Bill Gates on closing big deals

The sales and negotiation lessons Gates gave Alex in his office.

Alex Banayan's framework, from The Third Door, pp. 187 to 265.

Blast through scepticism with expertise
Talk fast and go deep on the details until it is clear you are not just a kid.
Sell what they need most
Large companies move slowly, so sell them your speed.
Take strategic positioning over cash
A fair deal now that sets up more deals beats a great deal that sets up nothing.
Find their fears and use them
IBM feared a lawsuit, so Gates insisted on unlimited liability and IBM chose not to take the source code.
Know your counterpart
Learn their background, personality, business model and cash flow.
Build a genuine relationship
If the person is your mentor or friend, you may not need to negotiate.

From chapter: Step 5: Take the Third Door, pp. 187–265

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