Business English Conversation: Proposal / Budget

Discussing a New Proposal

Characters:

• Michael (Business Partner)
• Lisa (Marketing Director)

Michael:
Good morning, Lisa! How are you today?

Lisa:
Good morning, Michael! I’m doing well, thanks. How about you?

Michael:
I’m good, thanks. I wanted to talk to you about a new proposal for our upcoming marketing campaign. Do you have time to discuss it?

Lisa:
Of course! I’ve been waiting to hear your ideas. What do you have in mind?

Michael:
I’m thinking about launching a special promotion to attract more customers. We could offer a discount on our top-selling products for a limited time. What do you think?

Lisa:
That sounds like a great idea! A discount would definitely grab people’s attention. How long do you think the promotion should run?

Michael:
I’m thinking about two weeks. That should be enough time to create a buzz but not too long that we lose the excitement. Does that sound good?

Lisa:
I agree. A two-week window sounds perfect. Do you have a specific target audience for the promotion?

Michael:
Yes, I think we should focus on customers who have purchased from us in the past six months. We could send them a personalized email about the offer.

Lisa:
That’s a great idea. I’ll work on creating an email template for the promotion. I’ll make sure it looks appealing and is easy to understand.

Michael:
Perfect! Once you have the email ready, we can also post about it on our social media channels.

Lisa:
I’ll start working on both the email and the social media posts today. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.

Michael:
Thanks, Lisa! I’m excited about this. Let’s make it a success.

Lisa:
Absolutely! I’ll make sure everything is ready to go.

Michael:
Great! I’ll check in with you later this week to see how everything is coming along.

Lisa:
Sounds good, Michael. Talk to you soon!

Business English Conversation: Discussing a Budget for a New Project

Characters:

• Anna (Finance Officer)
• David (Project Manager)

Anna:
Hi, David! How are you?

David:
Hi, Anna! I’m doing well, thank you. How about you?

Anna:
I’m good, thanks! I wanted to talk to you about the budget for the new project. Do you have a few minutes?

David:
Of course, I have time. What do you need from me?

Anna:
I just wanted to confirm the overall project cost. We need to make sure the budget is realistic before we start. Do you have an estimate?

David:
I’ve been working on it, and I estimate the project will cost about $50,000. This includes materials, labor, and some marketing expenses.

Anna:
That seems reasonable, but we’ll need to break it down further. Could you provide a detailed list of expenses for each category?

David:
Sure, I’ll send you the details by the end of the day. I’ve also included a small buffer for unexpected costs. Do you think that’s enough?

Anna:
A buffer is always a good idea. I’ll review the breakdown once you send it. We’ll also need to check if there’s room to make cuts in any areas to stay within budget.

David:
I agree. We can cut back on the marketing expenses if needed. We don’t have to go all out at the beginning.

Anna:
That makes sense. Once I have the full breakdown, I’ll work with the finance team to make sure everything fits. I’ll get back to you with any feedback.

David:
Thanks, Anna! I’ll get the breakdown to you shortly.

Anna:
No problem, David. Let me know if you need any help with the details. We’ll make sure the project stays on track.

David:
Thanks, I appreciate it! I’ll be in touch soon.

Anna:
Looking forward to it. Have a great day!

Key Phrases for Business Discussions

Starting a Discussion

• Good morning! How are you today?

• Do you have time to discuss something?

• I wanted to talk to you about a new proposal.

• Can we discuss the budget for the new project?

• Do you have a few minutes?

Presenting an Idea or Proposal

• I have an idea for our next campaign.

• I’m thinking about launching a promotion.

• We could offer a discount for a limited time.

• I’d like to suggest a new approach.

• What do you think about this idea?

Asking for Opinions

• What do you think?

• Does that sound good to you?

• How do you feel about this plan?

• Do you have any suggestions?

• Would you change anything?

Agreeing and Showing Support

• That sounds like a great idea.

• I agree with you.

• That makes sense.

• I think that will work well.

• I’m excited about this plan.

Discussing Budget and Costs

• We need to confirm the project cost.

• Do you have an estimate?

• The project will cost around $50,000.

• This includes materials and labor.

• We need to break the costs down further.

Talking About Adjustments

• We may need to reduce some expenses.

• We can cut back on marketing costs.

• Let’s stay within the budget.

• A buffer for unexpected costs is important.

• We’ll review the details carefully.

Planning Next Steps

• I’ll work on this today.

• I’ll send you the details by the end of the day.

• I’ll keep you updated.

• Let’s review this together.

• I’ll get back to you soon.

Ending the Conversation Politely

• Thanks for your time.

• I appreciate your support.

• Let’s make this a success.

• Talk to you soon.

• Have a great day!

Conclusion

Discussing proposals and budgets is an important part of professional communication.

By using polite language, asking clear questions, and explaining ideas step by step, employees can work together more effectively.

These conversations also show the importance of teamwork, planning, and follow-up.

Practicing these key phrases will help you feel more confident and professional in real business situations.

You may also like these English learning articles:

• Spoken English Conversation: Making Plans and Arrangements
• English Dialogues About Fashion
• Spoken English Conversation: Expressing Opinions / Preferences
• English Conversations About Hometowns for Students
• Spoken English Conversation: Sharing Experiences