Good morning and welcome to The Closer, the newsletter all about deals. Today’s edition is short and sharp — one tactic, backed by research, to help you negotiate smarter. No headlines, no noise — just a Nugget you can deploy by lunchtime.
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COALITION
BUILDING
Closer Tactic #72 • Deal Psychology
Most people negotiate one-on-one.
Smart players build coalitions before the meeting.
The Nugget
Pre-negotiation coalition building can determine outcomes before formal talks begin.
When Disney was acquiring 21st Century Fox assets, they built coalitions with key Fox shareholders before making their bid. By securing early support from major institutional investors, Disney created momentum that made their $71.3 billion offer harder for Fox management to reject, even when Comcast made a higher competing bid.
How to Deploy
• Identify key stakeholders and influencers before formal negotiations
• Build support for your position through separate conversations
• Use coalition members to apply pressure during negotiations
Avoid obvious coalition building that feels like manipulation or end-running.
Takeaway
Negotiations are often won before they officially start.
Reply with your best coalition building story—
we might feature you (and send a mug).