment for maximum impact
Example scenario: You know their competitor just launched a similar product at a lower price. Introducing this information at the right moment — and in the right way — could shift the entire dynamic.
What to expect: Identification of information advantages from the conversation, with tactical advice on how and when to use them.
Structure multi-issue trade
What it does: Identifies the different issues on the table and suggests a package trade where you give on things less important to you in exchange for gains on things more important to you.
When to use it:
Multiple issues are being negotiated (price, terms, timeline, scope)
You're stuck on one issue and need to bring in others
You want to create value by trading across dimensions
A package deal would be better than negotiating issue by issue
Example scenario: They won't budge on price, but you notice they're flexible on payment terms and timeline. Offering to accept their price in exchange for net-60 terms and an earlier delivery date might get you more overall value.
What to expect: A specific package trade proposal with exact language, structured so what you give costs you less than what you get is worth.
Goal: Navigate the Conversation
When this applies: The negotiation is getting difficult — objections, tension, unbalanced concessions, or adversarial framing. These prompts help you handle pressure without giving ground.
Ideal settings: When facing pushback, when the conversation turns adversarial, when you feel pressured to concede, when you need to regain control of the dynamic.
Handle this objection
What it does: Suggests a response to the other party's objection that acknowledges their concern without conceding, and redirects toward finding a solution.
When to use it:
They've pushed back on your proposal or position
You need to respond without giving ground
Their objection feels like a tactic rather than a genuine concern
You want to keep momentum without dismissing them
Example scenario: "That's way too expensive" — a classic objection. Is it genuine sticker shock, a negotiating tactic, or a signal that you need to reframe the value? The right response depends on reading the situation.
What to expect: A specific response you can use that addresses their concern while maintaining your position.
De-escalate tension
What it does: Suggests a specific technique to reduce adversarial dynamics — labeling emotions, acknowledging perspectives, or reframing toward shared goals — with exact words you can say.
When to use it:
Voices are rising or the tone is getting hostile
The other party seems frustrated or defensive
The conversation is becoming personal rather than substantive
You want to reset the dynamic without looking weak
Example scenario: The vendor is visibly frustrated that you keep pushing back on their pricing. The meeting is at risk of going sideways. You need to lower the temperature without caving on your position.
What to expect: A specific de-escalation technique with exact language, tailored to the current emotional dynamic.
Manage concession exchange
What it does: Tracks all concessions made by both sides and suggests how to restore reciprocity if the exchange is unbalanced. Always frames concessions as conditional trades.
When to use it:
They're asking you to concede on something
You've been giving more than you've been getting
You want to concede strategically rather than reactively
You need to know the running score of concessions
Example scenario: You've already agreed to extend the contract term and reduced your scope of work. Now they're asking for a price reduction too. The concession exchange is clearly one-sided — time to rebalance.
What to expect: A concession summary for both sides, plus language for making any concession conditional: "If I do X, can you do Y?"
Redirect adversarial framing
What it does: Suggests a way to reframe the conversation when the other party is framing it in a way that puts you at a disadvantage — shifting to objective criteria, shared interests, or a different variable.
When to use it:
They're framing it as win-lose when it doesn't have to be
The conversation keeps circling back to their preferred terms
You need to change the rules of the game
Their framing is making you defensive
Example scenario: They keep saying "what's the absolute lowest you can go?" — a classic adversarial frame that positions you as the one making all the concessions. You need to redirect: "Rather than focus on the floor, let's talk about what a deal looks like that works for both of us."
What to expect: A specific pivot with language to shift the frame to more productive ground.
Goal: Move Toward Agreement
When this applies: The negotiation is progressing and you want to close. These prompts help you find creative solutions, structure final trades, and lock in commitments.
Ideal settings: When both sides are nearing alignment, when you sense the other party is ready to close, when you want to capture agreements before momentum is lost.
Find creative options
What it does: Suggests solutions that expand the pie rather than just dividing it — trades, bundles, contingent agreements, or phased approaches that give each side more of what they value most.
When to use it:
You're stuck on an issue and neither side will budge
There's potential for value creation you haven't explored
A standard compromise would leave both sides unhappy
Different priorities suggest mutually beneficial trades are possible
Example scenario: You're stuck on price — they want $55K, you want $48K. But what if you offer a 2-year commitment at $50K? Or a lower base price with performance bonuses? Creative options break deadlocks.
What to expect: 1-2 creative proposals based on both sides' interests and constraints, with specific language to present them.
