Business English Pod / Persuasion / Page 4

BEP 174 – Meetings: Considering a Proposal 2

Business English, English for Meetings, Negotiating, Persuasion /

This is the second in a two-part Business English Pod series about an internal meeting to consider a proposal.

As we saw in the last episode, this type of meeting can be similar to a negotiation. People with different opinions sit around the table and try to convince each other that their idea is the best. So in this situation, you need to be very persuasive and provide good reasons for your recommendations.

In this lesson, we’ll look at how to express doubt, admit risk, confirm support, and speculate about possible future situations or scenarios. We’ll also cover language that you can use to highlight any concessions you might have won in a previous negotiation.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin Steve and his managers as they discuss a proposal for language training. Steve is recommending a blended training model that would combine classroom sessions with online training.

Listening Questions

1. Which advantage of online training does Steve focus on?
2. What is the main concern of the two female managers?
3. If the blended approach doesn’t work, what do they have the option of doing?

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BEP 173 – Meetings: Considering a Proposal 1

Business English, English for Meetings, Negotiating, Persuasion /

This is the first of a two-part Business English Pod series on an internal meeting to consider a proposal. This lesson follows on from our recent three-part series on meeting with an external vendor (BEP 170 – 172).

Meeting to discuss a proposal is like an internal negotiation. The people at the table may have different opinions about the best option or course of action. These people need to support their ideas with strong reasons and try to convince others of their position. In the end, only one option or proposal will be chosen, so it’s important to come prepared.

In this lesson, we’ll focus on defining options and outlining both advantages and disadvantages of a proposal. We’ll also see how we can show that we’ve fully examined a potential vendor’s background and how we can support our ideas with solid reasons.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to Steve meeting with his HR and Line managers. Steve has found an external vendor, called Lexis, to conduct language training. Steve is trying to convince the managers to choose the blended delivery model proposed by Lexis.

Listening Questions

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of online training?
2. How does the male manager seem to feel about online training?
3. What does Steve say about Lexis Training Solution’s reputation?

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BEP 63 – Indirect Persuasion in a Social Context

Business English, ESL Podcast, Persuasion /

Life is actually a constant exercise in persuasion, wouldn’t you say? What I mean is we don’t just need to persuade people in the meeting room; actually, we are constantly using the tools of persuasion across a wide variety of situations ranging from serious to casual. In addition to formal situations, everyday persuasions include when to meet, whether to extend a deadline, and even such common things as where to have lunch or which movie to see.

So the persuasive process we learned in BEP 59 , 60 & 62 is useful not just for formal business situations, but across all sorts of contexts that come up many times every day. You don’t always want to use the indirect approach to persuasion, but it’s often very useful.

Here’s an example of the persuasive process at work in an everyday situation: Julie is persuading her husband, Steve, to try a new vacation spot.

As you listen, see if you can identify the five steps of the Monroe sequence:

1) Getting attention
2) Establishing need
3) Satisfying that need
4) Visualizing the future
5) Asking for action

Because this is an informal situation, the language Julie uses is obviously quite casual and she doesn’t include any numbers or statistical data; but, as always, a convincing description of the problem in the need step is the key to successful persuasion. And it’s important to state the problem from the perspective of the audience, which in this case is Julie’s husband.

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BEP 62 – Persuasion 3: Satisfaction, Visualization and Action Steps

Advanced, Business English, ESL Podcast, Persuasion, Presentation in English, Sales English /

In the first two ESL lessons (BEP 59 & BEP 60) in this three-part series on persuasion, we saw how getting your audience’s attention and demonstrating a clear need were essential to the persuasive process. We learned that in the indirect method of persuasion you should demonstrate the problem before you offer a solution. This mirrors the psychological process of decision-making: First we feel a need, and then we look for a way to satisfy that need.

After you have established the need, you then describe the future benefits if your proposal is accepted. This is the visualization step: Talk about how accepting your proposal will have positive future outcomes or maybe how not accepting it will have negative outcomes. Finally, you need to make a concrete, specific call to action – what the audience can do right now to implement your proposal.

Let’s finish listening to Steve give his proposal to Swift management. See if you can identify the satisfaction, visualization and action steps in his speech.

Listening Questions

1. How long will it take Swift to get back the investment in air conditioning?
2. How much extra profit can Swift make per year by adopting Nick’s proposal?
3. What specific action does Steve ask his manager’s to take?

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