Business English Phrases For Trade Fairs
Category: Business English Skills, Language Training | 2018-11-01
If you’re in a company long enough, especially the sales department, you’re going to end up at a trade fair at one point or another. Trade fairs are great opportunities for companies to drum up new business, as well as network and make new connections. However, if you are going to an international trade fair, you will probably have to speak English with someone there. To give you a helping hand, and maybe help your company close their next contract, here are some of the most common business English phrases for trade fairs.
Business English Phrases for Trade Fairs
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How can I help you?
After introductions, or course, “How can I help you” is one of the most useful phrases you have at a trade fair. Your new potential client or networking partner will be given the opportunity to tell you what they want or need from you, and the conversation can carry on from there.
What specifically are you interested in?
If your company offers a few different services or products, it can be good to know which specific service or product the person is interested in. This will help you to establish their needs further and help tailor the rest of the conversation according to what the customer is looking for.
Can you tell me what issues you’re having with your current product?
Trade fairs are a great opportunity for companies to look for new suppliers, especially if they’re having problems with one of their current suppliers. Use this phrase to figure out what their needs are, and how your product can help them reach their goals.
Is this a long-term project or are you looking for quicker solution?
Time frame is always an important aspect to know upfront when making any business deal. No one likes going into a project thinking that it’s a long-term deal, only to find out that it will only last a few weeks (and vice versa). Knowing the timeline upfront will help everyone go into the deal knowing what’s ahead.
Is this for domestic or international consumption, or both?
This can be an extremely important question to ask. Knowing if they’re looking at domestic or international products and consumption will help you look at the laws in place, pricing, etc. There are so many aspects to consider when dealing with international consumption, that it is important to know how far their distribution reaches upfront.
Are government contracts involved?
Another important aspect to know about is if there are government contracts involved in their project. Your company may be unwilling to work with government contracts, special clearances and permissions may be involved, or even secret information. Knowing exactly who is involved in a project, especially if it’s a government, is useful to know before
Are you willing to sign an NDA?
NDAs (Non-disclosure agreements) are an important part of doing business. They ensure that no one talks about a project before it goes public. This helps your company have the upper hand in a competitive market or are working on a more secretive project. Knowing that the parties involved are willing to sign an NDA if asked can help things run smoothly right from the get-go.
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Putting it All Together
With these Business English phrases for trade fairs, you will be better equipped to deal with new customers. When you meet them at the trade fair, you can get to the heart of their challenges and find solutions.
Do you have a lot of experience at trade fairs? Which phrases do you use there? Share them with us and the rest of the community in the comments below! And if you would like to improve your Business English, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You will receive a 7-day FREE TRIAL of our online English course, where you will get more tips, articles and exclusive deals. Thanks for reading!
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About the Author
Erin Duffin
Erin Duffin is a writer, teacher, and yoga instructor. Her love of languages inspired her to move to Germany and to share language with others. You can find her work on the MacPherson Language Institute, Bespeaking, and erinduffinyoga.com.