Let’s Get Physical – How Negotiators Close A Deal

Taking physical action to close a deal can make it happen quicker
Taking physical action to close a deal can make it happen quicker

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Just exactly how does a negotiator wrap things up? I mean, you are all done with the negotiations and you really don’t want to have any more discussions with the other side of the table; however, they appear to be prepared to continue talking. What do you do in order to signal that the negotiations are over?

Ways To Communicate That The Negotiation Is Over

When you believe that you have achieved everything that you wanted to get out of the negotiation then you are ready to wrap things up. The problem is that the other side of the table may not have reached the same conclusion.

We all know how this can go: you get into a certain “mode” when you are negotiating and it can be difficult to break out of that mode when things are done. That’s why often times negotiations can start to drag on towards the end and more often than not end with a whimper and not a bang.

As a skilled negotiator, you need to take steps in order to make sure that this doesn’t happen to you. You are going to have to use the proper negotiation styles and negotiating techniques that will make this happen. What you are going to have to do is to communicate to the other side of the table that the negotiation is over.

There are, of course, a number of different ways that you can go about doing this. One would be to simply tell the other side that you were done negotiating. However, there really is no nice way to do this. Additionally, if they are still in their “negotiating mode” then they won’t be happy about being forced out of it.

A much better way to go about wrapping up your negotiation is to use physical actions to communicate to the other side that the negotiations are done.

The Power Of Physical Communication

The classic technique for using a physical action to communicate to the other side of the table that the negotiation is over is for you to start to write out the order for the purchase or the sale. This overt physical action will cause the other side to stop talking and to start watching you.

Another technique is to act as though the other side has already accepted whatever your last offer was. If you hand them paperwork that says that you accept the deal based on the terms that you’ve proposed, stand up, and say good-bye then there is a very good chance that they’ll react as though it’s a done deal and the negotiations will be over.

When a negotiation is over, people like to celebrate. That means that if you start to celebrate by opening some drinks or inviting both teams out to a celebratory dinner, then the other side will get the hint that you think that the negotiations are now over.

One final way to clearly communicate to the other side that the negotiation is over is to write up the final memo of agreement in front of them. Complete writing it, print it out, hand it to them and then walk away.

What All Of This Means For You

Every principled negotiation eventually reaches a conclusion. You may realize this when it happens. However, the other side might not see it the same way. When this happens you need to take physical action to clearly communicate that the negotiation is over.

There are many different ways to do this. You can start to write the order, you can act as though the other side has already accepted your proposal, you can start the celebration party, or you can write up the memo of agreement.

No matter how you go about doing it, your intention is clear: the negotiation is over. Use these physical actions to let the other side know that it’s time to wrap this negotiation up so that everyone can get started with the next one!

– Dr. Jim Anderson
Blue Elephant Consulting –
Your Source For Real World Negotiating Skills™

Question For You: What do you think that you should do next if the other side doesn’t get the hint that the negotiations are over?

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What We’ll Be Talking About Next Time

I truly enjoy participating in a negotiation. However, even I know that all good things eventually comes to an end – at some point it’s time to put away all of our negotiation styles and negotiating techniques because you’ve got to close the negotiation and reach a deal. How to close a negotiation is an art. I’ve got two ways that you can tell when the other side is willing to wrap things up…