More than a sharp pencil: the other levers of persuasion
There is set of tools or levers that influence whether someone chooses to transact with you.
I learned this lesson on an excellent training course I did several years ago with IACCM (now World Commerce & Contracting) - the Fundamentals of Contract & Commercial Management.
In many organisations, when we’re not winning work, the default response is often: “We need to sharpen our pencil.”
In other words: cut the price.
If negotiation is involved, people to often centre on negotiating price and neglect almost every other aspect of the contract. This is a mistake.
What else is negotiable? What else influences conversion?
There are so many more options available than simply cutting or negotiating price, for both before and during a negotiation or sales conversation. Here’s some ideas.
Payment & Invoicing Terms - Can you offer staged payments, flexible terms, or clarity on invoicing?
Profit Sharing / Open Book Accounting - Can you offer transparency or some kind of shared upside?
Dates & Duration - Can you offer faster delivery or more flexible timing? Can you start sooner or offer a shorter/longer commitment?
Risk - Can you reduce risk for the buyer? Share it? Absorb it? Can you protect the other party from specific risks with an indemnity? Can you offer guarantees or warranties? Can you reduce perceived risk by demonstrating insurance coverage or liability? Risk management builds trust and confidence.
Performance Metrics - Can you define and commit to measurable outcomes? Or specific SLAs?
Clarity of Value - Can you or are you articulating your value in a way that resonates? Create compelling language for your value proposition—what you offer, who it’s for, and why it matters.
Relevance - How well your offer aligns with the specific needs, priorities, or context of the person you're trying to reach. Does your offer speak directly to their current needs, priorities, or context? Relevance increases resonance.
Differentiation - What makes you distinct from others offering similar services - is it your approach, ethos, outcomes, or audience? If you’re not the cheapest - own it - be the clearest, the most aligned, or the most innovative.
Proof - Can you show evidence of impact, reliability, or outcomes? Testimonials, case studies, data, outcomes are the usual affair - anything that builds credibility.
Benchmarking - Can you show how your offer compares favourably to others? Similar to Proof, but not quite the same.
Ease of doing business - Is it easy to engage with you? Clear processes, responsive communication, flexibility in delivery and low friction may matter, often does.
Ability to change or stop - Can you offer fair terms for early exit, breach, or insolvency? Can you offer a structured way to handle changes without friction?
Relationships - Do you have trust, rapport, or shared history with the person or organisation? People buy from people they trust.
Consider timing - Whether your offer lands at the right moment—when the need is active, budget is available, or priorities align. Sometimes it’s not at all about your offer—it’s about when it’s made.
Storytelling - Do you frame your work in a way that connects emotionally? Connect what you’re doing to values, mission, or lived experience. This humanises the work. Stories stick. Data persuades.