Poslovni Engleski I On-Line Testovi
Poslovni Engleski I On-Line Testovi
Poslovni Engleski I On-Line Testovi
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THE LAYOUT OF A BUSINESS LETTER
A business letter in English is laid-out in a proper way when it consists of eleven parts, but there are
many firms which like to use their own style. A usual layout of a business letter means that the letter
is not indented and that there are no commas. These are the parts of a business letter.
The letterhead
You can write a letterhead at the top right corner of the letter. However, most firms have decided to
use sheets of paper where letterhead has already been written. It is very useful because it contains
information about a company name and address, telephone, e-mail and fax number.
References
References can be seen at the top left-hand corner of the letter.
The initials of the person who signed the letter and the initials of the person who typed it are given
here. You may also add figures to identify the department which made the letter or a certain file
where you can find the correspondence.
The date
All letters must bare a date and it is given below the references. There are two standard forms for
writing dates:
8 March 1999 and March 8 1999
The omission of -st, -nd, and -th seems to be widely accepted, although British English sometimes
prefers these endings.
You should never write only the figures (e.g. 10/2/99). This can easily confuse the Americans because
they are used to writing dates in the order of month, day and year. The English, however, prefer the
order of day, month and year: 10 February 1999.
The addressee
The addressee is a person to whom the letter is sent and the name and the address of him/her are
typed below the date, usually against the margin. You can sometimes add For the attention of,
which means that the letter is to be delivered to a particular person.
The opening salutation
When you write the receivers address then follows the opening salutation. When you do not know
the name of the receiver you can write "Dear Sir(s)" or "Dear Madam". If you are writing to a
company you can start with "Dear Sirs".
In case you know the name of the person you are writing to, you should start with "Dear Mr Jones,
Dear Miss Jones, Dear Mrs Jones" or "Dear Ms Jones", when you are not emphasizing the marital
status of the woman.
The subject of the letter
The subject of the letter tells us what the letter is about, for example the number of an order or
invoice. Sometimes the word Re is used, meaning About, Concerning. You can write it in block
letters.
The body of the letter
This is the central part of a letter and it gives essential information. You should try to make it simple,
clear and exact. It is much easier if you divide the text into paragraphs, so that each paragraph is
confined to one topic.
The closing salutation
The closing salutation follows the way the opening salutation is created. If we begin the letter with
"Dear Sir(s)/Madam" (the receiver is not known) , we end it with "Yours faithfully". If we begin the
letter with "Dear Miss Smith" (the receiver is known), we end it with "Yours sincerely".
The signature
You write the signature below the closing salutation.
The senders name and the position in the firm
You type them below the signature. Sometimes, there are initials "p. p." (pp) next to the senders
name. This means that the letter is signed by someone else other than the writer (for example, a
secretary can sign a letter on behalf of her boss). The letters pp represent a Latin phrase per
procurationem.
Enclosures
You can enclose something with the letter (a prospectus, a cheque, an order form, etc.) and then you
write "Enc", short of enclosure, at the bottom of the letter, with or without the object we are
enclosing. You should also indicate in the text of the letter that a certain object is being enclosed.
orders often, the enquiry may be very simple. Sometimes it can be made only through a phone call
or a postcard.
Writing an enquiry demands from you to:
- say where you saw the advertisement or how you obtained your potential suppliers name:
We have seen your advertisement in this months edition of/ in The Times of 22nd May.
Your name has been given to us by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce.
- give some general information about your business:
We are one of the largest importers of
We are a company which imports
We are a company which specializes in
-give your reasons for writing:
We are interested in importing
We are interested in purchasing
-request action:
Could you please send us some samples of
We would appreciate if you would send us more information
We would appreciate if you would send us further details about
-close the letter:
We are looking forward to hearing from you soon / in the near future.
We look forward to receiving your reply.
Modul: Enquiries - Upiti
Naziv jedinice: Replies to Enquiries
REPLIES TO ENQUIRIES: OFFERS, QUOTATIONS
The quotation as a reply to an enquiry may be a simple one and it can contain the prices and some
other information. An astute businessman, however, will take this opportunity to stimulate his
correspondents interest in his goods and services by including a sales message.
