I think it depends on the client or donor, so it’s important to know them well. For example, when I ran an ad agency, we found that we had some clients who would always negotiate down our fees. So, we always had to start with a high proposal to make sure we were reasonably compensated once the negotiations were finished.

With donors, if someone says “no” to a proposal, I think it can be helpful to ask if they would consider funding something smaller. There is nothing to lose if they aren’t going to fund the bigger project and often this will lead to a “yes.”

But, it’s important to know the client/donor and act accordingly. These suggestions from Cialdini certainly don’t apply to everyone.

Thanks for the comment!