Virtual Negotiation Closing Techniques

I recently closed a $15,000 deal with the potential of being a $100K deal. We had 3 discovery calls w/ 2 presentations. Here are 6 strategies I did to close this in less than 30 days that you can copy: 1/ Shared My Research: I did my homework on the company, industry, and buyer persona. I got to the call and shared my notes about my research and how I connected the dots. E.g. "Btw, from my understanding, you're dealing with a really antiquated buyer persona for the most part who is either using a competitor or some old school method of doing things, like managing their tasks on Excel..." Don't keep your notes private. 2/ Be Radically Transparent: Most salespeople try to hide that they're taking notes and looking at another screen, but prospects want to feel like you're taking their problems/goals seriously. E.g. "Btw, if you see me look at another screen, it's because I am. I'm writing some notes and ideas down as we talk through this, which I'll share at the end." Be candid. 3/ Looked For Problems: Salespeople hate opening a can of objections during a call, but I'd argue that is your best bet for maintaining control of the deal. I asked questions that would get me and my business in trouble. The prospect ends up selling you on why you'd be a better fit. E.g. "You mentioned you used to use [COMPETITOR] training program, why not just continue with them since the team is sold on it already?" Unsell yourself. 4/ Gave Value Before The Pitch: Most prospects expect you to spend more time pitching your services or product, but I flipped it on its head. I spent more time giving them strategies and advice on how to better run their department. E.g. "Whether you go with me, another provider, or none at all, here's what I recommend you do in the next 30-60 days.. [INSERT VALUE ADD]." Always teach something new. 5/ Set Up Next Steps Upfront: Most salespeople set up next steps at the end of the call, but that's when prospects are out the door. I like to set them up front because there's the least amount of resistance. E.g. "Assuming this would be fit, you'd probably want another call to dive deeper into your process so we can scope out the work and proposal, so let's set some time in the end to do that later this week for 30 minutes, sound good?" Make next steps worth it for them to agree. 6/ Recapped In The Beginning: At the beginning of our follow-up discovery call, I recapped their challenges/goals from our last call, but I did it by sharing my screens and showing them my notes. E.g. "Based on our last call, these were top of mind for you [LIST CHALLENGES/GOALS] - 1) What's missing from here? 2) And are these still top of mind? Use slides strategically. The takeaway: prospects don't want to be sold to, they want to be helped. #helpmedontsellme P.S. Here are my top 24 discovery questions to quantify pain that helped me close this deal: https://lnkd.in/edAVrn2v

I've closed 7-figure deals with just 3 words. And no, they’re not what you think.   I’ll never forget the day it all clicked.     I was sitting in a boardroom, trying to close a high-stakes deal.     We’d been negotiating for hours, going in circles. Every offer I made was shot down.     It was frustrating.     Until I asked one simple question:     "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵?"   Suddenly, the energy in the room shifted.     The CEO paused, leaned back, and said:     “𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳.”     That’s all I needed to know.     I restructured the proposal, focused on their deadline, and within 48 hours, the deal was signed—for $1.5 million.     Here’s why those three words are so powerful:     1️⃣ They disarm people.   - Negotiations often feel like a battle.   - This question flips the dynamic, showing empathy and interest.     2️⃣ They uncover hidden priorities.   - What someone says they want isn’t always what they 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 need.   - This question helps you see past the surface.     3️⃣ They build instant trust.   - People respond when they feel heard.   - These words tell them: “𝘐’𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢.”     Since that moment, I’ve used this question in every negotiation.     Whether it’s closing seven-figure deals or resolving disagreements at home (yes, it works on kids too), these three words have been a game-changer.     And the best part?     It works for everyone—from CEOs to entrepreneurs to team leaders.     Try this:   The next time you’re negotiating—whether it’s for a contract, a raise, or even who’s doing the dishes—ask:     "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵?"   Then listen.     I promise, the results will surprise you.     Have you ever used a simple question to transform a conversation? I’d love to hear it—drop it in the comments below!  ------------------------------- Hi, I’m Scott Harrison and I help executive and leaders master negotiation & communication in high-pressure, high-stakes situations.  - ICF Coach and EQ-i Practitioner - 24 yrs | 19 countries | 150+ clients   - Negotiation | Conflict resolution | Closing deals 📩 DM me or book a discovery call (link in the Featured section)

