In the business world, every aspect involves the mouth, and each transaction is no less than a diplomatic activity. Procurement needs to persuade the seller, sales need to persuade the buyer, bargaining is needed to fight for benefits, and negotiations are required for cooperation between two or more parties. Even when applying for a job or presenting a good strategy to the boss, one must use their mouth to "speak." Without language and a certain level of language artistry, it is impossible. Therefore, the profession of a merchant is largely a profession of the mouth. Some people analyze that the character "商" (business) is "eight mouths" breaking through the gate. Although it is a bit far-fetched, it is not without some truth. Hence, some say, "A good arm and good legs are not as good as a good mouth." That is, in certain situations, a "good mouth" can create greater and more value than "good arms and legs." Learning and mastering the language art in the business world is indeed a very difficult thing. Just like drinking at a banquet, some say, "I can't drink." Actually, that's not true. Anyone can drink. It's just a matter of how much and whether they can handle it. Some say, "I can't speak." That's also not true. Except for those with speech impediments, everyone can speak. It's just whether you find the right timing and audience, choose the right occasion, speak with artistry, and achieve the purpose of your speech. Therefore, we say that business language is a comprehensive art. Let's discuss it one by one: 1. Be Sincere As the saying goes, "Sincerity can move even metal and stone." When we watch films, dramas, or read literary works, we are often moved by the language and plot because of sincerity. If there is no life and it is fabricated, it may not attract people. Even burning incense and worshiping Buddha emphasizes "sincerity works." Business language also needs sincerity. Because people have basic discernment, sweet-talking false language can only deceive a few, and most people will not be fooled. If you encounter someone less honest, it can become very awkward. Of course, this sincerity does not mean ignoring all techniques and revealing all business secrets to the other party. That is not so-called sincerity. Because completely exposed things are not necessarily beautiful. Just like a person walking naked on the street, can that be called beautiful? That would be either schizophrenia or a mental problem, and it would not only fail to move people but also make them feel disgusted. Sincerity in business language means having genuine emotion and an honest attitude. There is a play "Zhuge Liang Pays Condolences," where Zhuge Liang used this sincerity to move the entire Eastern Wu, resolve grievances, and consolidate the united front of Sun and Liu against Cao Cao. During the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan and Liu Bei were allies who both cooperated and fought against Cao Cao. Sun Quan's manager Zhou Yu and Liu Bei's manager Zhuge Liang also cooperated and fought. After achieving some victory in the joint resistance against Cao, they had a dispute over Jingzhou. Zhuge Liang devised a plan to "anger Zhou Yu three times," which led to Zhou Yu's death. The people of Eastern Wu hated Zhuge Liang deeply and were determined to kill him to avenge Zhou Yu. The alliance between Sun and Liu was severely tested. To prevent the two sides from splitting and forming hatred, Zhuge Liang insisted on going to Chaisangkou to pay condolences for Zhou Yu. Liu Bei's court strongly advised against it, believing that Zhuge Liang would surely be killed by Eastern Wu, and it would be a one-way trip. Zhuge Liang analyzed that after Zhou Yu's death, Lu Su would take charge of Eastern Wu. Lu Su was a man of great righteousness and would not act rashly; for Eastern Wu to establish a foothold in Jiangdong, they must ally with Liu Bei. Both Sun Quan and Lu Su would not gamble with their kingdom. At the same time, this condolence visit was needed to resolve the mutual resentment. With the protection of the wise and brave General Zhao Zilong, even if something unexpected happened, it would be a false alarm. Zhuge Liang persuaded everyone and crossed the river to Eastern Wu. Upon arriving at Chaisang, Lu Su indeed received him very politely. When Zhuge Liang arrived at the mourning hall, after reading the eulogy, he fell to the ground and wept bitterly, with genuine emotion. He called out "Zhou Dudu" and "Zhou Xian Di" (brother Zhou), recounting their joint strategies against Cao, and lamenting that with Zhou Yu's death, there was no one to plan with. It seemed that only Zhou Yu was his sole confidant in the world, moving everyone present. Even Zhou Yu's wife Xiao Qiao was swayed. People began to doubt whether Zhou Yu was really angered to death by Zhuge Liang. Some even thought that Zhou Yu's death was due to his own narrow-mindedness. Why did Zhuge Liang achieve such an effect? It was his sincere attitude. Therefore, in business, we must be serious and sincere in our speech. Only with sincerity can we be trusted, and only with trust can we achieve the desired results. Sincerity requires solemnity, not frivolity; it requires seriousness and responsibility, not sweet talk or irresponsible remarks. Some businessmen, to be believed, often overstate their words, even resorting to oaths or curses to show sincerity. This is also not advisable. I once encountered a crab vendor in a small market shouting to onlookers: "Fresh, fresh! Selling at a loss! If I'm not losing money, I'm your grandson." An elderly woman who often buys vegetables muttered to herself, "This guy is interesting, he's here every day losing money and being a grandson." As a result, the onlookers gradually dispersed. Another incident: A building materials dealer from Shanxi went to a factory in Shanghai to purchase stainless steel decorative pipes. To get a reasonable price, he researched several similar manufacturers and also went to Zhejiang to understand the price of stainless steel strips. Through thorough investigation, he believed that 22,000 to 22,200 yuan per ton was reasonable and mutually beneficial. So he negotiated with the sales manager of the Shanghai factory. When the price reached 22,500 yuan, the boss on the side couldn't sit still. He stood up and said, "This is the lowest price. If I make a penny from selling to you at this price, I'm a turtle." This oath was undoubtedly to make the other party believe his sincerity. However, the Shanxi dealer said nothing, smiled, and stood up to leave. The sales manager still kept them and finally closed the deal at 22,200 yuan per ton. The boss felt very embarrassed and even didn't attend the banquet to entertain the Shanxi guest. This kind of "sincerity" was a bit overdone. It can be called "offside sincerity" or "sincerity offside." When sincerity goes too far, it has the opposite effect. 2. Be Prudent In today's popular terms, it means paying attention to "keywords." Because every keyword in business involves interests.

