The first step in any significant software procurement is to assure there is a clear definition of the business problem being solved. If you don’t know what you want, you aren’t prepared to negotiate for it, so you'll end up with a system or tool that isn't what you need—and you'll likely be disappointed at delivery.

It is a common belief that testers should think like end-users by going beyond the defined requirements, seeing if the application under test addresses end-user expectations, and evaluating how it fares against competition. But with security testing, testers have to think not only like end-users, but also like hackers.

Negotiation occurs on a spectrum, and different tactics apply in different situations. For instance, you’d treat a one-time transaction differently from an ongoing client relationship you want to nurture. Have you developed effective negotiating skills? Are you applying negotiating skills appropriate for the context?