Saw a tweet this week that made me laugh, then made me think.
"Negotiate like a donkey. Act stupid. Ask dumb questions. Be a bit confused."
Here's why it's brilliant for marketing negotiations (agency contracts, vendor deals, budget approvals):
When you play dumb, people over-explain. They reveal their actual constraints, their real concerns, their wiggle room. They tell you things they wouldn't if you seemed like you already had it all figured out.
"Wait, help me understand why the setup fee is separate from the monthly retainer?"
"Can you walk me through the logic on the 12-month minimum again?"
"I'm confused about what's included in Tier 2 versus Tier 3."
You're making them work harder to justify their position. And in that justification, you learn where the deal can actually flex.
The smartest negotiators I know ask the most basic questions. They apologize for not understanding. They frame their asks like they just occurred to them in the moment.
Try it next time you're talking contracts. Channel your inner donkey. You might be surprised how much you learn when you stop trying to look like the smartest person in the room.