  1. To be prudent, one must not make promises lightly. Do not easily promise things that should not be promised. In business interactions, you can chat about anything lightly, but when it comes to key issues, you must be extremely cautious. Although you can discuss in a relaxed tone, you must not be careless when expressing your position. Some people, after a few drinks, forget themselves and easily make promises on key issues, regretting it later. Not fulfilling promises is untrustworthy, but fulfilling them may cause losses. Some enterprises have had unpleasant experiences due to careless statements.
  2. To be prudent, do not easily refuse. In business interactions, the other party will make various requests or conditions. Some overlapping interests are hard to digest and sort out immediately. To leave room for consideration, generally do not reject outright. This shows respect for the other party and also buys time to gain the initiative.
  3. To be prudent, do not speak in absolutes. Leave yourself a way out or room for maneuver. If you say on the spot, "This is absolutely impossible, that is absolutely not allowed," there is no room for maneuver later. Therefore, business language should be able to advance and retreat, so as not to be embarrassed or passive.
  4. To be prudent, but prudence should not be shown. The ancients said: "Do not show joy or anger on your face." That is, be prudent with ease and naturalness. Businessmen are good at reading faces, and showing prudence is itself imprudent. On one hand, it makes the other party think you are overly cautious and cannot make decisions; on the other hand, they may detect your true intentions from your outward prudence. 3. Be Skillful This skill is not frivolous sweet talk, but solemn language technique. Skill in business language manifests in many ways. First, it can skillfully open the door to dialogue, making the other party willing to communicate; second, it can skillfully accept or reject the other party's opinions, so that whether accepting or rejecting, the other party feels it is reasonable; third, it can resolve differences through skillful language. In "Guwen Guanzhi," there is a piece "Chu Long Persuades Empress Zhao" which is a classic case of "skillful persuasion." During the Warring States period, Empress Zhao of Zhao had just taken charge of state affairs when Qin attacked Zhao. Zhao asked Qi for help. Qi said they would send troops only if Empress Zhao's youngest son, Cheng'an Jun, came as a hostage. Many ministers advised, but Empress Zhao refused. She even declared, "If anyone tries to persuade me again to send Cheng'an Jun as a hostage, I will spit in his face." This was speaking in absolutes. No minister dared to advise again. At this time, the retired official Chu Long came to see Empress Zhao. Because of his seniority, Empress Zhao suppressed her anger and reluctantly received him. Chu Long walked very slowly to Empress Zhao, panting, and said, "My legs have problems, making walking difficult. I haven't come to see you for a long time. I was worried about your health, so I came specially today." Empress Zhao said, "I travel by carriage every day, so it's not inconvenient." Chu Long asked, "How is your appetite? Has your food intake decreased?" Empress Zhao replied, "It's okay. I drink some porridge every day." Chu Long continued, "I can't eat well anymore. I have to force myself to walk three or four li a day to increase my appetite. It's good for my health." Chu Long did not mention Cheng'an Jun as a hostage at all. Instead, by chatting about daily life, he eased the Empress's anger and relaxed her guard, gradually opening the door to communication. When Empress Zhao's attitude softened slightly, Chu Long said to her, "I have a youngest son named Shuqi, who has no talent. Now that I'm old, I'm worried about him. I want to ask you to arrange a job for him in the palace guard. Then I can die without worry." Empress Zhao said, "Okay, how old is he this year?" Chu Long said, "He is fifteen this year. Although he is still young, I worry about him. I hope to arrange a good position for him before I die." Empress Zhao asked in surprise, "Do men also dote on their youngest children?" Chu Long said, "More than women do." The Empress laughed and said, "It's still women who dote on their youngest sons the most." Chu Long retorted, "In my opinion, you love your daughter, Queen Yan, far more than Cheng'an Jun." The Empress said, "You're wrong. I love Cheng'an Jun more." Chu Long said, "Parents love their children, so they must consider their long-term future. When Queen Yan married, you held her feet and cried. Because she married far away, you were very sad. But after a long time, you got used to it. Every time you sacrificed, you prayed that she would never return. You were considering her future, hoping she would have a son to inherit the throne." The Empress said, "You're right." Chu Long continued, "Three generations ago, when Zhao was first established, are there any descendants of the feudal lords who still enjoy noble titles now?" The Empress thought and said, "No." Chu Long said, "Not only in Zhao. Are there such people in other states?" The Empress said she didn't know. Chu Long said, "These people were short-sighted. Those close to them suffered themselves, and those far away affected their descendants. It's not that their descendants were bad, but because they had no merit yet enjoyed high positions and generous treatment, mostly relying on the power and achievements of their predecessors. Now you have given Cheng'an Jun a noble position, fertile land, and great power. These are not as good as letting him render meritorious service to the state. Once you pass away, what will he rely on to govern Zhao? I think you have thought too short for Cheng'an Jun, not as long as for your daughter, Queen Yan." The Empress found this very reasonable and immediately agreed to send Cheng'an Jun to Qi as a hostage. Looking at the whole picture, Chu Long never said anything about sending Cheng'an Jun as a hostage. Yet, by chatting about daily life, he achieved his goal. This is the skill of language. 