Business communication

Introductions How to Say Hello

Dolly: Hello! Hello there, how are you? Oh Hello! Horace: You know too many people. Dolly: Total strangers! Horace: Then why do you greet them? Dolly: It makes me feel good to have so many friends. Horace: Oh, say hello for me too then. Dolly: I already did.

Conversation Practice

Notes:

1. It is not common to use titles (Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.) when referring to yourself. However, it is polite to use titles with others in formal situations, unless they give you permission to do otherwise.

Examples:

I'm Mr. Robert Smith. (Title is not necessary here.)

I'm Robert Smith. (Better.)

I'm Dr. Sampson. (Okay if you want to keep the relationship formal.)

After an introduction:

Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith.

Oh, please call me "Bob."

2. Do not use titles with first names, and do not use last names alone without titles.

Hello, Mr. Bob (Wrong!)

Hi, Bob (Okay.)

Good morning, Smith (Wrong!)

Good morning, Mrs. Smith (Correct.)

Ex.1. Do you know the other people in the class? Introduce yourself to everyone.

Good morning. My name is __________ . I am from __________ .

Listen to others introducing themselves. Say "Nice to meet you" and repeat their names. Smile (and shake hands if appropriate).

Ex.2. When do we say Good morning? Good afternoon? Good evening?

Ex.3. Put the following sentences into the correct order to make a conversation.

Helen: Please call me Helen.

Paul: Morning, Jane. How are you?

Jane: Yes, it is. Let me introduce you … Excuse me, Mrs Anderson’. May I introduce you to Paul Carroll?

Jane: Good morning, Paul.

Paul: Pleased to meet you, Mrs Anderson.

Jane: Fine, thanks, and you?

Paul: And please call me Paul.

Helen: How do you do?

Paul: Fine. Is that Mrs Anderson over there?

Ex.4. Read the conversation. Fill in the blanks with the question words.

Who, what, how, why, when, where.

Alex:______ do you do? My name is Alex Smith.

Peter:______ do you do? Nice to meet you. Peter Brown.

Alex: Ah! You are giving a talk on computer software.

Peter: That’s right. ______ are you from, Mr Smith?

Alex: New York.

Peter: And ______ do you work for?

Alex: Shell.

Peter: Ah, yes! You are giving a talk on transmission systems.

Alex: That’s right.

Peter: I’d like to hear it. ______ is it?

Alex: After lunch. ______ don’t you come along?

Peter: I’d like to. ______ time does it start?

Ex.5. Match the questions to the correct reply.

1	Where do you come from?	a	About half an hour.
2	How do you do?	b	Ukraine.
3	How are you?	c	By metro.
4	How long does it take?	d	KNEU.
5	Who do you work for?	e	Fine, thanks, and you?
6	What business are you in?	f	I’m a lecturer.
7	How do you get to work?	g	Advertising.
8	What do you do?	h	How do you do?

Ex.6. Ask Peter some questions about Alex.

You: Who is that man over there?

Peter: His name is Alex Smith.

You: _______________________ ?

Peter: New York.

You: _______________________ ?

Peter: No, he is Russian, actually, but he was born in the USA.

You: _______________________ ?

Peter: Shell.

You: _______________________ ?

Peter: He’s an engineer.

You: _______________________ ?

Peter: He’s the Technical Director.

Ex.7. Practice making introductions. Introduce:

1. Two people in a formal situation.

2. Two people in an informal situation.

3. Yourself at a company reception desk.

4. Yourself to a new colleague.

5. Yourself to a foreign visitor you are meeting at the airport.

Useful language

May I introduce you to … ? … this is … How do you do? How do you do?

Do you know … ? … this is … Hello./Hi. Nice to meet you.

Good morning. My name is … I have an appointment to see …

I don’t think we’ve met. I’m …

Excuse me. Are you Ms Peterson? I’m …

Ex.8. Read the text. Some parts of the text have bееn taken out. These extracts аre given below. Complete each gap with the appropriate extract.

