Cart: Good morning, Mr. Klimov. We have received a fax-message from Moscow. I think it is urgent to reply.
Klimov: May I see the document, please …. It says that TST Systems wants to make some amendments to the list of equipment to be delivered. They have made more precise calculations and found out ….
Cart: Oh, such a nuisance! … But that involves a chain of complications. First, ….
Klimov: Please, do forgive us. My director also feels terribly sorry about it. However, both you and I often come across different changes in business: ….
Cart: Well, right. If you insist we can do that for you. I’ll contact the person responsible immediately … Hello, Mr. Watson! Our Russian partners would like to ….
Klimov: You see, Mr. Klimov, we always comply with the wishes of our clients. Miss Elliot, please inform the customers about ….
Cart: Concerning our future cooperation I think you must influence your management not to make any other amendments to the contract. You see it’s a difficult task for us to deal with our eastern partners. However we always do our best to achieve consensus.
Klimov: Thank you, John, I’ll try ….
Cart: Settled.
Ex. 12. Act out your own dialogues based on situations 1–3.
1. Tell your colleague the rules he / she must know before signing a contract.
2. Speak about the way differences between the contracting parties are settled.
3. Negotiate delivery periods for uniform for air company personnel you have ordered with the supplier.
Listening
Ex. 13. Listen and put these sentences into the correct order to reconstruct a dialogue between two American colleagues preparing to negotiate a contract. Act out the dialogue.
1. We could ask for $60 per hour for standard courses.
2. That’s a good idea, but what do you think we should do about our specialized programs?
3. I think we should reduce our charges so that we’re more competitive.
4. I agree. We’re far more expensive that other training companies. But what do you think we should charge?
5. That sounds good to me. I’ll let the rest of the team know our decisions.
6. How do you feel about charging $100 – they do take longer to prepare?
UNIT 4. MARKETING
Warming up
Ex. 1. Read the text and discuss the questions below.
Image is the general opinion most people have of a company or product. Brand image is the opinion people have of a brand. A brand usually has a name, a logo (or a symbol) and a design which everyone can easily recognize and which helps to identify it. Marketing experts work hard to create brands and promote the brand image through advertising campaigns. This process of branding is an important part of marketing. Most customers feel happier buying a famous brand than a product they don’t know. The image of the brand has to appeal to the target market.
1. Why is it necessary for a company to have an image?
2. How can brand help the company development?
3. Do you feel happier buying a famous brand?
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Advertising
Warming up
Ex. 2. Make a list of seven products (goods or services) that are produced or provided in your city or region.
| 1. a local brand of drink | ____________________ |
| 2. a grocery product (breakfast cereal, health food etc.) | ____________________ |
| 3. an industrial product (machines, consumer goods, vehicles, etc.) | ___________________ ___________________ |
| 4. a place of entertainment (cinema, club, etc.) | ___________________ |
| 5. a public service (telephones, mail, transport, etc.) | ___________________ |
| 6. an educational service (maybe the course you’re doing now?) | ___________________ ___________________ |
| 7. another well-known local product | ___________________ |
Ex. 3. Work in groups. Discuss these questions about the products you’ve listed:
1. What competition does each product face? (The competition may not be another brand, but another type of product: people may prefer to spend their cash on clothes instead of going to the cinema, for example).
2. What is the image of each product?
3. What is the image of the company that produces it?
4. How strongly or weakly is each of the products marketed?
5. Where is each product advertised?
6. Think of examples of famous brands. What kind of lifestyle do they sell? How do the advertisements promote the image?
Ex. 4. Fill the gaps in the sentences below with words from the list to answer the questions a-f.
Commercials competes design distribution end-users
place hire purchase image labels mail order
materials outlets rival opportunities posters
price product satisfy radio spots weaknesses
promotion threats strength public relations
newspaper advertisements
a) What is “the marketing mix”?
The marketing mix consists of “the four Ps”: providing the customer with the right (1) p ______ at the right (2) p ______, presented in the most attractive way ((3) p_ _____) and available in the easiest way ((4) p ______).
b) What is “a product”?
A product is not just assembled set of components: it is something customers buy to (5) s _______ the need they feel they have. The (6) i ______ of the product and the (7) d _______ of the product are as important as its specification.
c) What is “price”?
The product must be priced so that it (8) c______ effectively with (9) r______ products in the same market.
d) What is “promotion”?
The product is presented to customers through advertising (e.g. TV (10) c _______, (11) r ____ _____, (12) n _____ ______, (13) p ______), packaging (e.g. design, (14) l ______, (15) m ______), publicity, P.R. ((16) p ____ ____) and personal selling.
e) What is “place”?
Your product must be available to customers through the most cost-effective channels of (17) d ______. A consumer product must be offered to (18) e _____
in suitable retail (19) o ______, or available on (20) h ____ _____ or by (21)
m _____ ____.
