Most candidates negotiate badly not because they ask for too much, but because they ask in a way that signals doubt about the role itself. The goal is to increase the offer while increasing the employer's confidence that you want the job.
Lead with commitment
Open by confirming enthusiasm plainly: you want the role, you can see the first ninety days, and you would like to resolve one item so you can accept. That framing turns a negotiation into a joint problem to solve rather than a standoff.
Anchor on one thing
Pick the item that matters most — usually base salary — and be specific about the number and the reasoning. A single well-justified ask lands far better than a list. If cash is capped, name the alternatives you would accept: an early review, a signing amount, additional equity, a title adjustment.
Say what happens next
End by making acceptance easy: "If you can do X, I'm ready to sign today." Employers move for candidates who make the path to yes obvious.
Where it goes wrong
Using a competing offer as leverage you do not intend to take. Reopening items already agreed. Negotiating over email in fragments rather than in one conversation. Each of these costs goodwill you will need on your first day.