 You're going into a negotiation with something you want, right? You want to get something out of the negotiation that raise you want the flat you want to rent or maybe just negotiating with your roommate about how to keep the kitchen clean. Your bat nut is a predefined fallback plan in case you don't get what you want in the conditions you want them. So yes, you could walk into a negotiation and see how it goes and decide on the spot if, you know, that's going to be great deal for you or not, but just like with a lack of research, if you don't have alternate outcomes, you're going to be negotiating from a losing position. You have to also understand that what you're wishing for is best case scenario. That's best case scenario. So, okay, so let's back off that and then put together then what is our alternative plan and what alternatively from best case scenario we can be happy with? A plan B is understanding that oftentimes our perfect outcome is not how the negotiation is going to go. So research, understanding what you're going to the table with is helpful, but also coming with some backup plans, some alternate pathways to the win in that negotiation. However, this could also go in the exact opposite direction because we never thought clearly about a fallback plan. Well, we may think that there are many that are easily available and that's also a blind spot, right? So either you're walking in with no fallback plan at all and hoping for best case scenario, which we know hope is not a good strategy when it comes to negotiating, no, or you're walking in with the notion that, Oh, there's so many alternatives that I'm happily going to find one of those and it's going to work out for me. And if assuming all those options isn't tricky enough, there's also a cognitive bias at work here. Our mind likes to take all of those alternatives and throw them into one big pot. So it's either I'm getting a raise or I could take that other job and go back to school and travel through South America. And now that we have this pretty cool plan B, we're not thinking that the plan B is impossible, right? That plan B doesn't exist. So notice that this Banta is not a safety net. It's actually something that's going to add power and clarity to your position because whatever is happening on the negotiating table, you can always cross-reference it with your BATNA. You can always look back and go, okay, well, if this outcome doesn't happen, well, these are the other potential outcomes. Now, the example that I love for this, Amy was trying to get a car when she first moved to LA and she was asking for some help negotiating a car. And of course I went in and I was like, I'm going to research this making model. What type of car do you want? So went online, looked it up, found the accurate pricing, got an understanding of, okay, how much the car costs, how much the car loses the second it's off the lot, and got a pretty good understanding of all the options and best case scenario for that said car. But I also went a step further and I was like, well, let's say that the Toyota dealership doesn't game with us, doesn't go along with this negotiation. What are the other alternatives to this car that you want from Toyota? Well, there's a Honda, there's a Hyundai, there's a BMW. So I also went in and started researching, well, what are their offers? What are their specials? What are they doing right now? What's their depreciation? So I didn't just research the one making model that she was after. I researched all the competitors. I got badness. I understood what the going rate was for that car and comparable cars. The second we walked into the Toyota dealership, I let them know, hey, we're just taking some test drives, we're looking at a few different makes and models. We're curious about this and some of the offers you have currently. And the first thing he asked me is, well, who else are you looking at? So of course, we now set the table that I have my information. You have your information. That's exactly it. That the work has been done there. And there is a line in the sand and now we're going to play a little game. And I have some plan B's. So if plan A Toyota doesn't work out, plan B Honda, plan C Hyundai, plan D BMW are all still on the table for me. Now, imagine how that feels in a negotiation. You now are walking in with some power. You know exactly what you want. You know all the downsides of not getting it. And you let them know exactly what you're after. Look how different that is compared to walking on the lot, knowing exactly what it is that you want and what you're willing to pay for. And letting somebody comes up to you, I hope you're anything. Yes, actually, I want that car right there. And this is what I'm willing to pay for it. And you have to the end of the day to figure it out. I think the car salesman would have made that same laugh in my face. Right. The car salesman would have said, take a hike, right? You're not someone who's willing to negotiate. You're not someone who's coming to the table ready to actually make a deal, right? So it was not a fake power position. It was simply putting all the information out. I've done my research. This is what I'm after. I'm here and I'm interested to make a great deal. And this is great. You're not creating strength out of thin air. You're creating strength through research, through knowledge, through other people's experiences. You're coming in well armed with the knowledge you need to have some strength. So it can be all the strength, but it's going to be some strength. You're also creating strength through empathy, right? I know that going into that dealership with the tone that take it or leave it deal is not going to allow the salesperson to feel like they've done their job. It's not going to allow them to feel good about the negotiation. And that's a big part of what we talked about last week, this win-win scenario. If you're in a situation where the other side thinks they're losing right out of the gate, they're not going to be interested in having that negotiation. Nope. So it's not fake takeaways. It's not falsifying information. It's not posturing. It's allowing a negotiation to happen and understanding that plan B, your fallback, your Batna is just as important. So, of course, now, as we started discussing the Toyota, what ended up happening? Well, of course, he realized that, oh, compared to some of these other cars, we're at a disadvantage on price. So he had to start to demonstrate value to us. Demonstrating value. Why you need to come up, not why he needs to come down. Exactly. So immediately he starts telling us about all the bells and whistles that the Toyota has that the Honda, the Honda, the BMW don't have as standard features. And then I countered. Well, that's great. Those are all great features. But the Hyundai actually has a backup camera. Looks like this Toyota doesn't have a backup camera. Is there anything you could do there? And he's like, well, you know, let me talk to my manager. Now we're having a negotiation, right? Now I'm saying I'm still interested. So we've done our research. We have our Batna. And it's probably fair to say at this point that you go in the negotiation better prepared than most. But let's add on a few more bells and whistles here to really strengthen our frame and bulletproof your preparation.