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f) What is “S.W.O.T.”?
A firm must be aware of its (22) s _________ and (23) w _________ and the (24) o ______ and (25) t _______ it faces in the market place.
Ex. 5. Look at the list of the opportunities and threats.
a) Which of them do firms in your region face in the next two or three years?
1. Competition from other local firms, or from other regions.
2. Rise or fall in demand.
3. Changes in customers’ tastes and buying habits.
4. Higher wages and salaries.
5. Customers becoming more price-conscious, or more quality-conscious.
6. Cheaper, or better quality, imported goods.
7. New technology.
b) Make a list of the “Strengths and weaknesses” the local firms may have.
Ex. 6. Practice the following dialogue between Janet Barker and an advertising consultant Daisy Rober with your partner.
Janet Barker: This is a new venture for us. Our primary customer base has so far been corporate clients.
Daisy Rober: Who’s your average domestic customer?
Janet Barker: Professionals in their thirties and forties, high disposable income, design conscious, trendy.
Daisy Rober: Have you thought of advertising on the web?
Janet Barker: We haven’t developed our website yet, but it’s a possibility.
Daisy Rober: What about image? How do you want to come across?
Janet Barker: Exclusive, minimalist, bright. Something along these lines.
Daisy Rober: What about media? Where do you want to be seen?
Janet Barker: We’re thinking of a poster and magazine campaign. Now we can’t afford TV or cinema. It’s a question of cost – our budget is not exactly huge.
Daisy Rober: I suspect Trend and Image magazines will be a good starting point. I’ll check their rates. If you give me your catalogue, I’ll draft a couple of suggestions for copy.
Janet Barker: We can get those to you later today. The design team is just putting the final touches to the catalogue.
Ex. 7. Produce a dialogue based on the suggested topic.
You are an advertising consultant. The new airline which has been founded recently wants you to help them with their advertising campaign. Give the advice of better advertising campaign.
Ex. 8. a) Read the text and learn the given information.
Packaging is also a part of promotion. It has a twofold function – to protect product and to attract the attention of the consumer. But sometimes package can bring a lot of problems to a customer. Surveys show that intense frustration and even injury caused by modern packaging is on the increase, especially amongst seniors. Seventy per cent of over 50s admit to suffering cuts, sprains and bruises to fingers, hands and shoulders as a result of ‘wrap rage’, a new term used to describe the irritation and loss of self-control experienced when struggling to open wrapping.
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b) Imagine you have invented a new children’s radio control flying airplane. In small groups, discuss how you will package it. Think about the questions below.
1. What different materials could you use? What are their advantages and disadvantages?
2. What design elements will you incorporate? Think about the model, size, color, photos, logos and text.
3. How will your packaging make your product look different from other electronic toys?
c) Present your packaging solution to another group.
Ex. 9. a) Read the text and study the given information about.
Promoting a product involves developing a “Unique Selling Proposition” (USP). The features and benefits which make it unlike any of the competing products. There are for stages in promoting a product (“AIDA”):
1. Attract the ATTENTION of potential customers.
2. Arouse INTEREST in the product.
3. Create a DESIRE for its benefits.
4. Encourage customers to take prompt ACTION.
b) Cut out two of your favorite advertisements from a magazine or newspaper – you might like to cut out one ad you hate as well, perhaps.
Study the advertisements and discuss the questions below.
1. What exactly is the product being “sold”?
2. How well does each ad succeed in the four stages of “AIDA”?
3. What kind of customers is each advertisement directed at?
4. What is the “Unique Selling Proposition” of each product?”
5. What changes would have to be made to the style or tone of the ads to make them suitable for your country?
6. Which is the “best” ad, do you think? Why?
Ex. 10. Show the ads you have cut from magazines and newspapers to the members of your group. Present each one to the group covering these points:
1. Target customers.
2. The USP of the product: its features and benefits.
3. How the ad works in terms of the four stages of AIDA.
4. How the style would have to be changed for other markets?
The following phrases will help to present the advertisements:
| I’d like to show you an ad that really impressed me. What do you think of this ad? It shows …. This aid seems to be aimed at …. According to this ad, the USP of this product is …. What I don’t like about this ad is …. |
Ex. 11. Discuss the following questions:
1. What is your favorite TV commercial? Why do you like it?
2. Can you think of any good slogans? Discuss them with partners.
3. Think of a slogan for a school you are studying in.
Ex. 12. Read the text and discuss the questions after it.
