The Ackerman Method, Made Practical

Sequenced bidding, calibrated concessions, and the psychology of closing

What is the Ackerman method in negotiation and how do you use it to make offers?

The Ackerman method, popularized by Chris Voss in Never Split the Difference, is a structured offer-and-counteroffer system. You set a target price, then make a sequence of calculated bids that converge on that target with decreasing increments — signaling that you are near your limit even as you create the appearance of flexibility. The method uses psychology to make your counterpart feel they have won a hard bargain.

Most negotiators concede in equal steps — which signals that more is available. The Ackerman method, drawn from FBI hostage negotiation and commercial deal-making, uses decreasing concession size and deliberate non-round numbers to signal genuine limits. The counterpart feels they have extracted maximum concessions — even when you have stayed close to your target. These practices break down how and why the method works.