Self Help

Knowing when to close you deals when negotiating is east: Early and often. Some people don’t seem to want or need to close the deal. They are like cows chewing their cud. They just go on and on enjoying the process, burning up time, and never bringing discussions to a close. But closing is a separate skill.

Keep the closing in mind as you prepare for your negotiation, as you listen to the other side, and every time you speak. A little piece of your mind should always focus on the closing - on bringing the negotiation to a mutually acceptable solution. When you view closing as a separate step in a negotiation, you aren’t likely to miss an opportunity to close.

Remember your mantra for closing: Early and often. A recent study of sales people revealed that a very small percentage of sales close after the first effort. Most sales close after at least three efforts to get the order. Try to close any negotiation as early as possible and keep trying until you prevail.

If you have trouble closing deals, intentionally try to close your next negotiation earlier than you think is possible. You find that no harm is done and that the other side actually becomes sensitized to the need to conclude matters. Make a game of it. Chart your efforts to close. Your rate of successful closings rises as you become more and more aware of closing as a separate skill to bring out early and often.