4. Be Harmonious In business, harmony brings wealth. This "harmony" first means being amiable; only then can you be approachable. Second, it means being flexible. Speech should adopt flexible methods based on time, place, atmosphere, situation, the identities of both parties, and relationships. During the Warring States period, King Wei of Qi sent Chunyu Kun to Zhao to request support against Chu's attack. Before leaving, King Wei prepared a hundred taels of gold and ten carriages with four horses each as gifts for Zhao. Chunyu Kun looked at it and laughed uproariously. King Wei asked, "Do you think my gifts are too few?" Chunyu Kun said, "I dare not say the gifts are too few." King Wei said, "Then why are you laughing?" Chunyu Kun said, "Today, on my way here, I met a farmer who placed a pig's trotter and a cup of wine by the roadside and prayed for a bountiful harvest and full granaries. With such meager offerings, he wanted such great benefits, so I found it laughable." King Wei understood and immediately increased the gifts to "a hundred yi of gold, ten pairs of white jade, and a hundred carriages with four horses each." Chunyu Kun took these gifts to Zhao and successfully completed the mission of requesting troops. This is a flexible method. Third, flexibly grasp the timing; if the timing is wrong, you cannot achieve the effect of speaking. In the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, when the diplomat Su Qin went to Qin to lobby, his strategy was not wrong. His speech was artistic and his reasoning was appropriate. However, he was politely declined by the King of Qin. Later, his old classmate Zhang Yi went to Qin and successfully persuaded the King, becoming the Prime Minister of Qin. It was not that he was more brilliant than Su Qin, but the timing was right. During Emperor Wen of Han, the talented scholar Jia Yi from Luoyang made many reasonable suggestions to Emperor Wen, but because the timing was not ripe, they could not be implemented. In the end, he was demoted to Changsha. Feeling unfulfilled, Jia Yi died young. Now, some college graduates or returnees from abroad often find various problems in a company and immediately propose reform plans or suggestions to the boss or leaders, thinking that if only their plans were adopted, the company would be transformed. When not adopted, some become emotional and complain, blaming the leaders for not valuing knowledge or talent. Perhaps your plans and suggestions are correct. But these young talents forget one thing: the bosses and leaders who sit in those positions are neither fools nor idiots. They may stand higher, see farther, and consider issues more comprehensively. Because the timing is not ripe, they cannot implement your plans or suggestions yet. They just don't tell you some things for convenience. According to legend, when Dr. Kissinger, the US National Security Advisor, secretly visited China, during a break in negotiations, he chatted with Zhou Enlai and said, "The world says the Premier has an 'iron mouth.' Can you talk me out of this living room to outside the door?" Zhou Enlai smiled and said, "I don't have that ability. But if you stand outside the hall, I can find a way to talk you back." Kissinger said, "Talking me back is also fine." So he walked straight outside the hall. At that moment, Zhou Enlai smiled and said, "Come back, I've already talked you outside." Kissinger laughed in admiration. Thus, business language is not only a science but also a comprehensive art. If you master this art, perhaps this "good mouth" can truly play a role that "good arms and legs" cannot. -END- The best FMCG distributor learning platform in China Focusing on providing professional, practical, and applicable tutorials for distributors and enterprises Committed to helping Chinese FMCG distributors grow rapidly The most professional and practical knowledge base in the FMCG industry Reply with the red number below to get the corresponding content Reply with number 1 to view the complete knowledge base | 001 Excellent Article Selection | 002 Distributor Market Operations | 003 Terminal Visit Management | 004 Sales Supervisor Skills | 005 Sales Improvement Techniques | 006 Channel Expansion | 007 Managing Distributors | 008 Distributor Development | 009 Distributor Internal Operations Management | 010 Team Management | 011 Efficient Distribution Techniques | 012 Sales Manager's Eighteen Skills | 013 KA Operation Methods and Strategies | 014 First Lesson for New Salespeople | 015 Internet, Brands | 016 Distributor B2B Transformation | [Long press QR code to follow]