Business English Course - Making Suggestions in English | Business English Conversation

Summary

This Business English Pod episode explores making, rejecting, and accepting suggestions in a business context. The dialogue takes place at Stratos, a sports shoe company, where Karen and her team discuss choosing a celebrity spokesperson for a new product designed for overweight individuals. Various ways to make polite suggestions are demonstrated, such as using modal verbs like 'could' and 'should,' and idiomatic phrases like 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' The episode provides listeners with practical examples for making suggestions in meetings, helping improve their business communication skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 Making suggestions can be done politely using phrases like 'One possibility would be to' or 'Perhaps we should.'
• 😀 To make suggestions, you can introduce them with 'How about' or 'What about' followed by a verb or action.
• 😀 Idiomatic expressions, such as 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it,' can be used to suggest maintaining the status quo.
• 😀 It’s important to consider the target market and target consumer when making business decisions, as shown in the dialogue about choosing a celebrity spokesperson.
• 😀 Using a spokesperson who resonates with both American and British audiences can help expand the product's appeal.
• 😀 Phrases like 'It's just an idea, but...' or 'What if...' introduce suggestions in a polite and considerate manner.
• 😀 When discussing suggestions, it's helpful to consider all perspectives, as seen when the team weighs the pros and cons of each idea.
• 😀 Suggestions about marketing strategies or celebrity endorsements should align with the values and needs of the target audience.
• 😀 The dialogue illustrates the use of 'shall we' to make group suggestions or proposals in a collaborative setting.
• 😀 Practice in using different ways of making suggestions helps build fluency and adaptability in professional communication.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the episode discussed in the transcript?

The main focus of the episode is on making suggestions in a business setting, specifically during a meeting at a sports shoe company where the team is choosing a celebrity spokesperson for a new product.

What does the phrase 'One possibility would be to...' suggest in the context of the dialogue?

The phrase 'One possibility would be to...' is used to introduce an idea or option as a suggestion in a polite and tentative manner.

What does Miguel's suggestion, 'Perhaps we should just use a famous sports star like we usually do,' imply about the company's usual strategy?

Miguel's suggestion implies that the company typically chooses a famous sports star for their advertisements and suggests sticking with this approach as it has worked well in the past.

What is the meaning of the idiom 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' as used in the dialogue?

The idiom 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' means that if something is working well, there is no need to change or fix it.

How does Charles suggest a new approach to choosing a spokesperson?

Charles suggests choosing someone from a sport where being overweight is normal, such as American football, to align with the product's target market.

What does Karen's suggestion about golf imply about the target market?

Karen's suggestion to consider a golfer as a spokesperson implies that golf is popular in both the US and the UK, making it a good choice to appeal to the target markets in both countries.

What is the function of the phrase 'It's just an idea but...' in making suggestions?

The phrase 'It's just an idea but...' is used to introduce a suggestion in a polite and cautious manner, indicating that the speaker is not asserting the idea as the final solution but is merely offering it for consideration.

Why is the phrase 'Shall we try...' considered a polite way to make a suggestion?

The phrase 'Shall we try...' is considered polite because it invites collaboration and input from others in the group, rather than imposing a suggestion forcefully.

How does the practice exercise in the episode help listeners improve their language skills?

The practice exercise provides listeners with cues and encourages them to respond by using various phrases for making suggestions, which helps to build fluency and confidence in using these expressions in real business situations.

What is the significance of the target market and target consumer in the dialogue?

The target market refers to the geographic regions (the UK and the US) where the product will be sold, while the target consumer refers to the specific demographic (overweight individuals) the product is designed for. These factors influence the selection of an appropriate spokesperson.