Offers are also sent without the preceding enquiry when a supplier wants to draw the attention of
customers and new customers to a special product or range of goods.
If the supplier is in a position to meet his correspondents requirements, in his reply he will generally:
- acknowledge the letter:
We thank you for your letter of 21 August enquiring about:
Thank you for your letter of 10 May requesting information about...
-state what action he is taking;
We have pleasure in enclosing our latest catalogue and price list.
We are sending the samples you requested under separate cover.
-answer any specific questions the enquirer asked, for example, about prices and delivery:
Please note that we are offering a 5% trade discount / cash discount / quantity discount.
We are glad to be able to inform you that we are able to deliver from stock.
Our delivery date is 20 days from receipt of order.
-suggest ways in which he can help the enquirer to make a decision to buy:
We would like to suggest a demonstration of this model by one of our representatives.
If you wish we can arrange for the demonstration by...
-invite the enquirer to ask for further information
If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
-close the letter
We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Modul: Orders - Narudbine
Naziv jedinice: Orders and Replies to Orders
ORDERS
When the sellers offer is accepted, an order is to follow. A vital thing in completing an order is
accuracy. You can have trouble if an error in quoting a catalogue number appears, and it can
sometimes be difficult to put it right later. Such errors can occasionally occur; so it is prudent to
double check everything.
Clarity is also essential. The buyer should make clear to the seller exactly what he wants. In the
export business another things are very important, like method of transport, packing or delivery.
Then, the buyer may ask for some special documents to satisfy import regulations. You should tell
that to the exporter because he does not always know what the buyer needs.
Large firms have a custom to use an export order form for ordering; they print the special
requirements on this form, and also details of terms and conditions of purchase. Every order must
have its order number (O/N).
When writing an order you should:
-acknowledge previous correspondent:
Thank you for your letter of 30. September quoting prices and delivery terms for
We thank you for the samples / price list / catalogue which you sent us.
-state your reactions to the prices, discount, samples, etc.:
We are satisfied that the quoted terms / discount are / is acceptable.
We have examined the samples and are satisfied with their quality.
If there is delay in payment, the Vendor may postpone the fulfillment of his own obligations until
payment is made, or recover interest on the sum due. 6% is a common rate in such cases.
Guarantee
The contract will generally contain a guarantee, according to which the Vendor may undertake to
remedy any defect resulting from faulty design, materials or workmanship. Certain limitations to the
Vendors liability for defects will be stated.
If, when the goods are inspected, it is found that they do not conform with the contact, the Purchaser
will be entitled to reject the goods.
Arbitration
Since it may sometimes be difficult for the parties to the contracts to settle by agreement some
dispute arising out of or in connection with the contract, it is necessary to state an arbitrator who can
settle such disputes out of court. Unless otherwise agreed, contracts are commonly governed by the
law of the Vendors country.
Some general points
Other matters to be considered when drawing up a contract are packing, inspection and tests. In the
case plant and heavy machinery, there will be drawings and descriptive documents, and such
questions as working conditions and safety regulations while erecting the plant.
Modul: Travelling on Business - Poslovna putovanja
Naziv jedinice: Booking Accommodation
BOOKING ACCOMMODATION
One of the very significant items in business is traveling. Businessmen, who want to make personal
contacts with their present or future partners, must travel a lot. Many trade fairs are held in different
countries all over the world and a great deal of business executives visit them in order to study the
market possibilities for increasing their firms sales in other countries.
There are some things that should be done before a businessman goes on a business trip: he should
prepare all the travel documents; book the tickets and the hotel accommodation.
When reserving accommodation, the hotel will be asked to confirm the booking and the price of the
room. If you are going to Britain it is important to know if the price of the room includes VAT, service
charges and meals. The hotel will usually include this information in its reply. VAT (Value Added Tax)
is a tax on value which is added to raw material when they become finished products. It is charged
on products and services bought and used in England.
Modul: Travelling on Business - Poslovna putovanja
Naziv jedinice: Choosing a Hotel
CHOOSING A HOTEL
The most important thing when choosing a hotel for an international meeting is the meeting room or
rooms. For example, you may need a large room where everyone can be together for presentations,
and smaller meeting rooms for informal group discussions.
