Tag: business and business english

Instagram Celebrates 5th Anniversary

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Instagram, the world’s most popular photo-sharing app, is five years old. Instagram’s success can be attributed to a variety of factors. For starters, you can publish photos and videos on other social media platforms. Facebook paid a billion dollars for Instagram in 2012. As a result, the social media behemoth has poured millions of dollars into making Instagram even more appealing to users.

Read the article about Instagram and how it was founded.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/entertainment/instagram-celebrates-5th-anniversary.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you use Instagram? Why or why not?
  2. What do you think of this app?
  3. What changes did you notice after Facebook bought Instagram?
  4. In your opinion, what factors led to the success of Instagram?
  5. Do you think Instagram will eventually lose its importance and appeal to its users? Discuss your opinion.

How Do Supermarkets Manipulate People?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

When out doing your grocery shopping, you might have thought the choices you made were yours and yours alone. More often than not, though, we are being influenced by manufacturers’ manipulations. Our sense of taste and smell are exploited when we walk into a supermarket and notice the pastries and ready-to-eat food found at nearby counters.

Read the article and watch the video to know other clever tricks food marketers pull on their customers.

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/27561/20201002/supermarkets-manipulate-people.htm#:~:text=Supermarkets%20are%20designed%20to%20persuade,route%20to%20the%20dairy%20products.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is impulse buying? Why do we do it and how can we stop?
  2. What are the ways supermarkets make you buy more?
  3. Give some tips for spending less at supermarkets.
  4. Have you ever fallen for these tricks? Which ones worked on you?
  5. How do you make sure your grocery runs are efficient and as economical as possible?

The Danger of the Glass Cliff for Women and People of Color

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The term ‘glass cliff’ is when a woman or member of a minority group is appointed as leader amidst crisis when succeeding or rising above it seems almost impossible.

Read the article about about the invisible danger of leaving women and people of color on the edge of a glass cliff.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220204-the-danger-of-the-glass-cliff-for-women-and-people-of-colour

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do you think this is being done to women and POC?
  2. Researchers did not find a glass cliff in companies in the UK and Germany and so they dismissed it as a “myth”. What are your thoughts on this?
  3. Have you ever felt like you were or someone you know was put on a glass cliff? Talk about that instance. What did you/they do in order to succeed in that moment?
  4. How do you support your leaders at work?
  5. What do you know and think about the promotion pattern of your own company or the companies you’ve worked for before?

Using Scarcity in Marketing Strategy

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Companies and businesses use the tactic of scarcity marketing to stand out. The idea is to make product scarce in order to attract customers and boost sales. It’s based on a psychological principle that the more difficult it is to obtain something, the more people want it.

Watch the video on how scarcity is used in marketing strategy and be able to express your opinions by answering the questions that follow.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do you think scarcity marketing has been effective and why has it become a powerful sales and marketing tool?
  2. What are some of scarcity marketing do you know of? Cite some examples.
  3. Share an experience you had when you fell for scarcity marketing which led you to purchase a product.

Running a Successful Small Business

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Owning a business sounds like a dream: you are your own boss and you get a say on everything from top to bottom of things. A lot of people are enticed by the idea of a business where they own their time, earn their own money, and take charge of where the money goes or how it’s spent, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

Starting or owning a business takes a lot of responsibility and sacrifices. So many things happen behind the scenes that are tricky and challenging.

The tips laid out in the article below aims to help budding entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs-to-be in setting up and running a small business successfully.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/make-money-in-business.asp

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you interested in having your own business? Why or why not? If yes, what kind of business would it be?
2. What sacrifices must be made to start a business? Are you willing to take them?
3. What are some challenges faced when starting a business?
4. What are some rewards of owning a business?
5. How do you keep yourself organized at work and in other aspects of your life?
6. What is good customer service?
7. What are other tips that you can add to the list?

Tips for Giving a Great Presentation

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Business presentations are one of the most vital parts of closing in business deals. They’re conducted to present and express the idea of your products and/or services.

Usually, visual materials are being used to convey the important information to the prospective clients or buyers.

Here are some tips on how to have a great Business Presentation

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you experienced to do a Business Presentation? If yes, what’s the product/service you present?
  2. What are the tips to have a great Business Presentation according to the video?
  3. Can you give other tips?
  4. Why is it important to know you audience first?
  5. Can you explain the importance of visuals in business presentation?

Making a Business Proposal

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Identifying your business’ goals and objectives is very important in order to properly present them to a prospective customer or client. It will help you persuade your prospects to have a solution to any business problems they might have.

Here is the video showing some tips on how to make a business proposal.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you tried presenting or doing a business proposal? How did it go?
  2. What products or services did you offer?
  3. What are the things that we have to keep in mind when drumming up business proposals?
  4. What are the usual problems/difficulties that can be encountered when making business proposals?
  5. Why is business proposal important? Explain your thoughts.

Getting What You Want in a Negotiation

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Negotiating our way in the workplace can sound daunting and challenging. It can sometimes take all our energy preparing for it. Whether it’s something big or small, negotiating for something that we need for our job is part of our work life. Some might think that there are only certain people that are gifted with special skills to effectively negotiate their way through situations.  This is not true. These skills can be learned, and anyone can successfully and effectively negotiate once these skills are gained. 

Watch this video to learn the ways to be ready in negotiations:

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your experiences with negotiations in the workplace?
  2. Do you feel worried when you think of negotiating? Why or why not?
  3. Which of these tips seems the easiest to do? Which seems the hardest?
  4. What are some effective ways that you use when negotiating in any situation?
  5. When was the last time you had a failed negotiation? What could you have done better in that situation?
  6. What are some tips that you can add to the list?

Should Fast Food Sponsor Sport?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

There are millions of sports enthusiasts who are always tuned in to big sporting events in the world such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. For these spectators, it is hard to ignore the large banners of sponsors all throughout the match. Some experts believe that these advertisements are contributing factors that lead to people consuming them.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript on fast food sponsorships in sports.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-211104

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are you a big sports fan? Do you always watch big sporting events? Why or why not?
  2. How important is sponsorship in these events?
  3. How does brand loyalty and unhealthy food and drinks companies sponsorship result to obesity?
  4. Do you agree that these companies should be banned from sponsoring big sporting events?

Where Do Tips Go?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Tipping is about showing appreciation for good service whether it’s food delivery or a haircut by giving extra cash to the person who rendered service to you. It’s a show of gratitude.

However, tipping is not a universal practice. It’s ultimately your choice whether to slip or skip that gratuity.

Let’s listen to the audio to learn more about tipping at restaurants.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-211021

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to some employers not giving the tips to their employees?
  2. Should tips be taxed? Explain your stand.
  3. Is tipping a custom in your country? What are some of the common occasions when you leave a tip?
  4. Can you think of jobs where tipping is important?
  5. What’s the smallest and biggest tip you have ever left? Why was that so?
  6. What alternatives to tipping could you offer if you didn’t have any cash?