Learn how to handle price objections, add value without discounting, and close deals with confidence—even when clients push back hard.
Episode Overview
In this episode of It's A Yes! Making It In Media, Jo Wood and Debra Sharron tackle one of the most crucial skills in media sales and recruitment: negotiation. The moment a client asks "can you do it for less?" determines whether you're seen as a partner or just another vendor. How you negotiate shapes your entire relationship—and of course, your income.
Jo and Debra explore why some people relish negotiation while others find it vulgar and avoid it entirely. They break down the two essential stages of any negotiation: preparation (knowing your like, intend, and must outcomes) and execution (having the skills to pace the conversation while building credibility). From salary negotiations to handling steep discount requests, they reveal the strategies that separate average closers from top billers.
Listener questions come from Josh, who's negotiating for the top end of a salary band, and Sophie, whose client loves the proposal but wants a 30% discount. Jo and Debra provide practical frameworks including the "value menu" approach—a creative alternative to caving on price. Plus, three industry experts share their takes: Emma Cranston (The Ozone Project), Steve Filler (ShowHeroes), and Rimi Atwell (Netmums) on what agencies respect, how to avoid racing to the bottom, and holding your nerve when clients push back.
What This Episode Covers
- Cultural taboos around discussing money—and why salespeople hide behind email
- How to pitch for the top end of a salary band without pricing yourself out
- The value menu approach: adding value instead of dropping price
- Why face-to-face negotiation is more powerful than email back-and-forth
- The "one shot" theory: why you might only get one chance at the pitch
- Trial closing in the first conversation—don't wait for a follow-up that may never come
- What agencies respect in negotiation (integrity, bespoke responses, collaboration)
- How to avoid a race to the bottom on CPMs when selling challenger solutions
- Taking a beat: why pausing before responding gives you control
The YES List
Dragon's Den — Series 22, Episode 12 (BBC iPlayer)
Debra recommends this specific episode featuring an entrepreneur who handles objections from five incredibly tough investors simultaneously.
Watch here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001w0z0/dragons-den-series-22-episode-12
Get In Touch
If there's a media career question, challenge or experience you'd like us to explore, email hello@makingitinmedia.com
Upcoming Workshops
Debra runs live, interactive online media sales training workshops focused on building commercial confidence and capability, including negotiation skills.
Details of upcoming sessions can be found here: https://makingitinmedia.com/sales-training-courses/
Subscribe & Share
Follow the show for conversations about building a career in media, and share this episode with someone who needs to hold their ground in tough negotiations.
More from Jo & Debra
- Subscribe to Jo and Debra’s newsletter, to get your FREE guide to the Top Media Sales Tips for 2026
- Join one of Debra’s upcoming media sales workshops
- Follow Jo on LinkedIn here
- Follow Debra on LinkedIn here
About the Hosts
It’s A Yes! Making It In Media is hosted by Jo Wood and Debra Sharron.
Jo is Managing Director of The Media Exchange, a specialist media recruitment consultancy working closely with candidates and employers across the industry.
Debra is founder of Media Sales Training, where she designs and delivers training for media sales teams, supporting professionals at every stage of their careers.
Together, they combine recruitment insight and sales expertise shaped by decades of experience inside the media industry.
Disclaimer: The views shared on this podcast are for general information only and reflect personal experience. They should not be taken as specific career, legal or financial advice.