The founder of the Citroën was always aware of the importance of publicity. His company symbol is still used today and is instantly recognizable. In 1922, to increase public awareness of this symbol, and as a public service, he offered the French government 150,000 new road signs. The following year he started manufacturing toy versions of his cars. Soon after he got another brilliant idea – he paid to have the company name written in lights on the Eiffel Tower. So when Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic ocean in 1927, the name Citroën was the first thing he saw when he landed in Paris. In front of the press from all over the world Citroën gave the famous pilot a tour of his factory.
1. What advertising campaign made by Citroën impressed you most?
2. Do you know any examples of brilliant advertising campaigns abroad and in your country? Discuss them with your partners.
Ex. 13. The following sales promotion techniques are often used to stimulate sales. Give the examples of these techniques.
1. BOGOF: buy one get one free.
2. Loss leaders: products sold at a low price to encourage sale of another product.
3. Tying: making sales of one product depend on the customer buying another.
4. Cashback: money returned after the customer has paid for something.
5. Bundling: selling several products together as one combined product
Giving a Presentation
Warming up
Ex. 1. Look at the picture and discuss the questions below.
“My presentation has live web links, full-screen HD video clips,
animated fonts, thundering surround-sound audio,
and awesome 3D special effects. Now all I need is a topic.”
1. What is the main purpose of a presentation?
2. How long do you think the presentation should last? Why?
3. What visuals can the presenter use? What do you think the presenter should do to impress the audience?
4. Have you ever made a presentation? What was it about? Did the audience like it?
Ex. 2. The following useful phrases will be helpful when preparing to give the presentation.
| Starting the presentation | Good morning / good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. The topic of my presentation today is.... What I'm going to talk about today is.... |
| Why you are giving this presentation | The purpose of this presentation is.... This is important because.... My objective is to.... |
| Stating the main points | The main points I will be talking about are: – firstly …. – secondly.... – next, finally... we’re going to look at.... |
| Introducing the first point | Let’s start/begin with.... |
| Showing graphics, transparencies, slides etc. | I’d like to illustrate this by showing you …. |
| Moving on to the next point | Now let’s move on to.... |
| Giving more details | I’d like to expand on this aspect / problem / point. Let me elaborate on that. Would you like me to expand on / elaborate on that? |
| Changing to a different topic | I’d like to turn to something completely different. |
| Referring to something which is off the topic | I’d like to digress here for a moment and just mention that …. |
| Referring back to an earlier point | Let me go back to what I said earlier about.... |
| Summarizing or repeating the main points | I’d like to recap the main points of my presentation: – first I covered …. – then we talked about …. – finally we looked at …. I’d now like to sum up the main points which were: …. |
| Conclusion | I’m going to conclude by... saying that/inviting you to / quoting.... In conclusion, let me... leave you with this thought / invite you to …. |
| Questions | Finally, I’ll be happy to answer your questions. Now I’d like to invite any questions you may have. Do you have any questions? |
Ex. 3. Fill in these note cards with suitable language for a sales presentation on your company product or service.
Introduction
First of all, I’d like to..........................................................................................
Let me just briefly give you some background information on.........................
Main ideas
Our product features and benefits include.........................................................
However, in contrast to our competitors, our USP is........................................
Special offers
We are prepared to give you..............................................................................
Please pick up one of our...................................................................................
Conclusion
To summarize, I would like to.................. the main points of this presentation.
Are there any.....................................................................................................?
Ex. 4. a) Use a verb in column B, a noun in column C and make the sentences about the companies in column A.
A B C
| Airbus industry | offers | consumer goods |
| Yahoo | manufactures / makes | temporary staff |
| Wal-Mart | provides | aircraft |
| Thomas Cook | recruits | financial advice |
| Morgan Stanley | operates | travel and holidays |
| Manpower | organizes | Internet Services |
b) What do you know about these companies? Choose any company and make a short presentation about it.
Ex. 5. a) Make a presentation of the air company you would like to work for.
b) Make a presentation of the school where you are studying.
Ex. 6. Speak on the given topic.
You met your colleague who was not present at the last press conference, and doesn’t know anything about your air company’s new services. Tell him the main points of the given presentation.
Ex. 7. a) Match the products in A to the typical customer expectations in B. More than one combination is possible.
A B
mobile after-sales service
computer environmental friendliness
television style
refrigerator price
dryer user-friendliness
car dependability
washing machine reputation
b) Add 2–3 other features or benefits that a customer would expect from the above products. Give the reasons.
c) Make a brief list of airline expectations for its customers.
Ex. 8. Use these sales ideas to finish sentences that involve the sales sequence.
trial purchase awareness preference loyalty consumer behavior
1. First, you should research and study... to get to know your customer base.
2. Second, you can stimulate..., so the customer will pay attention to your product or service.
3. Next, you can offer a... for 30 days to test the quality and performance of a product.
4. Subsequently, buyers will give... to your products over your competitors.
5. Finally, satisfied customers will show... to your business.