Closing and writing it down
Summarise every term, check nothing's left open, put it in writing the same day, and use a one-page prep sheet that brings the whole course together.
Signs it's time to close
- Concessions are getting small: both sides are moving in tens, not hundreds.
- The same points keep coming back with nothing new said about them.
- Both sides are inside their walk-away points (lesson 2), so a deal is possible.
- Then ask a closing question that names the last gap: "If we can agree on the start date, do we have a deal?"
Check yourself
Parisa and her client agree on fee, payment and revisions; only the delivery date is still open. Which is a good closing question?
- "So, what do you think overall?"
- "If we can settle on 15 March for delivery, do we have a deal?"
- "Shall we leave the date for now and sort it out later?"
- "Is there anything else you'd like me to add for free?"
Show the answer
"If we can settle on 15 March for delivery, do we have a deal?"
Yes. It names the one remaining gap and links it to the whole deal, so agreeing on the date closes everything.
Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed
A ground rule, often said out loud at the start: any single point you agree along the way is provisional until the whole package is settled. It keeps every issue available for trading (lesson 8), and it protects you from settling issues one by one and then being nibbled at the end, when everything else is already locked.
"Happy with that price, as long as we can agree on delivery and payment too. Nothing's final until it all fits together."
Check yourself
What does "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" mainly protect you from?
- Having to write anything down
- Losing the chance to trade across issues, and being nibbled after you've settled them one at a time
- The other side ever changing their mind
- Needing to know your walk-away point
Show the answer
Losing the chance to trade across issues, and being nibbled after you've settled them one at a time
Right. While every point stays provisional, you can still trade one issue against another, and a last-minute extra request can be met with a request of your own.
Summarise every term out loud
- What
Exactly what's being delivered or done: "a logo, in colour and black-and-white, plus the social media set".
- How much
Every amount, and when it's paid: fee, deposit, instalments, extras.
- Who does what
Each side's jobs, including the small ones people assume: who supplies the photos, who books the inspection.
- By when
Dates, not "soon": delivery, start date, move-in, payment deadlines.
- What if something goes wrong
Extra work, delays, cancellation. Misunderstandings discovered now cost nothing; discovered later, they can cost the deal or the relationship.
Subject: Logo project - confirming what we agreed
Hi Nazanin,
Thanks for today. To confirm what we agreed:
- Fee: $4,850 for the logo package
- Payment: half upfront, half on delivery
- Revisions: two rounds included
- Delivery: by 15 March
- Extra revisions: $60 an hour
If I've missed anything, just reply and I'll update it.
ParisaSix weeks later the client asks for a fourth round of changes.
Parisa replies: "Happy to. As in our email of 2 February,
extra revisions are $60 an hour. Shall I go ahead?"
No argument: the email settles it.Send it the same day, while everyone remembers. Offering to write the summary yourself ("I'm happy to send a recap") lets you choose the wording. Use that fairly: write what was agreed, not what you wish had been.
Check yourself
Which follow-up email actually protects both sides?
- "Great talking today, really looking forward to working together."
- "As discussed, I'll get started on the logo. Let me know if you need anything."
- "To confirm: $4,850; half upfront, half on delivery; two rounds of revisions; delivery by 15 March; extra revisions at $60 an hour."
- "Thanks for agreeing to my usual terms."
Show the answer
"To confirm: $4,850; half upfront, half on delivery; two rounds of revisions; delivery by 15 March; extra revisions at $60 an hour."
Yes. It covers what, how much, when and what happens with extra work. If a fourth round of changes comes up, there's nothing to argue about.
Check yourself
If the written contract differs only slightly from what was agreed, it's better to sign it than to seem difficult.
Show the answer
False
False. Once it's signed, the document is what counts, not the conversation. Query the difference politely before signing; it's usually a simple mistake and a reasonable counterpart will fix it. Signing to avoid an awkward moment is how small differences become expensive later.
One last check, then end well
- Does it beat my BATNA? If walking away would leave you better off, don't sign.
- Is it at or better than my walk-away point? Check the final numbers, not the mood in the room.
- Could we both do better? After agreeing, some negotiators ask if there's a tweak that helps both sides, sometimes called a "post-settlement settlement".
- Thank them. You may deal with the same person again, and reputation travels.
PREP SHEET: Omid buys a used car
L1 My interests: reliable, cheap to run. Theirs: sell soon.
L2 BATNA: similar car, $9,000, two hours away.
Walk-away $9,000. Target $8,300.
Their BATNA: listed two months, so weak.
L3 Criteria: three comparable listings.
L4 First offer: $7,850, citing the listings.
L5 Concessions: +$500, +$250, +$100, each for something.
L6 After my offer: stop. After theirs: pause.
L7 Questions: How long has it been listed?
What work has been done on it? How did you price it?
L8 Issues: price, tyres, first service, floor mats.
L9 Expect: "today only", a nibble. Response: BATNA, trade.
L12 Close: summarise, get the bill of sale to match.Result: $8,700 with new tyres and the first service,
under his walk-away, everything on the bill of sale.Fill one in before any negotiation that matters. It takes about fifteen minutes, and most of its value is in the thinking, not the paper. For Sara's salary, add the line from lesson 10: market range and sources, her ask, and the other package items.
Check yourself
Put the prep sheet in the order you'd use it: match each stage to its step
Show the answer
- 1 · Before anything else → My interests and theirs
- 2 · Know your limits → BATNA, walk-away point and target
- 3 · Open → First offer and the reason for it
- 4 · Trade → Planned concessions and what I want back
- 5 · Finish → Summarise and write it down
Lesson recap
- Close when concessions shrink and both sides are inside their limits: "If we agree on X, do we have a deal?"
- Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, so issues stay tradeable and nibbles have an answer.
- Summarise every term out loud: what, how much, who does what, by when, and what if something goes wrong.
- Write it down the same day, and make sure any contract matches what was said before you sign.
- Check the deal beats your BATNA and walk-away point, then thank them; reputation travels.
- The one-page prep sheet holds the whole course: interests, limits, criteria, offer, concessions, pauses, questions, issues, tactics and the written close.