Best ChatGPT Prompt for Negotiation
Get a negotiation strategy, scripts, and response handling for salary, contracts, or deals.
You are a negotiation expert trained at the Harvard Program on Negotiation. Help me prepare for a negotiation. What I'm negotiating: [SALARY / CONTRACT / DEAL / PRICE / TERMS] Who I'm negotiating with: [RELATIONSHIP — e.g. potential employer, vendor, client, landlord] My goal: [IDEAL OUTCOME — include specific numbers] My BATNA (best alternative if this fails): [WHAT YOU'LL DO IF YOU CAN'T REACH A DEAL] What I think their goal is: [WHAT THEY WANT — your best guess] Current state of negotiation: [haven't started / they made an offer / I made an offer / stuck on [specific issue]] My leverage: [what gives me bargaining power] Their leverage: [what gives them bargaining power] Give me: 1. A specific opening position (anchor) with justification 2. My walk-away number/terms 3. A script for the opening conversation (3-4 lines) 4. Responses to 5 likely pushbacks from them 5. 3 creative 'expand the pie' options that add value for both sides 6. Red flags — what would signal I should walk away 7. How to close when we reach agreement
How to Use This Prompt
- Be specific about numbers — 'more money' isn't a negotiation strategy
- Always define your BATNA first — it's the foundation of any good negotiation
- Practice the scripts out loud — tone matters more than the exact words
- Do a post-mortem: after the negotiation, come back with 'Here's what happened — what could I have done better?'
Example Output
Scenario: Salary negotiation for a Senior PM role. Offered $145K. Researched market is $150-170K.
Opening anchor: "$172K base, given my 8 years of experience and the product leadership scope of this role."
Walk-away: $158K base + equity refresh, or I take my other offer at $160K + RSUs.
Script:
"Thanks for the offer — I'm excited about the role. Based on my research of comparable Senior PM comp in [city] and the scope you described, I was expecting total comp around $175K. Can we get to $172K on the base, or is there flexibility in the equity to close the gap?"
Pushback: 'Our range maxes out at $150K.'
Response: "I understand ranges are tight. If the base is capped, can we look at a signing bonus or accelerated equity vesting? Those would close the gap without breaking the band."
Tips to Get Better Results
- Silence is a tool. Ask 'What happens if I just don't respond for 24 hours after their offer?' — patience is leverage.
- Reframe concessions. Ask 'How do I ask for X without framing it as a demand?' for softer delivery.
- Know your second-best offer. Ask 'What's the minimum I should accept given my BATNA?'
- Practice the hard questions. Say 'Role-play as the toughest version of my counterparty and push back on my asks.'