Then, if people are coming from different countries, you need to find out about rooms for them to
stay in. These should be spacious and comfortable, and have facilities for using e-mail and laptops,
as people have to keep in touch with their offices even when they are away.
The next point is amenities for hotel guests- things like a bar, a good quality restaurant and fitness
and sports facilities. These are important because delegates need to be able to relax after a long day
of meetings and get to know each other in informal situations.
Finally, for an international meeting where delegates are coming from different countries, it can be
very useful to choose a hotel which has good transport connections with the nearest airport. This can
save everybody a lot of time.
Karl Davidson is organizing the next project team meeting so he has booked rooms at the Crowne
Hotel which is near the Park Avenue and quite close to the airport. Right now, hes receiving a call
from the manager of the hotel.
Patricia
Could I speak to Mr Davidson, please?
Karl
Yes, this is he.
Patricia
Oh, good afternoon, Mr Davidson. My name is Patricia Callahan from the Crowne
Hotel. You rang me yesterday about a meeting you are organizing.
Karl
Yes, the meeting in New York.
Patricia
Thats right. Im getting back to you with some prices.
Karl
OK, Im listening.
Patricia
Prices for the rooms first. For five people for two nights, its a total of $2,180. Thats
our group rate.
Karl
OK.
Patricia
And for a meeting room for two days, its $150 per day. That includes a buffet lunch,
soft drinks and coffee.
Karl
Yes, thats very nice. I will write it all down, including your name. You said Patricia
Patricia
Yes, Patricia Callahan, its C-A-double L-A-H-A-N.
Karl
Well, thank you very much, Ms Callahan. Well get back to you.
Patricia
Thank you. Have a nice day.
Modul: Memorandum
Naziv jedinice: Memorandum
MEMORANDUM (MEMO)
Whether you need to bring something to another person`s attention, provide news or guidelines on a
company policy, or are trying to get something done and delivered to you, you need to send a memo
about it. You can`t afford to be wordy. Neither you nor the receiving party has the time to waste.
When you keep correspondence concise, you increase the chances that your text will actually be
read!
When to Send a Memo
If you want to track a project or a developing situation. Anything that requires a paper trail of any
sort, or will be going into a file, should be done in hard copy. In this way, you may also collect
signatures, initials, or other notations that help you in your tracking and provide clear-cut evidence
of the status of your project.
If you`re providing guidelines or procedures for informational purposes. This sort of memo tends to
be somewhat more detailed. The receiver may choose to post it for reference or photocopy it and
share it with others.
If you`re summarizing a conversation or incident, emphasizing an important point of discussion, or
making an announcement. Especially if the discussion was an important one, the document is
probably something that will go into a file; therefore, a hard copy adds formality.
If you`re drawing attention to an issue that needs resolution. Personal choice: If the memo is going
out to a number of people, the hard copy is probably best. If you are directing it toward one
particular person and you want to keep it private, then you might find e-mail to be more effective.
Some Valuable Pointers
Some pointers will apply to any memo that you may write. Following are just a few to bear in mind:
Put the main message of your memo at the very beginning; then elaborate or explain, but briefly.
When your memo`s message is of crucial importance, don`t hesitate to emphasize or even repeat
your primary point in the last paragraph or last line.
Provide relevant information, for example, where certain forms might be obtained, or whom to
contact for questions or further information.
When naming a specific person or department as a contact point, be sure to include a phone
extension or room number (or both).
Provide explanations when they`re called for - i.e., why it is necessary to carry out a particular task,
or the reasons one must complete certain forms, etc.
Be specific about what you want or need. For example, when asking for a certain piece of
documentation or information, describe exactly what is needed so there can be no doubt in the mind
of the memo`s receiver.
When providing guidelines or explaining a policy, don`t get into too much detail; just summarize the
most important points, then indicate where further information may be obtained.
When describing a meeting or incident, provide a detailed (but brief) history of what occurred.
State clearly when something of importance has been attached to a memo; it may become
separated in transit, therefore it`s safer to note the attachment.
