Closing Negotiations

There will be times during a negotiation when all parties involved have agreed upon the important terms, yet the negotiation still draws on and doesn’t seem to come to a close.

Usually this is because of one person who is being difficult, and who tries to negotiate with you to get what they want on every single issue without being willing to give something up in return.

Other times negotiations may draw on because someone is trying to bully you, or trick you into giving up something you either can’t or don’t want to give up.

Then you have times where someone acts bossy during a negotiation, thinking that they are right and you are wrong on every single issue.

In order to become a successful and effective negotiator you need to be aware of such situations during the negotiation process, and then take steps to remedy the unresolved issues so that you can come to a successful conclusion.

Bringing Negotiations To A Close

If you are trying to negotiate with someone but are unable to close the deal, then one of the best negotiation techniques you can use is to simply take a break.

Having breaks during negotiations will not only allow you to regroup your thoughts and alter your negotiating strategy, but it will also allow things to calm down so that when you do resume negotiations, you will do so with a clear head.

Very often negotiations fail because people allow their emotions to get the better of them, which then causes them not to think or negotiate in a logical manner.

This can often be caused by negotiation strategies which frustrate you. For example, the other negotiator may constantly change their position, play good cop / bad cop or frequently leave the negotiation to consult with an invisible partner.

Again, allowing yourself time for a break will give you time to assess the situation with a clear head, and then change the strategies you use when you resume negotiations.

When you begin to negotiate again, listen carefully to what is being said and ask questions to help you get around any obstacles.

When To Close The Deal?

Closing the deal is the climax of the negotiation process, and is the point where both parties have accepted terms that they are happy with.

As a result, if you negotiate with someone and come to a satisfactory conclusion quickly, jump on that opportunity to seal the deal.

Far too often people allow negotiations to drag on and on even when both parties are happy with the terms. The danger in allowing this to occur is that the terms may suddenly change, and you may then have to begin negotiating again.

So always aim to close the deal as soon as both parties are happy with the terms. You can make a quick assessment of this simply by asking if they are happy, and if they are, agreeing to seal the deal.

Of course every negotiation will not have such a smooth conclusion. This is especially true with business negotiations where lots of money is involved, and someone is afraid of making a mistake by closing too early.

In this case the best approach is to ask questions, so that you can discover exactly what is holding back your negotiation from coming to a close. Then use the feedback you get to work around the sensitive issues, by helping the other party to solve their problems.

Remember, a good negotiator is someone who is able communicate the good points of their proposal clearly, so that the other party sees the advantage of agreeing to your terms.

If you can help people overcome any concerns or problems they may have with your proposal, your negotiation skills will be dramatically improved.