Eleanor Brooks · Quick Reference Card
The Executive Career Vault · Eleanor Brooks
Salary NegotiationQuick Reference Card
Your prep, your scripts, your game plan. All in one place.
017-Day Preparation Timeline
02Preparation Workbook. Fill In Before.
03All 6 Scripts With Coaching Notes
045 Negotiation Principles
05Market Research + After the Conversation
06The Walk-In Card. Flip to This Before You Go In.
Eleanor Brooks
writeeleanorbrooks.com
01
The 7-Day Preparation Timeline
Quick Reference Card · Eleanor Brooks
The 7-Day Preparation Timeline
What to do each day in the week before your conversation.
7 Days Out
Send the meeting request
  • Use Script 1. Send by email, not verbally.
  • Request a dedicated 30-minute slot
  • Two date options, keep the message short
  • Never raise pay at the end of another meeting
6 Days Out
Write your three numbers
  • Floor: walk away below this
  • Target: what you actually want
  • Opening Ask: higher than Target
  • Specific figures only, not ranges
5 Days Out
Run your market research
  • Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, Payscale
  • Pull range for your role + city
  • Save the source. You may need to cite it.
  • 20 minutes is enough
4 Days Out
Write your three wins
  • Formula: Action + Scope + Result
  • One sentence each, under 15 seconds spoken
  • Include a number in every win
  • Mark the strongest one. Lead with it.
3 Days Out
Read Scripts 2–6 aloud
  • Out loud. Not in your head.
  • Find the line that trips you up, drill that line
  • Decide which objection you're most likely to face
  • Practice the silence after your number
Day Before
One full run-through. Then stop.
  • Say all three wins + number + silence + objection response
  • Once, out loud, start to finish
  • Then close everything. Over-rehearsal kills natural delivery.
  • Early night
Morning Of
15 min quiet. Flip to Section 06. Walk in.
  • No calls before this one
  • Read your Opening Ask once. One number, not a range.
  • Three wins clear, each timed at under 15 sec
  • Close the guide. You've done the work.
The single most common preparation mistake
Leaving research and scripts until the day before. By then you don't have time to internalize anything. You just memorise, and memorising sounds like memorising. Spread the work across seven days.
02
Your Preparation Workbook
Quick Reference Card · Eleanor Brooks
Your Preparation Workbook
Fill this in before the conversation. Day before at the latest, not the morning of.
✏️ Click any field to type directly.
Your Three Numbers
Floor
Lowest you'll accept. Know this before you walk in.
Target
What you actually want. Backed by market data.
Opening Ask
What you say first. Higher than Target. One number.
Your Three Script-Ready Wins
Win 1
Action + Scope + Result · under 15 sec spoken
Win 2
Action + Scope + Result · under 15 sec spoken
Win 3
Action + Scope + Result · under 15 sec spoken
Your Value Statement
Strongest win → what it meant → what you're asking for. 2–3 sentences. Say it aloud until it doesn't feel strange.
Your BATNA
What are you doing if this goes nowhere? A real alternative changes your posture. Complete the sentence below.
Market Data
Role + Level
Market Range Found
Source(s)
03
Scripts 1 & 2: Requesting the Meeting + Stating Your Number
Quick Reference Card · Eleanor Brooks
Scripts 1 & 2
Read these out loud before you go in. Not in your head.
Script 1 · Requesting the Meeting
Script 1
The Meeting Request. Send by email or message, never verbally.

Hi [Name],

I'd like to schedule 30 minutes to talk about my compensation. I want to come prepared and give the conversation the focus it deserves.

Would [date] or [date] work for you? I'm flexible on timing.

If they ask what it's about: "I want to talk about my compensation and make sure I come prepared with the right context. I'd rather do it properly than rush it." That's enough. You don't owe a preview of your case.
Script 2 · Stating Your Number
Script 2
Evidence first. Number last. Then silence.

"I've been tracking my contributions carefully and I want to share a few things before I get to the ask."

"In the last [X months], I [Win 1 + metric]. I [Win 2 + metric]. And [Win 3 + metric]."

"Based on the value I'm delivering and where the market sits for this role at this level, I'm asking for a base salary of $[Opening Ask]."

[Say nothing. Count to 7.]