Modul: Reports - Izvetaji
Naziv jedinice: General Information on Business Reports
GENERAL INFORMATION ON BUSINESS REPORTS
Reports, like proposals, are a standard part of business writing and are situationally defined. That is,
what is included in a report, the type of report written, and the organization of a report are
determined by the situation that gives rise to the report. Despite their variety, however, all reports
have one thing in common: they are a description of a task, project, or research activity either at its
completion or at some mid-point to summarize your actions.
Good report writing includes the ability to plan the layout and organization of the report; you must
decide what elements are useful in the report and how to include them so that they form an effective
framework for the material and information you wish to relate to your reader.
Short reports and those that are standardized don`t require a great deal of special arrangement of
the material. However, longer reports or special reports must contain elements that require special
attention.
In addition to the information or material you wish to communicate, these elements include cover
letters or memos, letters of transmittal, title pages, tables of contents, headings, summaries, formal
and
standard
introductions,
conclusions,
special
instructions,
glossaries,
appendixes,
recommendations--in addition to the body of the report.
Not all reports contain all of these
elements. You must decide which to include by the context and situation in which you are writing
and by your reader`s needs.
Reports often go hand-in-hand with proposals as they tell of the progress of the proposed project or
describe the proposed project at its conclusion. Reports also summarize the conclusion of a research
or other type of project. Finally, reports can be short or long, formal or informal.
Quite often, reports have a transmittal memo or letter that identifies the report and explains the key
points. The memo or letter can also describe the situation that gave rise to the report. Do not worry
about the report and the transmittal letter/memo containing the same information--they will.
Reports and their transmittal documents are often separated as they travel from reader to reader,
thus need to be redundant. In addition, the different sections of a report must stand alone--even if
this seems repetitive. Some readers will only read one section of your report, so each section must
be complete.
Formal reports usually contain the following elements:
Letter of Transmittal
Title Page
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Formal Introduction
Section or Division Introductions
Body: Methods, Facts, Discussion, Objectives, Results, Criteria, Alternatives, Evaluation
(depending on the type of report you are writing--see below)
Conclusion
Recommendation
Bibliography/References
Appendixes
Modul: Reports - Izvetaji
Naziv jedinice: Writing Reports
WRITING BUSINESS REPORTS
Business reports are used mainly in organisations, and it is valuable for any executive to develop an
effective report writing style. Business reports come in many forms, from lengthy formal reports to
the shorter variations used within departments. Therefore, the writing style should reflect the nature
of the report content.
Structure of Formal Reports
In general, long formal reports follow a recognised structure, made up of a title page, table of
contents, executive summary, introduction section, the main body of the report, conclusions section,
recommendations and appendices.
The title page, as its name suggests, identifies the report, so that it can be distributed to those
individuals who are authorised to receive it. This page should be attractively laid out, as it is the first
page that the reader sees, and first impressions are important!
Table of Contents lists the main sections or chapters that appear in the report and the page number
for each.
The executive summary plays an important role in the business report. Its function is to provide busy
individuals with an overview of the report contents. Therefore, the summary should be interesting
enough to encourage the executive to return to the report when he/she is less busy! It should contain
the objective(s) of the report, main findings, conclusions or recommendations.
The introduction should set out the aims and objectives of the report and provide background
information about the matter being investigated or discussed.
Main body of report presents the main findings concerning the reports subject matter. These
findings should be laid out in a clear and logical fashion, so that it is easy for the reader to follow the
author(s) train of thought. It is usual to put the most important findings at the beginning of the
section.
In the conclusions section, the main findings are emphasized and they should be fair and unbiased. It
describes the purpose of the report, your conclusions and how you reached them.
Recommendations for further action should be presented in order of importance and be written in a
very precise manner, so that the readers are clear about the authors intentions.
There are times when large amounts of data or statistics can not be easily inserted into the main
findings. Therefore, this information can be placed in an appendix at the end of the report. The
appendix is for material which readers only need to know if they are studying the report in depth.
