To close a deal we apply different negotiation technics. We prepare ourselves for the meetings; think over possible movements of the other party. According to our mentality and perceptions of our potential partner, we build main and contingency scenarios to achieve our target. There are cases when we decorate more than what reality is (sometimes even by shooting strange statements), in order to shorten the distance and to impress. How much to embellish our presentation and should we switch to lie, depends on us. We’d better ask ourselves in advance “What would be the consequences when the partner finds out that he has been misled?”

A time ago I witnessed a seller offering a service with added value which service has never been sold till that moment. Golden mountains were promised and the deal was closed. But it seems the seller hasn’t thought in advance that once he closes the deal, the service should be provided by his team, following at least what has been promised. And we all know that apart from what was agreed, the selling companies fulfill free of charge many other “small” services so that the customer is happy. At a certain point the process stopped and the client asked for a quick decision, similar to what has been applied for the rest seller’s customers. And the truth came out – it appeared that the selling company was developing this service now, on the client’s back. And since then the selling company was in hell. The selling company not only developed the service, but started to deliver to this client other services from its portfolio, free of charge. The saga ended with an agreement in which the client got services at symbolic prices for a long period. The selling company changed its sales department entirely and amended its strategy for sales and work with customers.

I described this example to illustrate what loses might bring our desire to sell at any price, even by using lie. Lie does not stay covered for a long time and when it is revealed, the image and money of the company which has used it are significantly ruined.

Lie is also a negotiating technic, but it is like poison – in very small dozes it works slowly in someone’s interest, and in a big doze kills the business.