If they ask how you got there: "Market data for this role in [city] puts the range at $[X]–$[X]. I'm also factoring in [brief scope example]. The number reflects both." Two data points is enough.
Four mistakes that cost you before you've even made your case
  • Giving a range. They'll always offer the bottom end.
  • Apologising before the ask. "I know this might seem high, but…" hands them the frame.
  • Qualifying with emotion. "I feel like I deserve…" is easy to dismiss. Evidence isn't.
  • Filling the silence after your number. The first person to speak loses the anchor.
03
Scripts 3–6: Objection Responses
Quick Reference Card · Eleanor Brooks
Scripts 3–6
When they push back. A full response for each objection.
Script 3 · "No Budget Right Now"
Script 3
Turn the deferral into a documented date

"I understand, and I appreciate you being straight with me. I'm not looking to push where there's genuinely no room."

"What I'd like to do is pin down a specific date to revisit this, and agree now on what success looks like between now and then."

"Could we say [date, 60–90 days out]? And can we take five minutes now to agree what I'd need to deliver by then?"

If they won't commit: "What would need to be true for this to open up?" If they can't answer that, that's information.
Script 5 · "You're at the Top of Your Band"
Script 5
Redirect to the band itself, not your position in it

"Thank you, that's useful context. If the band is the constraint, I'd like to understand what it takes to move into the next one. Whether that's a title change, a reclassification, or a promotion discussion."

"I'm not asking because I'm unhappy. I'm asking because I've been operating at that level already."

No promotion path either? "Can we talk about a realistic timeline and what I'd need to demonstrate? I want something concrete."
Script 4 · "We'll Revisit at Your Review"
Script 4
Accept the timeline. Lock in criteria straight away.

"That works. I'm glad to have a clear timeline. I just want to make sure we're aligned now on what a strong outcome looks like at that review."

"If I [specific deliverable], would that support moving this forward? I want to make sure I'm focused on the right things."

"Can we take five minutes to get that on paper?"

Follow up in writing the same day. At the review: "We agreed in [month] to revisit this. I've delivered [X, Y, Z]. I'm asking for $[X]."
Script 6 · Counter-Offer
Script 6
One counter. Specific. One win. No apology.

On a raise:

"That doesn't get me to where I was asking to be. Based on [specific win], I'm asking for $[X]. Can we get there?"

On a new offer:

"I'm genuinely excited about this role. The base is a little lower than where I need to be. I'm looking for $[X]. Is there flexibility?"

If they say that's final: "Can I have 24 hours?" You're always allowed 24 hours. If base can't move, ask for equity, sign-on, a guaranteed review date, or remote flexibility.
04
5 Negotiation Principles
Quick Reference Card · Eleanor Brooks
5 Negotiation Principles
How salary conversations actually work.
Principle 01
Anchoring
  • The first number named sets the reference point everything else is measured against
  • Name your number first. Don't wait for their offer.
  • Specific beats round: "$112,500" signals preparation; "$110K" signals a guess
  • Once anchored, every response is still shaped by your number
Why Script 2 ends with "$[Opening Ask]". Never "around" or "approximately."
Principle 02
The Silence Rule
  • After your number: the first person to speak loses the anchor
  • Most people fill silence because it's uncomfortable. That discomfort isn't yours to fix.
  • Count to 7 in your head. Gives you something to focus on while the number lands.
  • Practice the silence before you walk in
The "[Count to 7]" in Script 2 is not a suggestion. It's part of the script.
Principle 03
BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front
  • Lead with your conclusion, then support it. Never bury the ask at the end.
  • Long explanations before the ask signal uncertainty
  • Evidence → Number → Silence is the correct sequence
  • Once the number is named, stop talking
Script 2's structure (wins first, number last) is BLUF in practice.
Principle 04
Tactical Empathy
  • Acknowledge what they're dealing with before making your case
  • Not agreement. Acknowledgement. Different thing.
  • Disarms defensiveness, opens the real conversation
  • "I understand timing is a constraint" before the ask lands differently than the same ask without it
Scripts 3 and 4 both open with acknowledgement before redirecting. That's deliberate.
Principle 05
PIE: Performance, Image, Exposure
Performance
10%
Accounts for far less career advancement than most people assume. Doing the work isn't enough.
Image
30%
How you're perceived. The confidence you bring in. The way you carry the conversation afterwards.
Exposure
60%
Who sees your work. This negotiation is a visibility event. The preparation you do shapes how they see you.
How you request this conversation, how you run it, and how you follow up is all part of your image. The 30-60-90 Action Plan and Email Templates in the vault are built around Exposure.
05
Market Research + After the Conversation
Quick Reference Card · Eleanor Brooks
Market Research
When they ask how you got to your number, you need data. Your own assessment isn't enough.
Where to Look (20 minutes is enough)
Glassdoor
Company-specific data. Filter by role, location, experience. Note the year.
LinkedIn Salary
Broad role ranges. Filter by industry, company size, location.
Levels.fyi
Best for tech and engineering. Shows total comp breakdown including equity.
Payscale
Non-tech roles. Wide industry coverage. Good for percentile data.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Official US data. Hard to dispute. Good for anchoring arguments.
Salary.com
National median and percentile. Useful for "where I sit in the market."
How to Present It in the Room

