What works for me is honesty, there are alot of bull****ters. Not saying every once in a while you need to bend the truth but some merchant are straight lied to. I think being on top of your deals not letting too much time pass the merchant starts to think about the interest or fees (worse lose it to another offer). Being on top of it doesnt mean being pushy/aggressive, with money either they want it or they dont. Ive seen where being proactive really works on the application for example, filling out the application while your asking the merchant questions. When your done all they have to do is sign it, this is much easier and they will ususally sign once its all filled out for them. Best Regards...