Having trouble introducing yourself? While introductions come easy to the extrovert, the introvert will go as far as feeling anxiety when surrounded by people whom they do not know. Some tips to try: 1. Look people straight in the eyes - eye contact is important because __________ and also shows self confidence. 2. Smile - it is important to keep a __________ (and fresh breath too). 3. Your smile is your icebreaker, it draws people to you because you will look __________ . 4. Handshake - a firm handshake, once again, demonstrates your __________ , but be sure you don't break the other person's arm or hand. 5. Just __________ hand shake you will definitely gain your confidence. 6. Say your name and immediately ask for theirs - __________ - "It's a pleasure to meet you, John" or "Nice to meet you, Jane" - repeating the person's name will help you remember their name and, again, will also show you care. 7. Have a great conversation. Make sure you introduce yourself with both __________ . 8. Giving a nickname is absolutely ok, but __________ is your nickname. 9. It is an awkward joke if __________ . 10. Always give notice it's a nickname, i.e. "My name's Mike, but they __________ . 11. You may tell a little bit of your background in order to start your conversation.

a) like a happy, stable person

b) then repeat their name while saying

c) never appropriate to say your name

d) call me 'The Stunner'

e) it shows that you care

f) first and last names

g) you consider it a joke

h) nice, bright smile

i) a squeeze and control

j) self-confidence.

Questions for discussion

1. Express your opinion: what were business cards created for?

2. Why do you think people exchange business cards with each other?

3.Imagine you have to design a business card, how would you do it?

Ex.9. Choose the most suitable verb to complete the sentences:

May, bring, can, choose, use, show, give, forget.

1. It ______ be as simple as deciding to ______ 5 or 10 cards away every day. 2. It ______ mean printing labels describing your current promotion, sticking them to the back of your cards, and pinning them to bulletin boards. 3. Whatever! The point is that if you consciously figure out a way to ______ your business cards to ______ in business, you're much less likely to ______ them. 4. Invest in a quality business card case, one that you're proud to______off and ______5. Business card cases______ be conversation starters themselves. 6. There are so many unusual, classic and artistic choices available to ______ from.

Ex.10. Combine two parts logically to make complete sentences.

1	Many important contacts and business card exchanges can	a	network and exchange business cards.
2	The best method of keeping your cards in neat form is	b	your new contact.
3	Informal meetings are one of the best times to	c	should wait for them to offer their card to you first.
4	If the person you are speaking with seems interested in your product or service you represent,	d	front counter for business cards to be posted.
5	When accepting a business card, have a good	e	business card from them.
6	Only give one business card to	f	your back pocket.
7	When you first meet someone, it's ok to request a	g	take place in the most unlikely places.
8	If the person is of a higher position than yourself, you	h	offer that person a business card.
9	Never place the card in a wallet that will be put in	i	a business card case.
10	Local restaurants often hang a bulletin board near the	j	look at it for a few seconds.

Ex.11. Read the text and translate it into Ukrainian.

Forgetting your business card is a social faux pas. "Sorry, all my business cards are at the office..." Those could be the "famous last words" of the forgetful entrepreneur.

If you habitually find yourself without a business card, you're habitually losing money; or at least the chance of making money. Your business card, more than any other marketing weapon in your arsenal, is what prospects and colleagues rely upon to remind them why they should do business with you.

Forgetting a business card is a marketing mistake of significant proportions. We're so inundated with advertising messages that most of us learn to tune them out. Yet every time you're asked for a business card, and sheepishly reply that you don't have one with you, you're missing an invitation to market to someone.

Being asked for a business card is a compliment. Not having one with you at that critical moment is subtly offensive. It puts both you and the person requesting the card in an embarrassing situation. And it nonverbally tells your prospect that you're not quite the business person they thought. You're not really serious about your business, or too careless and forgetful to be entrusted with theirs.