"Market data for this role at this level in [city] puts the range at $[X]–$[X]. My ask reflects that range and the scope I've been carrying."

That's it. Two sentences. If they push, name the sources. Mostly they won't.
What bad data sounds like
"I looked it up and people in my role make more than this." Cite the source. A named source is a fact. An unnamed one is just your opinion with extra steps.
After the Conversation
What happens after matters too.
The Three Outcomes
They Said Yes
  • Get it in writing before you leave the room if possible
  • Confirm the start date, the amount, and any conditions
  • Send a follow-up email that day summarising what was agreed
  • Thank them. Professionally, not effusively.
They Came In Low
  • Don't accept or reject on the spot. Say "Can I have 24 hours?"
  • Use Script 6 to counter with one specific number
  • If base can't move: ask for equity, sign-on, or a guaranteed review date
  • Never counter with a range
They Deferred
  • Get a specific date before you leave. Not "soon" or "next quarter".
  • Use Scripts 3 or 4 to pin down criteria, not just the date
  • Send a follow-up email summarising the date and agreed criteria
  • When the date arrives: "We agreed in [month]. I've delivered [X]. I'm asking for $[X]."
The Follow-Up Email (Any Outcome)
Send within 24 hours. Subject: Our conversation [date]
One paragraph. What was discussed. What was agreed or left open. What the next step is. Copy yourself. This is your record if anything is disputed later.
Section 06 · The Walk-In Card
Flip to This Before You Walk In
Your numbers, scripts, and principles. At a glance.
Eleanor Brooks
Quick Reference Card
Before You Walk In
The Sequence
Step 1
State your wins
Step 2
Name your number
Step 3
Count to 7
Step 4
Say nothing
Opening Statement
Script 2. What you say before you name your number.
"In the last [X months], I [Win 1]. I [Win 2]. And [Win 3]. Based on what I've delivered and where the market sits for this role, I'm asking for $[Opening Ask]."
Then count to 7. Say nothing. Let it land.
The Silence Rule
After your number, the first person to speak loses the anchor. That discomfort isn't yours to fix. Count to 7.
7
seconds
Objection Responses
No Budget
"I understand. Can we pin down a specific date to revisit this, and agree now on what success looks like between now and then?"
We'll Revisit at Your Review
"That works. Can we take 5 minutes now to agree what a strong outcome looks like at that review, so we're aligned before we get there?"
Top of Your Band
"If the band is the constraint, I'd like to understand what it takes to move into the next one. Whether that's a title change, a reclassification, or a promotion discussion."
Their Offer Is Low
"That doesn't get me to where I was asking to be. Based on [Win], I'm asking for $[X]. Can we get there?"
Power Phrases
To buy time
"Can I have 24 hours before I respond?"
On market data
"Market data for this role in [city] puts the range at $[X]–$[X]."
On criteria
"Can we agree now on what success looks like?"
To document
"I'll send a summary email today so we're aligned."
After the Conversation
Yes
Get it in writing. Email summary today. Note start date + amount.
Low Offer
"Can I have 24 hours?" Counter with one number. Script 6.
Deferred
Lock in a date + criteria before you leave. Email it same day.
Quick Reference Card · writeeleanorbrooks.com
Eleanor Brooks · Salary Negotiation Quick Reference Card