Free Custom «Critical Book Review of Negotiate to Close» Essay Paper

Introduction

It is every company’s and business objective to make profits. Any businesses are initiated with the main aim of making and maximizing on various avenues for making profit. Profit making can be quite a daunting task that requires individuals who have strong technical expertise in sales. Sales activities involve all those activities that are geared towards converting a potential customer into a real sale. Potential customers can be defined as people who are able to purchase and use a business or a company’s products and services (Karrass, 1987).

The process of converting potential customers to actual sales involves negotiation. An individual has to be able to negotiate and convince the consumer that the product being sold is the best. Negotiation process may involve activities that are inclined towards arriving at an appropriate selling price of the product or service.

Negotiation for Close is a book written by Karrass Gary that talk about the negotiation process and how an individual can undertake the negotiation process and eventually turn a potential customer to a real sale. The book was published by Simon & Schuster, Inc. publishers with the original, first copy being published in 1985. The book ISBN number is 0-671-62886-0. The book has a total of 224pages. The writer of the book is a prolific writer with extensive knowledge of marketing. He is the co- founder and chairman of the KARASS organization which is the world’s largest negotiating company in the world. The writer is involved in various consultancy and training services offering a wide variety of training and consultancy in negotiation skills (Karrass, 1987).

This essay is going to critically review the negotiation to close the book. The essay will review the arguments being communicated by the author as well as the relevance of the ideas in the real world negotiation process.

Background information

Summary of the book

The book mainly deals and gives an analytical and procedural step of negotiating and closing a deal or a sale. The book describes the steps of negotiation and the areas in which such steps are applicable. The book also points out the inevitability of negotiation within any business or an industry. The book notes that, to stay at the forefront in the dynamic world, the organizations should be proactive in the negotiation process. The book notes that a formal negotiation process is that process that saves time and eventually leads to a deal being closed. Closing a deal is an intricate process fraught with disappointment and the success of closing a deal entirely depends on the negotiator endurance capabilities. The book continues to note that, the best negotiators are persistent and endure the hardships encountered in the negotiation process (Lewicki & Saunders &Barry, 2011).

The book also provides various techniques, strategies, skills and tactics of negotiation. The book targets various groups of people, especially those individuals who are in the business world. These groups of people are but are not restricted to the following: sales people, business executives, business managers as well as project managers. The books main hypothesis is about how to conduct an effective negotiation process. The writer presents coherent steps that can be undertaken in order to guarantee a successful negotiation process. The book emphasizes on the key point that negotiation is aimed at, increasing sales which in turn means good business and will enhance the sustenance of a business (Karrass, 1987).

Critical analysis of the book

The premise and relevance

The book gives an analytical approach towards the negotiation process. The writer starts by giving a fundamental approach towards the negotiating process. The author indicates that in order to have a successful negotiation process, the negotiator must first of all understand their own attitudes. It is through understanding of these attitudes that a negotiator is going to be fully confident (Karrass, 2011).

Also, the book indicates that before initiating a negotiation process, a negotiator should first identify the reason as to why the negotiation process is being undertaken. Through this analysis, a negotiator will be able to set down the various strategies and objectives that will assist them attain the main objectives of the negotiation process. The writer points out that any negotiation process must be objective in order to achieve the main aim of the negotiation process.

This kind of approach towards negotiation is quite effective because the negotiator is going to plan, set objectives and ensures the negotiation process is a success. Also, setting negotiation guideline will assist an individual in saving time because the unnecessary details are avoided. This also ensures that the negotiation process sticks to the schedule and guidelines as stipulated (Karrass, 1987).

Secondly, the books talk about how an individual can unlock their negotiating potential. The writer notes that negotiation is an art and a skill that can be developed. No single individual is, born with the negotiation skills. The book talks about how an individual can unlock their negotiating skills. The writer notes that, in order to unlock a person negotiating potential, an individual has to aim higher. The book continues to stipulate how and why those individuals who aim higher are the good negotiators (Lewicki & Saunders & Barry, 2011).

When an individual aims higher, they are able to set some targets which they will always struggle to achieve. The only way to achieve such objectives is through negotiation. In their bid to meet their targets, they become the best negotiators in the process. The writer’s idea that negotiation is a skill which can be learnt is a true statement. Nobody is born a negotiator or no one have an innate ability of negotiation.

Also, the book notes that in order to unlock person negotiating skills, the individual must be committed to their work, and they should be risk takers. The author of the book notes that, the best negotiators are those people that are committed towards achieving excellence in their work. They work tirelessly and try to outwit any challenges they face in the process of negotiation.

The process of negotiation can be a daunting task fraught with disappointments. Only those individuals who are committed will always be the good negotiators. The writer notes that good negotiators are result oriented and committed to their work. Also, the writer of the book notes that good negotiators are risk takers.  In the negotiation work, an individual cannot win all the prospective consumers. They have to take risks in order to close the negotiation process. Risk takers are known to be the best negotiators and will always take whatever risks in order to ensure the negotiation process is completed, and the deal closed. For example, the writer talks about the commitment and risks Charlie took in order to close a deal. Although he was faced with so many challenges, he managed to close various deals (Karrass, 1987).

Thirdly the book talks about the process of closing the deal and maintaining contacts after the deal has been closed. The writer notes that a good deal is that deal that satisfies both parties. Both parties must arrive at a concession and should be satisfied with the deal. The writer also notes that, a good negotiator is that an individual who creates and maintains a good relationship with their customers.

The book notes that, the negotiation process does not end at closing the deal. It extends past the closing the deal stage. A good negotiator is a person who creates a long term relationship from both sides and maintains it for a long period of time.

Course principles

The books talks about the various negotiation strategies and the sales process. These are the major principles learnt in the course. The book provides a detailed analysis of the negotiation process and the process of initiating and sealing a sales deal which are the key areas learnt in the course.

Relevance of the book

The book is of great and high relevance to the class sturdy. The principles and practices learnt in class are reflected in the book. For example, the book talks about what it takes to make a good negotiator, the challenges faced by negotiators, the application of various negotiation skills in different scenarios and the various tactics of closing a deal (Lewicki & Saunders & Barry, 2011).

The book has an impact on the reader because; as the reader goes through the book they are thrilled about how amazing the negotiation process can be. The book changes a reader’s point of view about the negotiation process. Most readers consider negotiation as a simple process, but the writer of the book presents a negotiation process that is quite organized and arranged in a hierarchy manner.

Conclusion and recommendation

In conclusion, the book is a good guide for those individuals who want to ultimately understand the negotiation process. It provides a step by step guidance of undertaking a negotiation process. The book also gives the various tactics that can be used in undertaking negotiation. It also provides the various scenarios of how negotiation tactics can be employed. The book also leaves the reader motivated and inspired by a drive to achieve greatly. The books provide inspiring case studies of the negotiating process. After reading such successful stories, the reader gets overwhelmed with a desire to negotiate and have their deal closed.

As a recommendation, the writer should be able to analyze the various factors that might affect the negotiation process. The writer only dwells on the negotiation process, what it is, how to conduct the negotiation process and the various challenges faced. The writer does not talk about the various internal and external factors that might affect the negotiation process.

For example, the purchasing power of consumers largely affects the negotiation process. It will affect the willingness of consumers to engage in a negotiation. Also, other factors like supplement products, the inflation in a country will always affect the negotiation process. In a case where there are a lot of supplement products, consumers will be unwilling to engage in a negotiation process. However, in the case where there are fewer substitute’s products, then consumers will be willing to engage in the negotiation process.