{"id":85974,"date":"2025-08-28T20:53:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T20:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/zopa\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T11:03:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T11:03:39","slug":"zopa","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/zopa\/","title":{"rendered":"ZOPA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ZOPA<\/strong> (zone of possible agreement<\/em>, zona de posible acuerdo<\/strong> in Spanish) is the range in which buyer and seller can close a deal that works for both of them.<\/p>\n\n

This concept is useful for any marketing professional who wants to design effective, dynamic negotiation strategies.<\/p>\n\n

What is ZOPA?<\/h2>\n\n

ZOPA is the space or range in which two parties<\/strong> (buyer and seller) can reach a mutually beneficial agreement. <\/p>\n\n

For example, it could be the space where the price the buyer is willing to pay and the minimum price the seller is willing to accept overlap. <\/p>\n\n

Within this zone, there is potential for both parties to reach an agreement<\/strong> and benefit mutually, achieving shared goals and objectives.<\/p>\n\n

A ZOPA example with numbers<\/h2>\n\n

An agency sells a newsletter design service. The least it will accept, its reservation point, is \u20ac800. The company that wants to hire it can pay \u20ac1,000 at most.<\/p>\n\n

The ZOPA runs from \u20ac800 to \u20ac1,000. If the company could only pay \u20ac700, there would be no ZOPA and no possible deal.<\/p>\n\n

Concept<\/th>What it is<\/th>In the example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Seller’s reservation point<\/td>The least it will accept<\/td>\u20ac800<\/td><\/tr>
Buyer’s reservation point<\/td>The most it will pay<\/td>\u20ac1,000<\/td><\/tr>
ZOPA<\/td>The space between the two<\/td>From \u20ac800 to \u20ac1,000<\/td><\/tr>
BATNA (MAAN in Spanish)<\/td>What you’ll do if there’s no deal<\/td>Another client or another agency<\/td><\/tr>
Closing price<\/td>Where the deal ends up, within the ZOPA<\/td>For example, \u20ac900<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n
\"ZOPA<\/figure>\n\n
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Find the offer your customer will accept<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try different offers with A\/B tests in Mailrelay and find out which discount works without giving away your margin. Start for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ZOPA, BATNA and reservation point<\/h2>\n\n

ZOPA can’t be understood without two other negotiation concepts. The reservation point<\/strong> is the least each party will accept before walking away from the table. The ZOPA is the space between the two parties’ reservation points.<\/p>\n\n

BATNA<\/strong> (best alternative to a negotiated agreement<\/em>) is what you’ll do if there’s no deal. In Spanish, it’s known as MAAN (mejor alternativa a un acuerdo negociado). It was popularized by Roger Fisher and William Ury in their 1981 book Getting to Yes<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n

The better your alternative, the higher you can set your reservation point. That’s why it pays to know your BATNA before negotiating and to estimate the other party’s.<\/p>\n\n

How to calculate your ZOPA in 4 steps<\/h2>\n\n

Before you sit down to negotiate, or launch an offer, follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n

    \n
  1. Set your reservation point:<\/strong> the price below which it isn’t worth it for you, based on your direct costs<\/a> and your alternative.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Estimate the other party’s:<\/strong> their budget, what they would pay a competitor and how much of a hurry they’re in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Check whether they overlap:<\/strong> if there’s no overlap, there’s no ZOPA and it’s better not to force the deal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Plan your first offer and your concessions<\/strong> within the zone, close to the end that favors you.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n
    \"How<\/figure>\n\n

    Connection between ZOPA and email marketing<\/h2>\n\n

    In the context of email marketing<\/a>, ZOPA becomes a valuable component. <\/p>\n\n

    Through emails, brands can communicate<\/strong> directly with their consumers and negotiate<\/strong> offers, prices and services. <\/p>\n\n

    It is within these exchanges that brands look for common ground<\/strong>, a space where the customer\u2019s expectations and the company\u2019s aspirations meet. <\/p>\n\n

    In practice, it’s about finding the ZOPA.<\/p>\n\n

    For example, a fashion company could send emails with exclusive offers to its subscribers. <\/p>\n\n

    Here, the ZOPA would be the range of prices and discounts<\/strong> in which both the customer and the company would benefit. <\/p>\n\n

    If this zone is correctly identified and leveraged, email marketing becomes a powerful tool to reach agreements that drive sales.<\/p>\n\n

    To apply it to your email offers:<\/p>\n\n