Negotiations
How to Improve Your Business English for Negotiations
Negotiations in English require a very specific set of language skills that go far beyond general fluency. Most non-native speakers lose ground in negotiations not because of weak arguments, but because they lack the exact phrases that signal position, flexibility, and closure. Here is how to build these skills systematically.
The language of position-setting
Before any negotiation begins, you need to anchor your position clearly. Native English speakers use specific phrases to do this without sounding aggressive: 'Our starting point is...', 'What we need to see is...', 'Our baseline here is...'. These anchor phrases establish the frame before the other party can. In Russian business culture, it is common to open with a request or need. In English negotiations, you open with a position. This structural difference alone changes how you are perceived across the table.
Concession language
The golden rule of English-language negotiations: never concede without getting something in return, and always make your concessions conditional. The structure is: 'If you can move on [X], we would be willing to consider [Y].' This conditional framing signals flexibility without weakness. Compare this to a direct 'We can do Y' — which signals weakness and invites further demands. Russian-speaking professionals often make unconditional concessions to appear cooperative. In English negotiations, this is read as a signal to push harder.
Closing signals
Recognising and reinforcing closing signals is one of the most underrated negotiation skills. When the other party uses phrases like 'It sounds like we are aligned on the key points' or 'I think we can work with that', these are closing signals. The correct response is to reinforce them: 'Agreed — let us move forward on that basis.' Missing these signals — or worse, reopening discussion after them — is a common and costly mistake for non-native English speakers who are still processing the language as the conversation moves.
When you do not understand
Fear of appearing incompetent stops many Russian-speaking professionals from asking for clarification. This is a serious mistake. In English business culture, asking for clarification is professional, not weak. Use: 'Could you clarify what you mean by...' or 'I want to make sure I understand correctly — are you saying that...' These phrases signal precision and care, not confusion. Making an assumption in a negotiation because you were afraid to ask is far more costly than any momentary discomfort.
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