Relevant charts and tables should go in the discussion where readers can use them. Only put them in
an appendix if they would disrupt the flow of the report. Clear references should be made to the
appendix in the main body of the report. This approach is very valuable where several long tables of
data must be contained in the report.
There are various types of business reports like Progress Reports, Feasibility reports or Empirical
Research reports. Progress report tells us if the work is progressing as planned. It also tells of the
results thus far and explains what needs to be done and what progress is to be expected.
Feasibility reports explain how reasonable and appropriate the decision-making criteria are. They
explain the methods used to collect the information or material and allows the reader to determine
that the facts are reliable.
Empirical research reports explain why the research project is important, give any necessary
background information and describe what you are trying to discover or find out.
Modul: CV
Naziv jedinice: CV Writing
CV WRITING
The word Curriculum Vitae literally translated means the story of your life. The words Curriculum
Vitae are usually abbreviated to CV or C.V. and you will sometimes see it incorrectly written in lower
case as c.v. or cv. The possessive form of Curriculum Vitae / CV should be written as Curriculum
Vitae`s or C.V.`s or CVs, but not as c.v.`s or cv`s.
Your CV is a very important document; with it rest your hopes and dreams for the future - that next
step up the career ladder, a better position, more money, new challenges, etc. Your CV therefore has
to represent the best you have to offer if you do not want to miss out on that job you saw which was
`perfect` for you.
These days employers often receive a lot of CVs for each advertised position - jobs advertised in
national papers can often attract hundreds of applicants. So your CV has to be just that little bit
special to stand out if you want to obtain interviews. The good news (for you) is that most people do
not know how to write a CV and only spend a short time preparing a CV. Writing professional CVs is a
skill, which these people have not learnt.
Of course your CV can continue to work in your favour even after it has obtained an interview for
you. It can help you at an interview by carefully focusing the interviewer`s mind on your good points
and on your achievements. Once you have left the interview it will continue to work in your favour as
the interviewer will probably reread it before making a decision, either on who should be invited to
the second interview stage or who the job should be offered to.
When it comes to salary negotiations a well written CV can help. If your CV conveys your full worth
you are likely to get a higher salary offer than you might have done with a poorer CV. So do not
skimp on the time you spend on writing a CV as it will probably be a false economy.
CV WRITING TECHNIQUES
MOST IMPORTANTLY, ALWAYS THOROUGHLY PROOF-READ YOUR CV or ASK SOMEONE TO DO IT FOR
YOU BEFORE SENDING IT TO EITHER AN AGENCY OR A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER.
Make sure your CV is well laid out so that it is immediately easy to read and understand. Leave
plenty of white space.
Use concise, unambiguous sentences, avoid exaggerations and a flowery writing style.
Do not make false claims; honesty is always the best policy.
Bullet points are useful to highlight relevant skills and experience and help break up continuous text.
Depending on your experience, two pages is an ideal length.
Stress your past accomplishments and the skills you used to get the results you achieved.
Focus on information which is relevant to your own career goals.
If you are making a career change, stress what skills are transferable to support your new career
objectives.
Put your highest level of education first.
Put your most recent job first and work backward chronologically in time.
Ensure all dates are accurate.
Explain any long career gaps (i.e. travelling, maternity leave etc)
Describe what you did 90% of the time, not 10% of the time.
Avoid references to hobbies, activities and memberships which are not business related or have no
relevance to your current career goals or job objectives.
If you are preparing a CV for a specific vacancy, explain why you would be good at the position for
which you are applying.
Modul: Job Interview - Razgovor za posao
Naziv jedinice: Interview
INTERVIEW
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how
you made them feel." - Unknown
When going on an interview, you want to present yourself to your best advantage. This is your
chance to let the people interviewing you learn about your skills, knowledge, and strengths as
present yourself for the first time. How do you do this?
First Impressions
Appearance counts, and is the basis for forming first impressions of a person. A neat, well-groomed
appearance in an appropriate business suit comes across much better than casual clothes, or
inappropriate make up and jewelry
Friendly, open people are also perceived more positively. When first meeting the employer, greet
them with a firm handshake, a smile, and look them in the eyes. Listen attentively and don`t
interrupt.
