You’ve built something great. Now comes the hard part — getting the deal done.
Negotiation is one of the most critical skills a founder can learn, yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood.
It’s not about manipulation. It’s about communication, confidence, and clarity.
In The Founder’s Guide to Sales Negotiation, Close CEO Steli Efti breaks down a simple, highly effective framework for winning better deals — even if you’re not a “natural” negotiator.
👉 Download the free book now →
Whether you’re raising your first round, closing your first enterprise customer, or navigating complex contracts, this guide will help you negotiate like a pro and walk away with confidence.
Every founder negotiates — whether they realize it or not.
You’re negotiating with customers, investors, suppliers, and even your own team.
Yet most people approach negotiation reactively — only thinking about it when they’re already in the room.
That’s a mistake.
Negotiation isn’t a battle of wits. It’s a process of understanding motivations, creating alignment, and protecting value.
This book teaches you exactly how to do that — step-by-step.
This playbook turns intimidating deal conversations into structured, winnable moments.
Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn:
Learn how to navigate tough conversations and deadlocks with calm, strategic moves that keep both sides moving forward.
Discover how to maintain credibility and composure even when you’re caught off guard. Hint: it’s not about pretending to know everything — it’s about owning your response.
Understand the subtle mistakes that turn a winning deal into a losing one — and how to avoid them before you sign.
Get practical scripts and mindset shifts for pushing back on discounts without damaging the relationship or losing the sale.
Master conversational tactics that help you regain control when talks stall or power dynamics shift.
One of the biggest takeaways from Steli’s book is that great negotiators don’t aim to “win.”
They aim to create clarity.
When you understand your goals — and the other side’s goals — you can structure deals that make both sides successful.
That’s how you build long-term partnerships instead of short-term wins.
One Close reader shared how Steli’s negotiation mindset helped close a high-value deal:
“By using Steli’s Follow-Up Formula, we closed a $42K deal after 16 months of consistent follow-up. The buyer was Italian, so we decided to send a few emails in Italian to get a response. It worked!”
Negotiation is rarely about luck — it’s about consistency, empathy, and persistence.
This guide will teach you how to use those traits to your advantage every time.
In early-stage startups, every deal matters.
A 10% pricing mistake or poorly worded clause can mean months of lost runway.
By mastering negotiation, you gain the ability to:
You don’t need to become a “hard closer.”
You just need a repeatable system that helps you stay in control — and that’s exactly what this book provides.
Once you’ve mastered negotiation, take your sales game even further with these free guides from Close:
Negotiation isn’t a dark art — it’s a skill you can learn, practice, and perfect.
The Founder’s Guide to Sales Negotiation gives you the exact tools to handle any deal with confidence, protect your margins, and build stronger relationships along the way.
Because when you negotiate with clarity and confidence, you don’t just close more deals — you close better ones.
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