Draft. Send. Wait. Receive. Review. Edit. Repeat. Again. And again. Some contracts get stuck in this endless loop. Here’s how I break out of it and try to close deals faster. A lot of these, I have picked up from my senior in the profession. These points actually make a real difference. 1. The Deviation Matrix approach- When there's too much back-and-forth, reviewing the entire agreement repeatedly wastes time. Instead, I use a Deviation Matrix: - What’s in the agreement? - Proposed change, and reason behind it? - Counterparty’s observation? - Final decision? This shifts focus to key points, making negotiations laser-focused. 2. The “No-Redlining” rule for minor edits- Negotiations get derailed by excessive track changes and formatting tweaks. I try streamlining the process by sharing a clean draft along, keeping the focus on key terms instead of markup battles. 3. Pre-approved alternate clauses- For common sticking points (e.g., indemnity, liability caps), I keep a library of fallback clauses that are pre-approved internally. This prevents delays in getting management approvals every time. 4. Ghostwriting for the Counterparty- If I know the counterparty will push back on a clause, I sometimes draft the alternative version they would likely propose (but in a way that works for both). This saves rounds of negotiation. 5. Negotiation by concept, and not verbiage- Instead of haggling over specific words, I first align on the core principle behind a clause. Once both sides agree on intent, drafting the right language becomes much faster. 6. Highlighting ‘No-Go’ zones upfront- Instead of rejecting proposed changes late in the game, I highlight non-negotiable clauses before discussions start. This prevents wasted time on things that will never fly. 7. Ending ‘Email ping-pong’ with a Rapid-fire call- If an email thread crosses 2 replies, I prefer a quick 10-minute call to resolve all pending points. This reduces long written explanations and unnecessary delays. 8. Strategic use of E-signatures- Not just for sheer convenience, but to prevent last-minute cold feet from the other party. Once a contract is ready for signing, I send it through a CLM tool immediately, reducing the chances of sudden re-negotiations. Contracts don’t have to feel like a tug-of-war. The goal is to close the deal efficiently and not just winning the negotiation. That’s something my seniors have always emphasized, and over time, I’ve come to see the wisdom in it. #ContractReview #InHouseCounsel

I used to bomb every single sales call at Letterdrop Most founders think a killer demo is enough to close deals. It’s not. I learned the hard way. I’d run what I thought was a great demo, hear “This is awesome, let me take it back to my team”… and then the deal would quietly die. It wasn’t the product. It was my process. After Isaiah worked with Ryan and me, I realized closing deals isn’t about showing off features. It’s about guiding the buyer through their internal buy-in process. Here’s the system that changed everything. Step 1: Discovery The first call isn’t about pitching. It’s about understanding priorities, blockers, and fallback plans. Keep it conversational. You can always go deeper later. Don’t overwhelm with a demo yet; a quick preview at most. One buyer told me, “You were the first vendor who actually understood my world.” Step 2: The Demo On call two, I recap what I learned, let them correct me, and then run a laser-focused demo. I skip irrelevant features and tell stories: “Here’s how a customer like you solved this.” A buyer once stopped me: “That’s exactly the situation we’re in.” Pause often, let them react, and once they’re sold, stop selling. Step 3: The Business Case Work with your champion to craft an internal doc in their language. When their exec reads it, you want, “I’m glad you pulled this together.” Practice with your champion so the deal doesn’t die in a 30-second hallway chat. Step 4: The Buying Committee Map stakeholders. Connect on LinkedIn. Run ads. Post content. One champion told me, “It was easier to pitch you because my boss already knew your name.” That familiarity matters. Thanks Letterdrop for the nurture automation. Step 5: The Group Demo Set up a pre-call with your champion to align on each stakeholder’s priorities. In the meeting, make sure everyone feels heard. Follow up 1:1. Debrief with your champion to address objections. Step 6: Executive Sponsorship Loop in your exec sponsor to reassure the decision-maker. When my AE runs deals, this is me. In your case, get your CEO/CRO to do it. Step 7: Procurement and Close Project-manage finance, legal, IT. Do the heavy lifting for your champion. Once the deal is live, CS gets them to value fast. And always ask for referrals. This framework turned me from “hopeful demo guy” into someone who can consistently navigate complex sales cycles. Drop a comment or DM me for the full checklist

Prospect: "We need a 20% discount to move forward." Me: "You sure that’s what you need?" Prospect: "...Yeah?" Me: "Okay, let’s talk about how this actually works." Most people think negotiation is just about lowering the price. Smart sales pros know it’s about choosing the right type of negotiation for the situation. Here’s what I walked them through: 1️⃣ Distributive bargaining This is the classic back-and-forth. You ask for a discount, I ask for a longer term or faster signature. Good for procurement-heavy deals. 2️⃣ Integrative bargaining Forget haggling, focus on solving bigger problems. Instead of lowering the price, I might add 60 days of onboarding or a dedicated CSM. You win, I win. 3️⃣ Mixed-Motive bargaining Think long-term. A small discount today in exchange for easier expansion terms later. It protects future deals without tanking this one. 4️⃣ Attitudinal structuring This one’s about how you show up. Bring case studies, tailor your pitch, talk openly about risks. Make them want to partner with you, not just buy from you. 5️⃣ Intra-Organizational bargaining Sometimes the real battle isn’t with your prospect. It’s inside their company. Procurement, legal, finance, all pulling in different directions. Coach your champion. Help them sell it internally. Negotiation isn’t the final step in the sales process. It is the process. The best sellers aren’t the ones who discount fastest. They’re the ones who know which move to make when.