Be On Time
Being late does not impress interviewers, and creates the impression that you would arrive late to
work. So try to get to the interview on time, or even a few minutes early. This will give you a chance
to do a last minute check on your appearance in the restroom, and to fill out any paperwork.
Do Your Homework
One thing that will positively impress not only the recruiter, but also managers who may interview
you, is knowledge about their company. Take the time to research the company, and be familiar with
terms used in the industry that you are interviewing for. Being familiar with the company products,
the services that they offer, and who their major competitors are will show that you have a real
interest in the company.
Bring several copies of your resume (2 or 3) in a folder or portfolio since you may meet with several
people during the interview. A cover sheet with personal references should accompany it.
Do your homework BEFORE the interview. This will make sure that you can:
"minimum", being able to help customers, and actively seeking to increase the company client base
are other valued traits according to employers.
The job seeker can demonstrate this enthusiasm and interest in the company by doing "homework"
before a job interview, researching the company, its products, its client base, and possibly having
ideas on marketing or increasing production.
Modul: Marketing
Naziv jedinice: What is Marketing
WHAT IS MARKETING?
What exactly is marketing and why is it important to you as an entrepreneur? Simply stated,
marketing is everything you do to place your product or service in the hands of potential customers.
It includes diverse disciplines like sales, public relations, pricing, packaging, and distribution. In order
to distinguish marketing from other related professional services, S.H. Simmons, author and
humorist, relates this anecdote.
"If a young man tells his date she`s intelligent, looks lovely, and is a great conversationalist, he`s
saying the right things to the right person and that`s marketing. If the young man tells his date how
handsome, smart and successful he is -- that`s advertising. If someone else tells the young woman
how handsome, smart and successful her date is -- that`s public relations."
You might think of marketing this way. If business is all about people and money and the art of
persuading one to part from the other, then marketing is all about finding the right people to
persuade.
Marketing is your strategy for allocating resources (time and money) in order to achieve your
objectives. Yet the most brilliant strategy won`t help you earn a profit or achieve your wildest dreams
if it isn`t built around your potential customers. A strategy that isn`t based on customers is rather
like a man who knows a thousand ways to make love to a woman, but doesn`t know any women.
Great in theory but unrewarding in practice.
If you fit the classic definition of an entrepreneur (someone with a great idea who`s undercapitalized), you may think marketing is something you do later -- after the product is developed,
manufactured, or ready to sell.
Though it may feel counter-intuitive, marketing doesn`t begin with a great idea or a unique product.
It begins with customers -- those people who want or need your product and will actually buy it.
Entrepreneurs are in love with their ideas, and they should be. After all, why would anyone commit
their energy, life savings, and no small part of their sanity to anything less than a consuming
passion. Because entrepreneurs are passionate about their idea, product, or service, they innocently
assume other people will feel the same. Here`s the bad news -- it just doesn`t work that way!
People have their own unique perceptions of the world based on their belief system. The most
innovative ideas, the greatest products, or a superior service succeed only when you market within
the context of people`s perceptions. So, turn to the customers - thats where it all begins.
Modul: Marketing
Naziv jedinice: Marketing Concept
HOW TO DEVELOP A MARKETING CONCEPT
Unfortunately, there is still a misunderstanding about the word marketing. Many people, including
top executives, use it as a sophisticated term for selling. Marketing representative is commonly used
in ads to recruit salespeople. Actually, marketing is a way of managing a business so that each
critical business decision is made with full knowledge of the impact it will have on the customer.
Here are some specific ways in which the marketing approach differs from the classic, or sales,
approach to managing a business.
In the classic approach, engineers and designers create a product, which is then given to salespeople
who are told to find customers and sell the product. In the marketing approach, the first step is to
determine what the customer needs or wants. That information is given to designers who develop
the product and finally to engineers who produce it. Thus, the sales approach only ends with the
customer, while the marketing approach begins and ends with the customer.
The second major difference between the sales and marketing approaches is the focus of
management. The sales approach almost always focuses on volume while the marketing approach
focuses on profit.
In short, under the classic (sales) approach the customer exists for the business, while under the
marketing approach the business exists for the customer.
