Negotiation Strategies

Beginning Negotiations

• Starting a negotiation can involve expressions like "I'm excited for the opportunity to work together."
• Another approach involves suggesting a review of the agenda's main points using a phrase such as "Before we begin, why don't we nail down the main points of the agenda?"
• Initiating the discussion by stating the meeting's goals is another strategy, for example, "Let's start by going over our goals for this meeting."

Establishing Terms

• When setting the parameters, one might say "What I'm looking for is..." to define needs.
• Expressing significant concerns can be achieved by stating "My primary concern is..."
• Clarifying specific objectives is important, with the phrase "What are your particular aims and objectives?" directly addressing this.

Making a Proposal

• Proposals can be introduced with phrases like "How about we do the following:..."
• Clearly stating the intention to propose something is another method, such as "I'd like to propose that..."
• Suggesting a course of action can be phrased as "I think the best course of action is to..."

Rejecting a Proposal

• Declining an offer can be done diplomatically by expressing it is not a feasible option: "I'm afraid that's not a feasible option for me."
• Declining an offer with respect can be achieved by saying "With all due respect, I must decline your offer."
• Expressing the unsuitability of a proposal uses the phrase "Unfortunately, that's not going to work for me."

Negotiating Terms

• Negotiating flexibility can be initiated by asking "Is your offer at all flexible?"
• Proposing alternative solutions can be prompted with "Let's consider some alternatives. How about...?"
• Suggesting an alternative consideration involves asking "Would you instead consider...?"

Arguing Your Point

• Supporting an argument with research can be phrased as "According to my research,... Therefore,..."
• Basing an argument on a specific fact can be stated as "I am basing this on the fact that…"
• Highlighting the importance of a point can be emphasized using "One of the most important reasons for this is..."

Agreeing

• Expressing complete agreement can be simply stated as "That makes complete sense."
• Indicating agreement on a specific point can be phrased as "I agree with you on that point."
• Acknowledging the reasonableness of a statement can be confirmed with "That sounds very reasonable to me."

Disagreeing

• Expressing disagreement can be initiated with "I have to disagree with you there."
• Differing perspectives can be conveyed with "That's not exactly how I see it."
• Acknowledging understanding while disagreeing can be stated as "I understand where you're coming from, but..."

Compromising

• Conditional acceptance can be suggested with "I can accept that if you could…"
• Offering an exchange can be proposed with "I could offer you… if you would agree to…"
• Proposing an exchange for something involves asking "In exchange for… would you be willing to...?"

Clarifying

• Ensuring understanding can be checked by asking "I just want to be sure I've got this straight. Do you mean…?"
• Seeking confirmation can be sought by asking "Let me make sure I understand correctly. Are you saying...?"
• Requesting further explanation can be prompted by stating "I don't feel like I understand your position clearly. Would you mind explaining it again?"

Making Suggestions

• Introducing a suggestion can be done by stating "I'd like to make a suggestion."
• Offering a suggestion can be proposed with "I think the best approach is to..."
• Another strategy for making a suggestion is "Perhaps a good idea would be to..."

Closing the Deal

• Inquiring about any remaining issues is a good idea by stating "I believe we've covered everything. Are there any other loose ends we need to tie up?"
• Suggesting a summary can be initiated with "Let's summarize our discussion to see if we're on the same page."
• Acknowledging the current agreement can be noted as "This is where we currently stand:..."

Strategies for Business English Negotiation

• Preparation is essential in negotiating.
• Taking preparatory actions enables deal success in sales, calls, or job interviews.
• Preparation includes studying the organizational culture and understanding the corporate environment.
• Understanding the other side’s expectations involves researching the company’s strategic objectives and understanding why the position was created.
• Preparing research and data means researching whom you negotiate with focusing on market position, product/service, financial position and corporate culture.
• Identifying areas for compromise means you can offer value through proposals to reach agreement.
• It is important to trigger a ‘that's right’ moment from the person being negotiated with.
• Summarizing goals and reaffirming what the counterpart wants helps come to an agreement.