Dry well

Disciplines > Negotiation > Negotiation tactics > Dry well

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

When the other person demands more from you, say that 'the well is dry' and that you do not have anything else to give.

Plead poverty or other constraint on your ability to exchange more than you have already offered.

Example

Sorry, I can't afford any more.

I'd like to increase my offer, but I'm afraid I've come to the end of my resources.

Discussion

When you show that you have no more to give, the other person cannot demand more without inferring that you are lying.

If they still refuse to agree to a deal, then this puts you in a difficult position of possibly showing that you were not telling the truth. One way around this is to find other variables to use.