The point about working with the person who has the authority to negotiate and make decisions is the absolute backbone to the above guide.

Also, for all you prospective dealmakers out there, make sure to negotiate from a position of strength by first qualifying that the prospect actually wants what you have before attempting to lift any barriers to entry. And, before entering into any type of negotiation, it is critical to ensure that all other objections to moving forward have been overcome, and that nothing else stands in the way of closing the deal except for the issue/s to be negotiated. Keep in mind that there is nothing more demoralizing for a salesman than rushing to negotiate a solution to one problem, only to find out that the prospect still has other concerns or worse, was never completely sold in the first place.