Propose conditional trade
What it does: Structures a specific "If you do X, I can offer Y" trade where what you give costs you less than what you get is worth. Provides the exact language to use.
When to use it:
You want to make a concession but only if you get something back
You've identified something they want that you can give cheaply
The negotiation needs forward momentum
You want to test their flexibility on specific issues
Example scenario: They want faster delivery (which is easy for you) and you want better payment terms (which is easy for them). A conditional trade creates value for both sides from thin air.
What to expect: A specific conditional offer with exact wording, structured so both sides feel they're gaining.
Close with commitment
What it does: Summarizes what's been agreed, confirms open items, and proposes concrete next steps with verifiable commitments.
When to use it:
The conversation is winding down and you want to lock things in
Agreements have been made but not clearly stated
You want to ensure nothing falls through the cracks
You sense the other party is ready to commit
Example scenario: You've been going back and forth for an hour and several things seem agreed in principle. But if you don't summarize and confirm now, the next meeting could start from scratch.
What to expect: A summary of agreed points with language to confirm them and propose specific next steps.
Test their flexibility
What it does: Identifies areas where the other party has used soft language or shown flexibility, and suggests a question to probe whether there's more room to move.
When to use it:
They've used hedging language ("might," "could be possible," "typically")
You suspect they have more room than they're showing
You want one more push on a key issue before closing
Their body language or tone doesn't match their stated position
Example scenario: They said "we typically require 30-day payment terms" — that "typically" is a flexibility signal. It means exceptions exist. A well-placed question could unlock better terms.
What to expect: Identification of flexibility signals from the conversation with a specific question to test each one.
Goal: Analyze the Situation
When this applies: You want to step back and understand where things stand — who's given what, who has more leverage, and what phase of the negotiation you're in. Use these as checkpoints throughout.
Ideal settings: During natural pauses, before making a major concession, when you feel lost in the details, or when preparing for a follow-up round.
Track concessions
What it does: Provides a clear summary of all concessions made by each side — what was given, what was received in return, and whether the exchange is balanced.
When to use it:
You've lost track of who has conceded what
You feel like you've been giving more than getting
Before making another concession, you want to see the full picture
You want evidence for why the other side should reciprocate
Example scenario: You're 45 minutes in and things have been going back and forth. Before offering anything else, you want a clear picture of who's moved more and where the gaps are.
What to expect: A side-by-side summary of concessions with an assessment of balance and a recommendation for next moves.
Assess power dynamics
What it does: Analyzes who has more leverage based on the conversation — who needs the deal more, who has better alternatives, who controls the timeline, and who has more information.
When to use it:
You're not sure how hard to push
The dynamic feels off and you can't pinpoint why
You want to understand your leverage before making a move
New information has shifted the power balance
Example scenario: The vendor seems relaxed while you feel pressured by your renewal deadline. But wait — they also mentioned losing two other clients this quarter. Maybe you have more leverage than you think.
What to expect: An analysis of leverage factors with suggestions for how to strengthen your position or proceed given the current balance.
Evaluate deal structure
What it does: Assesses the current state of the deal — what's been agreed, what's still open, and what risks or missing elements exist in the current structure.
When to use it:
You want a snapshot of where things stand
Before wrapping up, you want to check for gaps
The deal is getting complex and you need clarity
You want to identify risks before committing
Example scenario: Price and terms are agreed, but nobody has discussed what happens if delivery is late, or who bears the cost of scope changes. These gaps could become expensive later.
What to expect: A structured overview of agreed terms, open items, and missing elements that should be addressed before finalizing.
Identify negotiation phase
What it does: Assesses which phase of the negotiation you're in — information gathering, positioning, bargaining, or closing — and advises on priorities and mistakes to avoid for that phase.
When to use it:
You're not sure what you should be focusing on right now
The conversation feels stuck and you want perspective
You want to make sure you're not moving too fast or too slow
You're preparing strategy for the rest of the session
Example scenario: You jumped straight into numbers but realize you skipped the information-gathering phase entirely. You don't actually know their constraints or priorities. Maybe it's time to slow down and ask more questions.
What to expect: Identification of the current negotiation phase with specific priorities and common mistakes to avoid.
Pro tip: Set up your Session Context before starting — your goals, target outcome, walkaway point, and anything you know about the other party. Hedy weighs this context heavily, making every quick prompt suggestion sharper and more relevant to your specific negotiation.