在准备商务谈判时，首先要确定谈判目标，第二要确定谈判策略，最后要了解谈判对手。我们来看一个具体例子：

Dialogue

A: Let's discuss the delivery date first. You should offer to deliver within six months after the contract signing.
我们首先商量一下交货期吧。你们应该在合同签署后6个月内交货。

B: Yes. /是的。

A: The interval is too long. I'm afraid. Could you deliver the drillers sooner?
恐怕时间隔太长了。能不能快些交付钻孔机？

B: I must say we can do very little in this matter. But we'd like to hear more from you on this. Then we shall see what can be done.
我必须说我们无能为力。但是我方愿意听取你方在这方面更多的建议，然后看看我们可以做些什么。

A: Our idea is that you deliver within three months after the contract signing.
我公司建议在合同签署后3个月内交货。

B: Impossible! As you know, we make most of the drillers' parts, but a few of them come from another American manufacture. We have to order from them first.
不可能！你知道，钻孔机的大部分零件都由我们自己制造，但也有一少部分是来自另一个美国制造商。我们必须先从他们那订货。

A: I see.
我知道。

B: To make the parts, they must first get specification and detail from us.
为了制造这些零件他们必须先从我公司获取这些零件的细节和规格。

A: Right.
是的。

B: It'll therefore take quite a long time. I'll e-mail your company for the earliest possible delivery date.
所以这要花很长时间。我会将尽可能早的交货日期通过电子邮件告知你们公司的。

A: Please let us know as soon as you hear from your home office?
你从总公司得到消息后立刻告知我们，好吗？

B: I'll certainly do that.
当然。