Networking is all about people and connections. You never know when someone you meet at a conference or trade show may be able to help your business in the future.
In this lesson, we’ll focus on ways to steer a conversation toward a lead. We’ll also cover ways to shoot for a meeting and be persistent. And we’ll look at the other side with ways to politely leave a conversation.
This is the first of a two-part Business English Pod series on networking.
Networking often involves approaching people you don’t know, which can be a little awkward. How do you network in a way that seems genuine? In this lesson, we’ll look at ways to approach people. We’ll also cover greetings and introductions, 10-second elevator pitches, and talking about your industry.
Members: Study Notes | Online Practice | PhraseCast
This is the second in a two-part lesson on motivating your team.
There are many strategies you can use to motivate people. One way is to reward them. This reward can be emotional, such as acknowledgement or praise for a job well done. Or, it can be more concrete, like a cash bonus or a prize.
In this lesson, we’ll look at motivation through rewards. We’ll discuss how to acknowledge your team’s efforts and give praise. We’ll also look at how to introduce challenges, friendly competition, and incentives. Finally, we’ll talk about some ways to finish up a meeting so that your team feels energized for the work ahead.
Members: Study Notes | Online Practice | PhraseCast
In the concluding episode of our Business English Podcast series on negotiating in English, we’re going to look at closing the deal.
Success! The hard work of negotiation has paid off. You’ve reached agreement. Now it’s time to close the deal. In this episode, we’ll study skills and language for the final stage of the discussion. In particular, we’ll focus on summarizing details, tying up loose ends, reinforcing the relationship and adopting a positive style. We’ll see that the end of talks presents a great opportunity to build stronger partnerships.
In this show, we will look at two short dialogs that demonstrate different styles of negotiation. In the first, a construction materials supplier, Tony, calls his customer, Paul, to agree to the terms of a deal. In the second, a general manager, Maxine, calls the owner of another company, Peter, to tell him that her board of directors has agreed to buy his company.
Listening Questions:
1. In the first dialog, what does the supplier, Tony, want to confirm with his customer, Paul?
2. What kind of positive language do Tony and Paul use at the end of the dialog to reinforce the relationship?
3. In the second dialog, does Maxine say that the board has agreed to Peter’s suggested price?
4. From the conversation, does it sound as though Peter will continue to work at his company through the merger?
Premium Members: Study Notes | Online Exercises | PhraseCast
Preview the new Flash quizzes (opens in new window): 
In today’s podcast on negotiation skills, we will discuss how to overcome blockage in a negotiation. In particular, we’ll focus on identifying stumbling blocks, exploring alternatives, and moving towards agreement.
Usually we think of blockage in terms of stumbling blocks, or obstacles, to agreement. But blockage can also be any impediment to creating maximum value. In other words, we’re not only interested in removing obstacles to a deal but also in removing obstacles to a better deal. Doing this successfully often requires thinking outside the box, that is, thinking creatively.
1) How does Peter suggest restarting talks with Maxine?
2) What does Peter identifying as the main stumbling block to a deal?
4) What is Peter’s key insight that enables Maxine and him to overcome their blockage?
