Stay ahead of the pack – To be more successful than the competition
You have to be innovative, if you want to stay ahead of the pack
A Ballpark figure – A rough numerical estimate of an amount
Could you give me a ballpark figure of what the repair costs will be?
The big picture – The overall or long-term view of a situation
Currently we are behind our competitors, but if you look at the big picture, we are doing well.
Cut-throat business – All companies want success and are ruthless in their ways of getting it
Working in Sales is a cut-throat business. You need to be unrelenting.
In the driver’s seat – To be in charge or in control of a situation
We are really in the driver’s seat in this negotiation. We will get our price.
By the book – Doing things exactly according to the rule
My tax accountant does everything by the book, which is good, I suppose!
Back to square one – Back to where one started, with no progress having been made.
So after months of working on this project, it failed, and we are back to square one.
Corner the market – To take control and dominate a particular market
Our company have been really successful with our latest gadget. We’ve really cornered the market.
Game plan – A strategy or plan for achieving success
If we want to win the contract, we have to have a strong game plan.
Get down to business – Stop making small talk begin serious business discussions
Okay everyone, can everyone take their seats, we need to get down to business.
Get something off the ground – To start something (e.g. a project or a business)
We need an investor willing to spend money, if we are going to get this idea off the ground.
Go the extra mile – Make a special effort to achieve something
You need to go the extra mile if you want to sell our products. We are not the cheapest.
In full swing – At a stage when the level of activity is at its highest
The summer business is in full swing now. We are making record profits.
Hands are tied – Not being free to behave in the way that you would like to
I’m sorry, but my hands are tied. My company won’t allow me to lower the price.
In a nutshell – Something that is brief or to the point
To put it in a nutshell, this is the our highest and final offer.
Click on the image to watch a video about common Business Idioms
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