HACKER Q&A
📣 gnicholas

Resuscitating Lost Deals


What tips do folks have for bringing deals (sales/licensing/partnerships, not acquisitions) back from the dead? Is there different advice if the deal died because of a pricing impasse versus something else?

Also, when do you know it's time to just give up, that there was never any chance that a prospect was ever actually going to buy (at a price that made any sense)?


  👤 themodelplumber Accepted Answer ✓
See if you can get some objective views on the deal. Often this is done by staying in touch. Seasonal greetings, even.

The advice is going to differ dramatically based on the lens. If it's a pricing impasse, are you sure you know their budget and fiscal generals? Are they aware that terms can sometimes be made agreeable? It might help to talk terms instead.

I'm also a big fan of asking how the impasse felt to you. If it's just frustrating in general, maybe it needs more teasing apart. But if the people seemed awkward to work with, I'd hold onto that thought for sure. A bad sale can be worse than a missed one.

Good luck to you