The marketing concept is a management plan that views all marketing components as part of a total
system that requires effective planning, organization, leadership and control. It is based on the
importance of customers to a firm, and states that:
All company policies and activities should be aimed at satisfying customer needs.
Profitable sales volume is a better company goal than maximum sales volume.
In order to conduct a successful marketing program you must be able to answer the following
questions:
1.
What type of business are you in (manufacturing, merchandising or service)?
2.
What is the nature of your product (s) or service(s)?
3.
What market segments do you intend to serve? (Describe the age, sex, income level and lifestyle characteristics of each market segment.)
4.
What strategies will you use to attract and keep customers?
Product
Price
Place
Promotion
Persuasion (personal selling)
5.
What is your unique selling proposition (USP)?
6.
Who is your competition, and what will you do to control your share of the market?
Modul: Marketing
Naziv jedinice: Advertising Victim
DONT BECOME AN ADVERTISING VICTIM
Spending a fortune on advertising and getting only meagre returns, is a common frustration amongst
small business owners, mainly because advertising is not always the right marketing tactic.
Many small businesses spend huge amounts of money on advertising because of a mis-informed
belief that it will pay off in the long run. Advertising, if done properly, can pay off handsomely. But it
is often a dead loss.
Generally speaking, the adverts we notice in the media are for products we already know about
Toyota, Sony, Coca Cola etc. These companies spend fortunes on advertising so that they retain topof-mind awareness and market leadership. Top companies do a good job of this.
It is possible to increase market awareness of your product or service through advertising, but you
need to be a market leader and a big spender. Unilever spends US$3.0bn a year on advertising and
its business continues to thrive. But this type of marketing just doesnt work for small businesses.
We are exposed to up to 3,000 advertising messages a day. Our capacity to absorb information on
products and services advertised by small business is very limited, simply because of information
overload. As the quantity of media surrounding us increases, small-business advertising becomes
increasingly invisible.
According to Dan Kennedy, the renowed marketing trainer, you are an advertising victim when you
write out a cheque for placing an ad and you have no idea whether it was a good business decision
or not. Sadly, many small business owners who advertise fall into this category. The way adverts are
usually written means that there is no way of measuring how effective they are.
You can increase response to your adverts by including a compelling time-limited offer and a call to
action. This gives readers a reason to take immediate action and means that you can measure the
effectiveness of your ads. By making a free try-before-you-buy offer, you are able to extend response
to your ad into a multi-stage follow-up process.
By counting the requests for the free offer you get after an advert, you are able to measure the
effectiveness of your advertising spend.
The hardest part, of course, is getting prospects to respond to your ad in the first place. An advert
doesnt give people enough information to form an opinion about your business. This is why adverts
often get no response.
For small businesses, marketing success is the result of building relationships with prospective and
existing customers. By positioning yourself as an expert, you win the credibility and confidence that
prospects require before parting with their money. And this is where Public Relations techniques are
very powerful.
People who are ready to buy a product or service look for information to support the buying decision.
So making suitable information available enables you to attract ready-to-buy prospects. You do this
by issuing press releases, writing & publishing articles, using speaking opportunities and networking.
Websites provide marvellous opportunities for making useful information available to prospective
customers and building relationships remotely. The best part about doing PR is that it costs very
little. And PR material can be reused over and over again.
Advertising is a bit like firing a gun. The explosive effect is short lived and repeated firing is very
expensive. Public Relations is more like building a foundation. The bricks are cheap, they last a long
time and the foundation is a solid support for other marketing activities.
So next time you think about advertising, consider using Public Relations to get your message
across. It is might mean more work, but it is a lot cheaper and pays off handsomely in the long run.
Modul: Meetings - Sastanci
Naziv jedinice: Business Meetings in English
BUSINESS MEETINGS
The following dialogue is an example of a typical business meeting. As you can see from the
dialogue, a typical business meeting can be divided into five parts:
1.
Introductions
Meeting Chairman: If we are all here, let`s get started. First of all, I`d like you to please join me in
welcoming Jack Peterson, our Southwest Area Sales Vice President.
Jack Peterson: Thank you for having me, I`m looking forward to today`s meeting.
