The Body Language of a Deal

Negotiating the sale of your company may be the highest-stakes conversation of your life. In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, part of our Mastering the Deal series, you’ll learn how to stay composed when everything you’ve built is on the table. 

Christopher Hadnagy, author of Human Hacking, teaches elite military units and Fortune 500 companies how to negotiate using psychological insights. In this conversation, he shares how founders can use the same tools to level the playing field with sophisticated buyers. 

You discover how to: 

• Detect subtle body language cues your buyer doesn’t realize they’re giving 

• Use storytelling to influence an acquirer’s perception of your company 

• Neutralize “re-trading” tactics without blowing up the deal 

• Spot real buyers from tire kickers using OSINT 

• Push back on a lowball offer without revealing your bottom line 

• Avoid the earn-out trap by asking the right questions 

• Answer “Why do you want to sell?” without sounding desperate 

Whether you’re close to a deal or just beginning to think about an exit, Hadnagy’s playbook will help you negotiate from a position of strength. 

Show Notes & Links

Chris’ most recent book

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

Ever wondered how an acquirer might value your business? Find out here. 

Definitions

Due-Diligence: This is a comprehensive appraisal of a business or investment undertaken before a merger, acquisition, or investment. It seeks to validate the information provided and uncover any potential risks or liabilities.

Earn-out: This is a financing arrangement for the purchase of a business, where the seller must meet certain performance goals before receiving the full purchase price. It reduces the buyer’s risk and aligns the interests of both parties post-acquisition.

Look-Back Provision: This provision in an insurance policy allows claims to be made for injuries or illnesses that occurred before the policy was purchased, based on the stipulation that the insured was unaware of the illness or injury at the time of purchase.

About Our Guest

Christopher Hadnagy

Christopher Hadnagy is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on social engineering—the art and science of hacking humans. He is the founder and CEO of Social-Engineer, LLC, a consulting and training firm that helps Fortune 500 companies and government agencies build “people-centric” security programs. Over nearly two decades in the field, Chris has authored five landmark books, including Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking and The Science of Human Hacking, works that are now standard texts for security professionals and psychology-minded marketers alike.

Beyond the boardroom, Chris founded the nonprofit Innocent Lives Foundation, where he leads a global team that uses open-source intelligence to identify online child predators and hand evidence to law-enforcement partners.