Why Sales Negotiations Need Tension

Read time: 5 minutes

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This week we have a guest taking over the newsletter!

Saad A. Saad is a negotiation trainer and consultant who has helped some of the world’s largest companies define and implement negotiation strategies that drive measurable results, improve their bottom line, and close deals faster.

He’s also been a guest on our podcast (link below).

Enjoy!

Sales Negotiation is Different from Any Other Kind of Negotiation

A negotiation happens anytime you're having an outcome-based conversation with a client. But negotiations in a sales context are unique because they don’t stand alone—they are nested within the broader sales conversation.

If the sales conversation doesn’t go well—if there’s no trust, no engagement, no momentum—negotiation won’t get off the ground. The client won’t share critical information, introduce decision-makers, or make any meaningful commitments.

That’s why in sales, negotiation isn’t just about what happens at the end when you’re discussing price—it’s shaped by everything leading up to that moment. And that’s where friction plays a crucial role.

Friction in Sales: Make It Easy to Buy

When it comes to sales, friction is the enemy. The more obstacles a buyer encounters—unclear pricing, unnecessary steps, slow response times—the less likely they are to move forward.

Great sellers know that making it easy to buy is key to keeping momentum. They remove unnecessary complexity, create a clear path to purchase, and make every step feel seamless.

But once the conversation shifts into negotiation, friction stops being a problem—and starts becoming a strategic tool.

Friction in Negotiation: Make It Hard to Bargain

A negotiation without friction isn’t a negotiation—it’s just an agreement to whatever terms the buyer wants. Without some level of resistance, the buyer will naturally push for more concessions, better pricing, and added value at your expense.

Here’s what research shows:

1. Friction leads to better decisions – Creativity research shows that demanding but non-threatening environments lead to the highest levels of problem-solving and innovation. Without some level of challenge, people default to the easiest, most available solutions—which are often subpar agreements​.

2. Balanced friction leads to higher-value deals – Studies show that negotiators who mix self-advocacy with problem-solving achieve the best joint outcomes. On the other hand, negotiators who are overly focused on being cooperative and too problem-solving oriented tend to settle too quickly, leading to weaker agreements​.

3. Resistance makes agreements feel more valuable – People have a greater appreciation for things they had to work for. Research on reactance theory suggests that when buyers encounter controlled resistance, they perceive the final deal as more legitimate and feel greater satisfaction​.

The key is to introduce strategic friction—the kind that makes buyers engage more deeply rather than simply push for more concessions.

How to Use Friction in Negotiation Without Losing the Sale

Since negotiation happens within the sales process, the challenge is balancing sales momentum with controlled friction. Here’s how:

• Remove friction in sales, apply it in negotiation – Streamline the sales process, but don’t rush through negotiation just to avoid discomfort.

• Push back at the right moments – If a buyer asks for a discount, don’t give it away easily. Introduce resistance by linking concessions to meaningful trades—or even better, when they ask for a discount, start by reiterating why you’re worth what you initially proposed in the first place.

• Frame friction as a normal part of the process – Buyers expect some resistance. If they push and you don’t push back, they may assume there’s more room to negotiate.

Conclusion: Rethinking the Role of Friction

If you remove all friction from sales, you get faster deals. If you remove all friction from negotiation, you get worse deals.

The best negotiators understand this balance:

• Make it easy to buy, but hard to bargain.

• Reduce friction in sales, introduce it strategically in negotiation.

• Use friction to truly search for the most optimal outcome.

Remember: The objective isn’t just agreement—the objective is the right agreement.

Sometimes, no deal is better than a bad deal.

If you want to go deeper on this topic of sales negotiations, Saad has written a great book called “In The Lead: Mastering Your Sales Negotiation”.

Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube

[Sales] Every conversation is a negotiation

• What exactly is a negotiation?

• Common mistakes people make in negotiations

• The role of friction in negotiations

• The key differences between selling and negotiating

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