BEP 130 – Presentations: Pitching an Idea (2)

In the last Business English Podcast lesson, we saw how a manager pitched an idea during a meeting. She explained how the company website could be revamped so that customers could order off-the-shelf products directly, instead of having to contacting a sales representative.

In today’s lesson, we’ll introduce language for dealing with unexpected objections, signposting your presentation, supporting your points and persuading other people. Once you’ve pitched an idea, your colleagues will try to find weak points in your argument and you will have to give evidence that your idea is worth supporting. We will show you how to make coherent, persuasive arguments, and use language effectively to support your points.

We’ll be listening to Jill, a manager at an industrial supply company, who introduced her idea in the last episode. She now has to defend and support her argument in front of her peers, who are not sure that her idea is feasible. As the dialog starts, Jill has just made some convincing arguments about the low cost of updating the company website.

Listening Questions

1. When was Pylon’s website created?
2. What does Jill say the website can become after the redesign?
3. What did Jill’s assistant find that will help them with the website?

Download: Podcast MP3