Discover the Hidden Pattern Behind 97% of Every NegotiationWhether you're buying a home, negotiating a salary, closing a sales deal, or resolving conflict, most negotiations follow the same predictable pattern. After studying negotiations across 47 countries over more than two decades, Brian Dietmeyer discovered a surprising insight:
97% of negotiation tactics fall into just two categories: references to alternatives or requests for concessions.Once you recognize the pattern, negotiation becomes far more predictable—and far more strategic. Instead of reacting to pressure,
The 97% Rule of Negotiation introduces a practical operating system built around three simple steps:
- MAP — Understand alternatives, leverage, and flexibility before negotiating.
- EXPAND — Broaden the conversation beyond price to uncover hidden value.
- PRESENT — Structure choices that improve outcomes for everyone involved.
This is not another book about clever tactics or manipulation. It's a decision-making framework that helps you think more clearly, create more value, and negotiate better agreements in business and in life. Whether you're a sales professional, procurement leader, executive, entrepreneur, or anyone who negotiates important decisions, this book provides a practical system you can apply immediately.
Stop reacting to negotiations. Start designing them.
Editorial Reviews:“For decades, traditional negotiation training has misdiagnosed commercial interactions as chaotic and unpredictable, relying on endless lists of tactical tricks. Brian Dietmeyer shatters this illusion by revealing that 97% of negotiation pressure actually follows a predictable pattern centered on alternatives and concessions. By installing the Negotiation Operating System—which guides you to Map realities, Expand terms, and Present structured choices—you eliminate emotional reactivity. Instead of haggling over a fixed pie or shrinking deals down to a single price variable, you can leverage modern AI accelerators to prepare rigorously before you ever walk into the room. Ultimately, this framework transforms negotiation from a stressful theatrical contest into a disciplined, confident decision-making process. ”
— Gerhard Gschwandtner CEO, Selling Power
“The 97% Rule of Negotiation offers salespeople a practical way to replace reactive bargaining with confident, structured decision-making. Its Map, Expand, Present framework helps sellers understand leverage, move discussions beyond price, and create multiple deal paths based on customer priorities. By preparing salespeople for the two most common forms of negotiation pressure - alternative comparisons and concession requests - the book can improve confidence, protect value, and reduce unnecessary discounting. Most importantly, it reframes negotiation as designing better agreements rather than winning tactical battles.”
— Jim Dickie Co-Founder CSO Insights Sales Mastery
“I’ve read negotiation books and attended negotiation training programs and found value in both. The challenge has always been remembering and applying what I learned when a real negotiation is happening. The 97% Rule is the most straightforward and usable approach I’ve encountered. It turns negotiation from something you have to remember into a simple system you can actually use when it matters.”
— Dylan J. Van Echo Senior Executive Sales Diversified Brands/ The Sherwin Williams Paint Co.
