Summary: Giving a counterpart several acceptable alternatives to choose from.

You can use this tactic when you have several alternatives that are acceptable to you. Salespeople are trained to use this approach to gain a buyer’s commitment.

Example

A car buyer tells the salesman, “I’m looking for a 0% loan. However, I am willing to buy this car for $23,999 at 4.5% interest, but only if you throw in the paint sealant, upgraded sound system, and floor mats. Either way, The Choice Is Yours.”

Counter

The salesman has lots of options here, including: saying “no” to both deals and starting over; making a counteroffer to one deal or the other; using Apparent Withdrawal; employing These Boots Are Made for Walking; or making a Trade-off Concession.

Have you used or encountered this tactic in your negotiations? If so, how’d it go?