BEP 130 ADV–Presentations: Pitching an Idea (Part 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 dealing¹ 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, persuasive² 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?

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 persuasive   

adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的

参考例句：

• His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。
• The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。