Today I'm going to look at the results of our customer survey. First I'll go through
the survey questions, then summarise the results, and finally I'll outline the conclusions.
After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion. So, let's start with the survey
questions.
Turning to the results, as you can see from the diagram, most people decided what to buy
when they saw the product at the showroom. About one third made their decision based
on what the salesperson said. The others knew what they wanted to buy already. Most of those
made their decision on the recommendation of a friend. Only a few said they relied on
advertising.
Let's move on to the conclusions. The first one is that it's very important that salespeople
on the floor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical. People
who experience good after-sales service are more likely to recommend a brand. And finally,
advertising - it's expensive, so we need to make sure we're getting results.
In today's program, we look again at a presentation. Tan is presenting the results of a survey.
Let's see how he does it. How does Tan start his presentation?
Today I'm going to look at the results of our customer survey.
When giving a presentation it's important to state clearly what you are going to talk
about at the beginning. What is your topic?
For this, Tan uses the future tense, "I'm going to". He could also have said, "I will".
And instead of 'look at' he could have used other words:
examine analyse
review discuss
After introducing the topic, what does Tan do next?
First I'll go through the survey questions, then summarise the results, and finally I'll
outline the conclusions.
After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion.
Tan outlines the structure of his presentation. There were three parts. Notice how he signals
this by using sequencing words: first, then, and finally.
The structure of his talk is: Introduction, then part 1, survey questions
part 2, survey results part 3, survey conclusions
There's one more sequencing signal in his introduction. Did you hear it?
After that, there'll be time for questions and discussion.
Even though Tan said 'finally' he would talk about conclusions, he has something 'after
that'. This is because the questions are not part of his presentation. He's telling his
audience that after he's talked about conclusions, it will be time to ask questions.
So sequencing words are very useful - they tell your audience how many parts are in your
talk - and they can signal when you are moving from one topic to the next one. Sequencing
words are words like firstly, secondly, thirdly, then, next, finally, after that, following
that, and later on. Another type of signal can be used to show you are moving from one
part of your talk to another.
Here are three that Tan uses - practise them with him.
So, let's start with the questions
Turning to the results
Let's move on to the conclusions When we speak in English, pauses and intonation
are as important as the words we use - because they help people understand. Listen:
Let's move on to the conclusions. The first one is that it's very important that salespeople
on the floor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical.
Without pauses or intonation, it's much harder to understand - and it sounds boring. Let's
add pauses. Let's move on to the conclusions.
The first one is that it's very important
that salespeople on the floor know about our products.
Another is that after-sales service is critical. Pauses should come between sentences - here.
But you'll notice small pauses in the middle of sentences - after phrases. These help the
listener to follow what is being said.
Now we add intonation and stress. Let's move on to the conclusions. The first
one is that it's very important that salespeople on the floor know about our products. Another
is that after-sales service is critical. Intonation is the way we pronounce sentences.
Note the downward intonation at the end of sentences, "Let's move on to the conclusions",
"about our products", "After sales service is critical."
Stress occurs in words, and sentences. In words, one syllable is stressed. The wrong
stress makes it hard to understand. So: conclusion, not conclusion
products, not products
Even more important in speaking, is to stress the important words in a sentence. This helps
the meaning of what you are saying - it gives emphasis.
So Tan says, "Let's move on to the conclusions," stressing 'conclusions' because it's the key
word in this sentence. The other words stressed are the key words for understanding.
Let's listen to Tan once more, noting the pauses, intonation, word and sentence stress.
Let's move on to the conclusions. The first one is that it's very important that salespeople
on the floor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical.
Let's look at the diagram, and how we can describe numbers, or statistics.
First, Tan says, "most people decided what to buy at the showroom".
Because more people decided at the showroom than at home, we can say most,
the majority, or over half.
To describe people deciding at home, which is less than fifty percent, we could say a
minority or less than half .
Looking at the reasons for decisions, we are comparing four groups of people. We can use
descriptive words such as many, some, a few. And we can say the greatest number or the
highest percentage .
The greatest number of people went by the salesperson's recommendation.
We could say only a few relied on advertising.
And we can use words like approximately, about, nearly, over and under.
approximately one third about a quarter
over a quarter under a third
Finally, let's look at Tan's conclusions. The first one is that it's important that
salespeople on the floor know about our products. Another is that after-sales service is critical.
People who experience good after-sales service are more likely to recommend a brand. And
finally, advertising - it's expensive, so we need to make sure we're getting results.
Notice again how Tan uses signals for his conclusions. His audience can clearly hear
that there are three.
He says: the first one
another and finally
Notice also how Tan uses adjectives to make his points. You shouldn't use the same words
all the time.
What are the adjectives? They are important, critical and expensive.
So, to summarise: State your topic.
Outline the structure of your presentation. Use signalling and sequencing words.
Pay attention to intonation and stress. Use descriptive words and adjectives, not
just numbers. And in conclusion, that's all today on The
Business of English.