Meeting Chairman: I`d also like to introduce Margaret Simmons who recently joined our team.
Margaret Simmons: May I also introduce my assistant, Bob Hamp.
Meeting Chairman: Welcome Bob. I`m afraid our sales director, Anne Trusting, can`t be with us today.
She is in Japan at the moment, developing our Far East sales force.
2.
Reviewing Past Business
Meeting Chairman: Let`s get started. We`re here today to discuss ways of improving sales in rural
market areas. First, let`s go over the report from the last meeting which was held on June 24th.
Right, Tom, over to you.
Tom Robbins: Thank you Mark. Let me just summarize the main points of the last meeting. We began
the meeting by approving the changes in our sales reporting system discussed on May 30th. After
briefly revising the changes that will take place, we moved on to a brainstorming session concerning
after sales customer support improvements. You`ll find a copy of the main ideas developed and
discussed in these sessions in the photocopies in front of you. The meeting was declared closed at
11.30.
3.
Beginning the Meeting
Meeting Chairman: Thank you Tom. So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, let`s move on to
today`s agenda. Have you all received a copy of today`s agenda? If you don`t mind, I`d like to skip
item 1 and move on to item 2: Sales improvement in rural market areas. Jack has kindly agreed to
give us a report on this matter. Jack?
4.
Discussing Items
Jack Peterson: Before I begin the report, I`d like to get some ideas from you all. How do you feel
about rural sales in your sales districts? I suggest we go round the table first to get all of your input.
John Ruting: In my opinion, we have been focusing too much on urban customers and their needs.
The way I see things, we need to return to our rural base by developing an advertising campaign to
focus on their particular needs.
Alice Linnes: I`m afraid I can`t agree with you. I think rural customers want to feel as important as
our customers living in cities. I suggest we give our rural sales teams more help with advanced
customer information reporting.
Donald Peters: Excuse me, I didn`t catch that. Could you repeat that, please?
Alice Linnes: I just stated that we need to give our rural sales teams better customer information
reporting.
John Ruting: I don`t quite follow you. What exactly do you mean?
Alice Linnes: Well, we provide our city sales staff with database information on all of our larger
clients. We should be providing the same sort of knowledge on our rural customers to our sales staff
there.
Jack Peterson: Would you like to add anything, Jennifer?
Jennifer Miles: I must admit I never thought about rural sales that way before. I have to agree with
Alice.
Jack Peterson: Well, let me begin with this Power Point presentation (Jack presents his report).
Jack Peterson: As you can see, we are developing new methods to reach out to our rural customers.
John Ruting: I suggest we break up into groups and discuss the ideas we`ve seen presented.
5.
Finishing the Meeting
Meeting Chairman: Unfortunately, we`re running short of time. We`ll have to leave that to another
time.
Jack Peterson: Before we close, let me just summarize the main points:
o
Rural customers need special help to feel more valued.
o
Our sales teams need more accurate information on our customers.
o
A survey will be completed to collect data on spending habits in these areas.
o
The results of this survey will be delivered to our sales teams
Meeting Chairman: Thank you very much Jack. Right, it looks as though we`ve covered the main
items. Is there any other business?
Donald Peters: Can we fix the next meeting, please?
Meeting Chairman: Good idea Donald. How does Friday in two weeks time sound to everyone? Let`s
meet at the same time, 9 o`clock. Is that OK for everyone? ... Excellent. I`d like to thank Jack for
coming to our meeting today and giving the presentation. The meeting is closed.
Modul: Running a Meeting - Voenje sastanka
Naziv jedinice: Introductions
BUSINESS ENGLISH: RUNNING A MEETING
The following phrases are used to conduct a meeting. These phrases are useful if you are called on to
conduct a meeting.
One of the most common requirements of business English is holding meetings in English. The
following sections provide useful language and phrases for conducting meetings and making
contributions to a meeting.
Meetings generally follow a more or less similar structure and can be divided into the following parts:
I - Introductions
II - Reviewing Past Business
III - Beginning the Meeting
IV - Discussing Items
V - Finishing the Meeting
I - Introductions
Opening