Anchor the conversation on criteria first
Set the standard the number should follow before any figure is named.
Why it works
If you establish which criteria are fair before numbers appear, you anchor the framework rather than a single figure — and a framework you both agreed to is harder to dismiss than a raw number. The number then follows from the standard, giving your anchor principled cover.
How to do it
- Open by proposing the criteria that should govern the deal (market rate, cost-plus, precedent).
- Get agreement on the standard before anyone names a figure.
- Derive your anchor from the agreed standard so it inherits its legitimacy.
Evidence
Combines anchoring research with the principled-negotiation idea of objective criteria; anchoring on a shared standard is a well-reasoned synthesis of both. (mechanistic)
This is a reasoned combination of anchoring and fairness research rather than a single tested effect.
Common mistake
Jumping straight to a number, so the negotiation becomes a fight over figures with no agreed standard to anchor them.
Practice this with IX Coach
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More practices for Anchoring Bias in Negotiation and Judgment
- Make the first offer (when you’re informed)
When you know the value range, anchor first — the opening number drags the deal toward it.
- Set an ambitious, defensible anchor
Aim high enough to move the range, but keep a rationale so it isn’t dismissed.
- Counter-anchor before you respond
When they open extreme, don’t negotiate from their number — reset with your own.
- Use precise, not round, numbers
A specific figure (e.g. 9,850) anchors more credibly than a round one (10,000).
- Name the anchor to blunt it
Saying "that’s an anchor" out loud reduces — but doesn’t erase — its grip.