Do You Lower the Price? Or Raise the Stakes? "Good negotiators lower price to close deals. Great negotiators elevate value, build trust, and trade smart to win high-margin partnerships." The difference isn’t just tactics, it’s philosophy, preparation, and presence. The gap between discounting under pressure and "winning with purpose" comes down to how you: - Think about value - Respond under tension - Prepare before conversations Here’s your guide to upgrade your negotiation game in 10 powerful moments: 1. When a Prospect Pushes for a Discount   ↳ Instead of “Let me see what I can do…”   ↳ Say “If we adjust pricing, what can you offer in return?” 2. When You Hear “Your Competitor Is Cheaper”   ↳ Instead of “Let me match their price…”   ↳ Say “Let’s look at the outcomes. Are you comparing cost, or results?” 3. When You’re Prepping for a Big Deal   ↳ Instead of “I’ll figure it out on the call…”   ↳ Say “Let’s map BATNAs, stakeholders, concessions, and decision paths in advance.” 4. When Building Rapport   ↳ Instead of “How’s your day going?”   ↳ Say “What’s the most important initiative on your desk right now and what’s slowing it down?” 5. When The Buyer Is Hesitating   ↳ Instead of “Do you need more time?”   ↳ Say “What specific concerns are holding us back from moving forward?” 6. When Discussing Value   ↳ Instead of “We cost $X…”   ↳ Say “Here’s what $X produces and how fast you’ll see ROI.” 7. When Structuring an Offer   ↳ Instead of “Here’s the proposal…”   ↳ Say “Here are 3 tailored options we can move forward with. Pick the one that best aligns with your priorities.” 8. When You Want to Gain Leverage   ↳ Instead of “I hope they say yes…”   ↳ Say “Here’s how we lead the conversation, with data, insight, and a clear value advantage.” 9. When Training Your Sales Team   ↳ Instead of “Just be confident.”   ↳ Say “Here’s a role-play. Let’s practice until the objection is automatic.” 10. When Reviewing a Lost Deal   ↳ Instead of “They chose someone else.”   ↳ Say “Where did we lose control of the narrative and how do we sharpen our process?” Bonus: When You’re in the Final Conversation   ↳ Instead of “Let’s get this closed…”   ↳ Say “Let’s co-create a path forward that benefits both sides and sets the tone for a long-term partnership.” - Good negotiators react to pricing pressure. - Great negotiators create value pressure. - Good negotiators give in. - Great negotiators trade up for something better. So ask yourself: Do you negotiate to close? Or do you lead to transform? "Lead Different. Sell Smarter. Win with Purpose." --- ♻️ Share this post with a sales leader who needs to hear it. Follow me for more strategies to grow your team... 👇 👉 Click here: Follow me on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/eA7csH2q Join our community of 37,300+ sales professionals today! 👉 Click here: Beyond The Funnel Newsletter https://lnkd.in/ed3iMb8x 👉 Click here: For my latest e-Book https://lnkd.in/eytkJd7Y PS: Thanks for reading!

Most demos end with a "thanks, we’ll get back to you.” That quiet ending—it’s where deals go to die. The last 7–10 minutes of your demo matter more than you think. Too often, AEs skip 3 simple steps— and leave deals hanging. Here’s a recommendation on how to close strong 👇 1. Confirm they saw what they came for ➝ Ask: “Is there anything you were hoping or expecting to see that we did not show today?” Not everyone will speak up on their own—so bring it up directly. (especially the case in group demos) 2. Recommend next steps—with permission Don’t assume or push your process. Instead, try: “Linda, could I provide a recommendation on next steps moving forward?” ➝ pull up a visual timeline slide ➝ walk through it briefly, see if it aligns with them ➝ uncover internal risks—like who might push back Don’t shy away from that. Ask. 3. Lock in the next step—before the call ends Don’t leave it hanging in inbox limbo. Try: “Linda, quick favour. Know that after this call you’ll get back to your day to day and so will I, so rather than go back and forth over email taking up your valuable time, could we quickly open our calendars and lock in time for [next step]?” (and make sure it’s a meaningful next step) ...................................................................... Do these 3 things, and you’ll take better control of your deal cycles.

