Competing-Offers Negotiation
Put two believable offers on the table and name your number.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 2
- Confidence
- 70%
Fechter learned in negotiation that you can ask for as much money as you want as long as you make it sound believable and give a good reason. The mechanism is competing offers: he told one company he was interviewing at Uber and Facebook and needed an answer by the next day, then threw out a bold number plus an unusual ask (a full-time videographer). The competing offers forced a fast yes at nearly double his prior pay, with the extra term granted too. The lesson generalizes: parallel options plus a believable justification unlock terms most people never think to request.
Origin
At Autopilot, Fechter realized during the negotiation process that a believable, well-justified ask could command far more; he had studied the interview process and lined up Uber and Facebook interviews as leverage.
Core principles
- 01You can ask for as much as you want as long as it sounds believable and has a good reason.
- 02Competing offers on the table create real leverage and urgency.
- 03Study the interview and negotiation process before you enter it.
- 04A believable justification lets you ask for unusual terms, not just more money.
How to run it
- 1
Create competing offers and a deadline
Line up multiple interviews or offers in parallel and set a decision deadline to manufacture leverage and urgency.
Pro tip Study the interview and negotiation process in advance so you can position credibly.
- 2
Anchor bold with a believable reason
Name a high number and any unusual terms you want, attaching a clear, believable justification to each ask.
Pro tip You can ask for non-salary terms too, like a full-time videographer, if the reason holds up.
Watch out The ask only works if it sounds believable — a number with no credible reason falls flat.
In the wild
Fechter told Autopilot he was interviewing with Uber and Facebook, demanded an answer by the next day, and asked for nearly double his pay plus a full-time videographer.
→ The next day he got the job at roughly double his prior salary and the videographer approved.
Common mistakes
Asking without leverage or a reason
A bold number with no competing options and no believable justification won't move the other side.
Is it for you?
Best for
Operators negotiating a job offer, raise, or contract who can generate competing options.
Not ideal for
Situations with no alternative options or where a bold ask can't be credibly justified.
From the transcript
“you can really ask for as much money as you want as long as you make it sound believable and there's a good reason for…”
“because I put those two competing offers on the table the next day they told me that I got the job”
From the episode
Josh Fechter: Growth Hacker Marketing Secrets
Josh Fechter