How to negotiate with Americans? Practical tips

Have you set out to learn What negotiate with americansBut you don't know how to run your business meeting? In this post we give you the keys to successfully negotiating with North Americans, and we specify the level and general characteristics of English that you must handle in your negotiations.

How to negotiate with Americans successfully?

The globalized world in which we live has opened the possibilities of expansion to companies of all sizes. Currently, there are many that project, from early stages of their development, to conquer the US market.

However, no financial strategy would be complete if the cultural differences that may exist with the country with which it intends to market are not taken into account. This point is particularly sensitive when it comes to doing business with Americans.

1. Master the art of body language

Body language expresses particular ideas for each culture. When doing business with Americans, maintain eye contact, as this is interpreted as a sign of honesty. Avoid invading the physical space of your interlocutors.

A handshake expresses security and dynamism, especially when it is firm. Do not cross your arms, it is interpreted as that you are not willing to reach agreements. Also don't lean back in the chair or lean back; it is a sign of disinterest.

It is also important to keep an upright posture that demonstrates confidence and calm, but without exaggerating so as not to appear arrogant.

It is important to be natural and not try to impress. It is possible to make the mistake of sending a confused or misunderstood message, putting an important negotiation at risk.

2. Speak English without fear, to learn how to negotiate with Americans

Since the official language of the United States is English, you should be well prepared to conduct the meeting in that language. The fact of projecting absolute security while doing business with Americans will make them feel confident, interpreting a solid negotiation that can pay off bilaterally.

• Our director advises:

3. Clear pronunciation 

If you want to communicate effectively when doing business with Americans, in addition to the pronunciation of words You should pay attention to stress and intonation.

Of course the way to do it is have native English speaking experts, who will provide you with the most efficient tools. The pronunciation of someone from California, for example, is not the same as the English spoken in Latin America.

Access a reliable English course, taught by professionals with proven experience and flexible plans that adapt to your needs and lifestyle. Today it is possible to have intelligent alternatives to speak English more fluently.

Get that important treatment for the company, improve your pronunciation and achieve the personal and professional development that proficiency in the English language gives you.

Good pronunciation gives you power, makes you feel comfortable and favors the results of your business meeting.

4. Show respect and interest in their culture

The North American is profoundly nationalistic; in the meantime, you must be careful not to question their lifestyle or their culture. Since there are so many subcultures within the country, it is necessary to be extremely respectful.

Regarding important dates for them and US holidays, they should be taken into account when scheduling meetings.

For example, you will not arrange a work meeting on July 4, since the person would be in the midst of a national celebration of independence.

5. Understand the needs of your sector

In their negotiations, the Americans are practical and dynamic. Place the emphasis not on what you want to sell them, but on what are the specific needs they have and that your product or service can help them solve.

For this, it is essential that you have an in-depth knowledge of the commercial sector, as well as your product and its competitive advantages. It is an effective negotiation strategy that will allow you to even maintain a more impeccable posture and not focused on the sale as such.

6. Be empathic, use local references

It is an excellent strategy to filter out some specific local references, such as places or events. Also referring in a positive way to their customs and traditions can be very well seen in the negotiation.

Try to dedicate some time to the investigation related to this specific point, since, if it is the case, by delving into the subject, you will be able to interact safely with your interlocutor.

It is not about knowing the complete history of the nation, but have a bit of general culture that may be useful in the conversation and in the closing of a negotiation.

Show your empathy and interest in your country and its culture, this is highly valued when doing business with Americans. However, don't talk about religion, politics, race, or any other topic that could spark controversy.

7. Be precise and drive realistic times

During the meeting, it should be extremely concise, since the tendency is for the negotiations to be analytical and the main aspects are discussed clearly and openly.

However, and although the central points when doing business with North Americans will always be profitability and benefits in relation to the terms in which they will be received, never offer something that you cannot deliver.

8. Prepare your elevator pitch in English

An elevator pitch is a brief and concise statement that allows expressing the main aspects of a project, product or service. Its function is to persuade the interlocutor, and the length of time it should last is associated with the origin of its name: the length of a trip in an elevator, that is, between 45 seconds and 2 minutes.

It is a powerful tool, and it should condense the best of your project. To develop it, answer the following questions: what is your product or service? What is your market? What is the business model? Who supports you, being behind the company? Who is your competition and what specific advantages do you have over them?

And very important: include figures, because these are the ones that will arouse the most interest in investors.

Doing business with Americans. What kind of English should you handle?

Unlike general English that allows you to have informal conversations, when doing business with Americans you must use technical English, which is known as Business English.

It is a variant of that language, or rather a level of specialization that will give you security and will show your professionalism.

You should also use Business English in other situations such as phone calls, events, conferences, emails or job interviews. 

Of course, before you can use it properly, you must have an adequate level of English, because although the vocabulary and the grammatical and syntactic bases are the same, it is a very specific variant.

This technical English is simpler and more direct, it is very formal and requires handling a specific lexicon of the segment in which it is used: finance, marketing, commerce, industry, agriculture, among others.

To get to this English class it is important that you have previously mastered a basic level, both in the speaking area and in reading and comprehension.

How to negotiate with Americans?

To make business with americans it is essential to contemplate the cultural differences with the United States and be extremely respectful of them; By putting into practice the advice we have given you, you will be able to achieve success in your negotiations.

Your level of English is important

To conduct a trade in English, you must have at least a band 7 or a C2. In English2Go We provide all the advice to help you achieve your goals of speaking English. 

According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), level C2 is that of those users proficient with the language, that is, trained for complex work and study tasks. 

Level C2 enables you to easily understand what you read or hear, to present your arguments in a coherent and concise manner, and to express yourself fluently, spontaneously and accurately, and to detect nuances of meaning in the most complex situations.

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