B2 · Module 05 · Class 20 — The Deal Is Done
Narrative Scene
The DataBridge negotiation is complete. After four calls, Brian and Raymond Tan agreed: 17% base revenue share, rising to 19% for referral volumes above twelve per quarter; sector exclusivity in financial services and technology; two-year initial term with a mid-point rate review at month twelve. GBP 80,000 quarterly minimum retained.
Brian must now present the outcome to the Meridian board. This is not a simple debrief — it is a five-minute presentation that makes the case for the deal, explains the commercial terms, and sets expectations for what happens next. James, Priya, Marcus Chen (via video), and Helena Voss (observing) will all be in the room.
Quick Reference
Three spoken English tools for high-stakes professional contexts. Each operates at a different scale: the one-on-one negotiation, the group meeting, and the public platform.
Tool | Key structures | When to use |
Negotiation language | Making proposals (what I'm proposing is), conditional offers (if you can X, I'd be prepared to Y), holding position (not something I can agree to at this stage), introducing a trade (what if we looked at this differently?), strategic vagueness (in the region of), closing a point (let's call that settled) | One-on-one or small-group commercial negotiations — partnerships, contracts, salary, scope |
Turn-taking and meeting management | Signalling (if I could just), interrupting (can I stop you there?), returning the floor (to come back to what you were saying), redirecting (let's bring it back to), deferring (let's park that), inviting (I'd like to hear from), chairing (summarise / call decision / close) | Any multi-person meeting where contributions need managing — from team stand-ups to board sessions |
Presentation language | Opening (what I want to cover is / by the end of this you'll have), transitions (moving on to / having established X, let me turn to Y), emphasis (if you take nothing else from today / the single most important point), evidence (what the data show is / a good example), Q&A (acknowledge / clarify / reframe / defer / close), closing (to wrap up / let me leave you with) | Any spoken presentation — conferences, investor pitches, team briefings, client sessions |
Aisha's Debrief Email
Aisha sends Brian a short debrief after the final DataBridge call. Notice how she uses spoken language structures even in writing — the email captures how she thinks and communicates.
From: Aisha Nkosi <[email protected]> To: Brian Okafor <[email protected]> Subject: DataBridge — final call debrief
Brian,
Quick debrief while it's fresh.
On the negotiation: I think you called it right on the exclusivity trade. Raymond's opening was 22% and full-market exclusivity — but if I could just flag something that I noticed: the moment you offered sector exclusivity as an alternative, his tone shifted completely. He'd been holding the room; after that offer, he was moving.
The 17% base is within my estimate of his floor. The 19% tier for high volume is smart — it aligns incentives without giving away margin up front.
One thing I want to come back to before the board presentation: the two-year term. Raymond pushed for a break clause at month twelve. We got a rate review instead of a break clause — that's better for us. But when you present to the board, make sure you frame the rate review as a feature, not a concession. Something in the region of: "We built in a review mechanism that aligns DataBridge's incentives with volume growth — not a risk, an alignment tool."
On the board presentation: let's not lead with the rate. Lead with the access — 140 enterprise clients. What I'd like to suggest is that you open with the outcome (DataBridge signed), give the one number that matters (140 clients, GBP 1.8M projected ARR Year 1), and then walk them through the terms. If you lead with the rate, Marcus will do the maths before you've made your case.
I'm happy to be in the room if it's useful.
Aisha |
Analysis:
• Aisha uses "if I could just flag something" in a written email. What does this tell us about the phrase?
• Find one negotiation structure, one turn-taking phrase, and one presentation advice phrase in the email.
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
___ the exclusivity scope: DataBridge has accepted sector-only. [meeting: close a point]
___ the terms were agreed, let me turn to the projected ARR. [presentation: transition]
___ a two-year term, we'd be prepared to include a mid-point review. [negotiation: conditional offer]
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