Formal Business Negotiation Language

OVERVIEW – INTRODUCTION

The assumption in our negotiation is that both parties have a relatively similar power
balance. If the power is too asymmetrical, then it is not a negotiation – it is one person
imposing their will on the other. Given that we use a relative symmetry of power (where
both want the deal similarly), the negotiation dynamic becomes less impositional and
more suggestive and transactional.
The expressions you use should be non-confrontational; and should facilitate a win-win
outcome.
Because in a symmetrical negotiation, you cannot get everything you want, instead of
pushing for 50% of everything, you should prioritize what is MOST important (non-
negotiable) for YOU, and then you can compromise on the less critical aspects
(“COMPROMISE” means sacrifice some of what you want in order to get an agreement). In
this way, both parties get the KEY things they want – but of course they don’t get
everything they want. This means that you DO NOT negotiate on a 50:50 position for
everything – you go for 100% or near that in the things that are critical to you, and you
cede most or all in things that are not so important to you considering your final goal.

Useful Negotiation Language

GREETINGS
HELLO, NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN / ME TOO – NICE TO SEE YOU TOO
HOW WAS YOUR WEEK? HOW IS YOUR FAMILY? HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?
HOW IS BUSINESS GOING? HOW’S BUSINESS? IT’S GOING VERY WELL

Starting Negotiation
SO, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO START?
I AM CONFIDENT WE CAN REACH A GOOD DEAL!
We’d like to REACH a deal with you today
I hope we can reach a SATISFACTORY deal with you today…….So do I! / As do we! (FORMAL) ME
TOO (INFORMAL)
We’re here to reach an agreement with you on …THE FINANCING CONDITIONS
LET’S START – LET’S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
ARE WE OK TO START? HOW ABOUT WE GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
I LOOK FORWARD TO REACHING A GOOD DEAL WITH YOU TODAY
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING WITH REGARD TO….?
I’D LIKE TO GO OVER SOME POINTS BEFORE WE SIGN THE DEAL
I’D LIKE US TO LOOK AT SOME POINTS
SO, LET’S START WITH “SHAREHOLDING”

SHARES – SHAREHOLDER - SHAREHOLDING

WHAT DOES…..MEAN? STAKEHOLDERS = SOCIAL SCIENCE

Proposing
WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR IS….
We’re willing to give you…
We’d be willing to ACCEPT… …..on the condition that …..IN EXCHANGE FOR…
I’d like to make a suggestion, if you……we can….
Ok, let me make a suggestion
We’d be prepared to offer you …………if you …………
We can accept…., provided that you ….
Given the/CONSIDERING THE size of our order/INVESTMENT, we’d like ….WE’D EXPECT TO….
How about…What about….What if….What do you think about…
Let’s compromise…
COMMIT (COMMITMENT) – MAKE A COMMITMENT = COMPROMETERSE
WHAT IF WE LEAVE IT AT 60:40 AND WE CAN CLOSE THE DEAL
WE HAVE REVISED OUR FIGURES AND WE ARE OPEN TO OFFERING YOU …
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ….FOR ME …AND …FOR YOU….?
WHAT IF….I KEEP….AND YOU GET….
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU….
I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP…..TO GET
FOR ME, IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP (AT LEAST…) …TO GET
I WAS THINKING…..WE COULD ACCEPT….ON THE CONDITION THAT…
LET’S LEAVE IT AT …..AND WE CAN CLOSE THE DEAL
AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE…./ AS I SAID….

Checking Understanding
HOLD ON! What do you mean exactly?
Have I got this right?
If I understand you correctly… / IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT’S RIGHT….OK, GOT IT
You mean, if we ….you would…?
Are you saying that…?
So, what you’re saying is….
Sorry, can you repeat that?
SO, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IS….

Negotiating a Compromise
WHAT IF WE BOTH COMPROMISE?
I can see your point, however, don't you think that ...
I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT OF VIEW, …
I'm afraid that's not quite correct. Remember that ...
Try to see it from my point of view.
PUT YOURSELF IN MY POSITION….
LOOK AT IT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW….
I understand what you're saying, but ...
My counteroffer is…
THAT’S AS FAR AS I CAN GO
I SEE WHAT YOU’RE SAYING, BUT…../ I GET (inf) WHAT YOURE SAYING BUT….
BUT DON’T YOU THINK THAT…..WOULD BE FAIR/APPROPRIATE?
LOOK I CAN ACCEPT 58%...
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I CAN GO WITH …60% – I CAN GO TO - …AND WE CAN CLOSE THE DEAL
WHAT ALTERNATIVE DO YOU PROPOSE? WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE?
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
HOW HIGH CAN YOU GO?
I’M AFRAID THAT’S TOO LITTLE
THAT’S TOO MUCH, I CAN’T DO THAT
How flexible can you be on that? 
I’m ready to agree if you can ...
If I agree, would you be willing to ...? 
We would be willing to ..., provided, of course, that ... 
Would you be willing to accept a compromise?
As long as / PROVIDED THAT / ON THE CONDITION THAT we …

Refusing an offer
I’m not sure about that
That’s more than we normally offer, however….
That’s more than we can offer…
I’m afraid that would be very difficult for us
I CAN’T DO THAT
I’D RATHER KEEP…GET…
THAT ISN’T ENOUGH FOR ME….
THAT’S TOO HIGH ….. I CAN’T GO THAT HIGH…. I CAN GO UP TO….
THAT’S TOO LOW …. I CAN’T GO THAT LOW… I CAN GO DOWN TO….
CAN YOU MAKE AN IMPROVED OFFER? CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR OFFER?
LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT… /LET ME THINK….
OK, THAT’S INTERESTING…BUT DON’T YOU THINK…
LET’S SEE…
FOR ME IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP A SIGNIFICANT….

Accepting an offer
Sounds good to me. / SOUNDS GOOD
Sounds a good idea to me.
Sounds fair. We can do that.
Good, we agree on price, quantity, discounts, SEATS ON THE BOARD AND SHARE OF PROFITS…
SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA
I CAN DO THAT – WE CAN DO THAT
I AGREE
LET’S DO THAT
LET’S GO WITH THAT
THAT’S ACCEPTABLE TO US/ME

Switching topic
Right then, let’s move on to…
Ok, let’s talk about….now
Next, let’s look at…
REGARDING…./ WITH RESPECT TO…./ CONCERNING / WITH REGARD TO

Playing for time

I’d like to think about it
I’ll have to consult my boss about that
I’m not sure about that, let me get back to you on it

Summarizing what’s agreed

I think we’ve covered everything
Right then, let’s see what we’ve got/AGREED
Can we just summarize the points we’ve agreed so far?
Ok, so we’re agreed. You will ….and we will….
Great, we’ve got a deal!
LET ME GO OVER THE MAIN POINTS WE’VE LOOKED AT….
LET’S SUMMARIZE THE MAIN POINTS
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT’S RIGHT!
Following up on the deal
Let me know if there are any problems/ISSUES/QUESTIONS/DOUBTS
If there are any other points, I’ll get in touch with you.
LET’S SET UP A MEETING WITH OUR LAWYERS TO SIGN THE PAPERS
OUR LAWYERS WILL DRAW UP/DRAFT THE CONTRACT/THE PAPERS
LET’S TALK DURING THE WEEK
IT WAS VERY NICE DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU.
IT WAS NICE TALKING TO YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING A FRUITFUL AND PROSPEROUS RELATIONSHIP
Great to see you again.
SEE YOU SOON. TAKE CARE.
WE WILL BE IN TOUCH.
HAVE A GOOD WEEK.