In Q1 two years ago my team had to close over $3,000,000 in the last month of the quarter to hit our number (we did). These are the exact 14 tactics we used to get every single deal done: 1. If you don’t ask if they can [sign in June], they can’t say yes (“would it be crazy…?”) 2. Every in-play deal should have a meeting on the calendar 3. Commercial incentives do work to compress timelines 4. If you can influence a timeline, compress it (book the next meeting for tomorrow, reply to emails in minutes, ask them to slack legal while you’re on the phone) 5. Do something every single day to advance each in-play deal 6. Anchor timeline discussions to launch date, of which signature date and procurement process just become functions 7. The launch & signature timelines must be discussed early and often 8. Give reasons for every ask and follow-up (e.g.“, I’m keeping my onboarding team posted”) 9. If a deal goes sideways, 3 steps: (1) get on the phone > (2) uncover the real issue > (3) solve 10. Ideally, have a texting & cell phone call relationship with your mobilizer 11. Utilize your executives (direct emails, investor relationships) 12. Aggressively uncover risk in any deal 13. Communicate with tremendous EQ. Calm. Relaxed. Helpful vibe. No commission breath. Curious. 14. Negotiation: uncover all asks, ensure you’re solving the right problem, make the customer confirm that if the terms are approved they’ll be ready to move forward before you approve, it’s okay to say “no” with a reason Anything else you think should be on here?

If your Q4 pipeline is ghosting, steal this simple communication technique. 👇 Your reps ask for next steps and hear objections. They try to overcome those objections and the prospect goes dark. The problem is that your sellers are ending conversations instead of advancing them. Most sales training teaches reps to crush objections and push for the close. That approach creates resistance because prospects feel pressured. When prospect's done feel safe being honest, they withhold information and deals stall. I train my clients to use the EDICT framework. It stands for Empathy, Define, Isolate, Curiosity, and Trial Close. The Trial Close step is where most deals either advance or die. 👉 You need a low pressure way to test if the prospect is ready to move forward. This is where the IF:THEN technique becomes powerful. Instead of asking for a meeting or pushing for a close, use conditional IF:THEN language. It allows for problem solving without creating pressure. Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation calls this a contingent agreement. The IF:THEN structure positions your seller as a trusted advisor instead of a high pressure closer. You are creating space to find win-win outcomes. Here's a few examples of how it might sound on a call: - IF we're able to create a 90-day onboarding plan to ensure you're confident about time-to-value, THEN would you escalate the budget request? - IF I'm able to get approval to add an extra user at no additional cost, THEN would you be ready to sign? - IF we schedule another call to co-create a business case, THEN would you commit to introducing me to your VP so I can better support the decision-making process? ✨ Enjoyed this post? Make sure follow Leslie Venetz for daily posts about B2B sales, leadership, entrepreneurship and mindset.

It’s crunch time for sellers, and I wanted to share with you my #1 negotiation tip to help bring your deals over the finish line in Q4. Never offer incentives or discounts until you’ve done this: 👇👇👇 #𝟏 𝐓𝐢𝐩: 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬!!! This may seem obvious, but WAY too many sellers offer Q4 incentives as a way to close the deal before validating that the customer is ready to move forward! They may still have unspoken concerns, such as technical fit, implementation support, timing, or higher priorities. If you try to negotiate before addressing these concerns, you are simply negotiating against yourself. Even if they mention price as a concern, you still need to validate that it’s their ONLY concern before negotiating. Here’s a great question to ask before ever offering an incentive or discount: “Before we discuss any Q4 incentives, I just want to confirm that you are ready to move forward and have no other questions or concerns we should address besides pricing.” If you get their confirmation, then ask about their pricing concerns before sharing what you can offer. You need to make sure your incentive is mapped directly to their concerns. For example, if their concern revolves around the contract length, you can offer to provide them with the 60 month rate on a 36 months term if they move forward this month. If their concern is around cash flow, you may be able to offer semi-annual or quarterly billing. If their concern is about license or consumption commitment, you may be able to do a ramp plan. The main point is that you need to make sure PRICE or COMMERCIALS are the only concern before you negotiate or offer anything. And always, always making sure you are negotiating directly with the decision maker who can say yes. Otherwise, your incentives will likely miss the mark. In today’s training video, I share a great talk track to begin negotiations, as well as several other strategies to ensure your negotiations are successful. You can find the full training video here: https://lnkd.in/g4XVVmiv