How to get more in a negotiation without increasing the budget

A few weeks ago, I was asked to speak at a company’s yearly convention.

I had quoted my standard fee for a 45-minute keynote.

They came back asking for that keynote plus a 90-minute workshop for 200 VIPs, but for less money than I’d quoted.

That workshop alone would be 20+ hours of additional work to build.

So I had a choice: walk away, or get creative.

I got creative.

By asking one six-word question, I ended up with about $10K in additional value without them having to significantly increase their budget.

The Problem

When you negotiate, you think the only option is to ask for more money.

But there are dozens of other things you could negotiate that might be even more valuable — and way easier for them to say yes to.

The Big Small Thing

Ask: “What else is easy for you?” Then listen. And get creative.

Here’s what I negotiated:

#1: Timing change (high value to me, zero cost to them)

The event was the second day of my son’s first year at middle school and meant I’d miss morning drop-off with my kids.

I asked if they could push the reception back 30 minutes so I could catch a later flight. They said yes immediately. Zero cost to them. Huge value to me.

#2: Books (~$4k value)

I asked: “Are you buying books for swag bags? Could you get 200 copies for VIPs and 40 extra for a raffle?”

They said yes. It came out of their swag budget, not their speaker budget.

#3: Professional video + speaker reel (~$5k value).

They mentioned they had an in-house videographer because they’re also a media company. I asked: “Could you put together a speaker reel for me? And could I send footage from other events to incorporate?”

They said yes. This would’ve easily cost me $5k to hire someone, and again, it was negligible cost to them.

#4: Small fee increase.

After all that, I also asked if they could bump the fee slightly to account for the additional workshop. They agreed.

Total value? I got $10k+ in money, books, video, and flexibility — without drastically increasing their budget.

How YOU can apply this:

Job offer:

• Work from home 2 days/week?
• Extra week of vacation?
• Professional development budget?

Freelance contract:

• Handle travel booking?
• Testimonials or referrals?
• Footage/assets for portfolio?

In your personal life:

• Swap kid pickups with another family?
• Meet for a 30 min walk instead of a 2-hour dinner?
• Bring store-bought instead of homemade?

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How This Helps You Get What You Want

When you only negotiate for money, you limit yourself to one variable.

When you ask what else is easy for them, you unlock dozens of possibilities.

You get more value. They don’t have to find more budget. Everyone wins.

Next time you’re negotiating, ask: “What else is easy for you?”