Business Meeting Course Pack -Free Course Book

Business Meeting Course: Our course package is designed to introduce basic business meeting expressions and speaking practice opportunities to business professionals learning English as a second language.

PDF Files:

Business Meeting Course Book

Business Meeting Course Simulation Pack

Business Meeting Course Expressions

INTRODUCTION:

Objective: To learn the fundamental English expressions used in business meetings.

Practical

Learn: Fundamentals, Useful expressions, Build a strong foundation

Memorize: Repetition practice and drills

Practice: Practice what you learn in meeting simulations and role plays

How it works

Set a goal: Business Meetings

Deconstruct: Specific contents – narrow the study focus to sub-skill

Focus: Master the sub-skills, one at a time

This is the most practical and effective Business Meeting English course and it will change how Business English is taught in the classrooms. The contents are organized to focus on core fundamental steps in learning: Learn, Memorize, and Practice. This course will equip the students with the basic skills needed for all business meeting situations.

Business Meeting Course: Table of Contents

Each lesson will have 3 sections: warm-up, expressions, and practice.

Intro: Before you begin
Lesson 1: Self-introduction and First Impression
Lesson 2: Small Talk
Lesson 3: Greetings and opening a meeting
Lesson 4: Asking/Giving Suggestions
Lesson 5: Evaluating Options
Lesson 6: Closing a meeting
Meeting Simulations
More Expressions

Before you begin the Business Meeting Course:

Preventing miscommunication

Miscommunication in the workplace can cause serious problems in business. It can lead to employee conflict, low morales, and delays. People using English as a second language tend to make a lot of assumptions and ask fewer questions. You must be confident in your speaking ability and ask for clarification to prevent miscommunication.

Key Expressions:

Expressions 1: Asking for clarification

Could you repeat that?

Could you say that again?

I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.

What do you mean by (statement)?

Do you mean that (statement)?

*Be confident in your ability to ask for clarification. Do not try to guess what the other person is saying. If you do not understand what was said, please ask. Memorize the expressions above and use it every time you need clarification.

Knowing how to do something and being able to do something is very different.

Just because I know how to do something doesn’t necessarily mean I will be able to do something. For example, I can learn how to play golf by watching instructional videos on Youtube or buying an instructional book on how to hit a golf ball. I can watch the video a hundred times and know every little detail on how to hit a golf ball. However, unless I actually go to the golf course or a driving range and practice, I won’t be very successful.

Speaking English is no different from learning other skills. First, you must learn the vocabulary, grammar rules, and sentence patterns. Then, you need to practice by speaking out loud what you have learned. Whether you are speaking to a real person or speaking to yourself, it’s absolutely necessary for you to practice speaking out loud.

Make English learning a lifestyle.

Learning English is not easy. It requires a lot of time, effort, and dedication. If you really want to improve your English, you must make English learning a daily routine. It may not be easy or even possible to set aside one or two hours to study English every day, but you must. Perhaps you should get in the habit of studying English few minutes throughout the day. Maybe 5 minutes after waking up, 10 minutes during lunch, 5 more minutes during break time at work, and so on. If you continually get in the habit of thinking about English, those few minutes will add up and improve your English speaking ability.

Have a specific goal.

You need to set realistic goals if you want to improve your English. I will assume your final goal is to become a fluent speaker and it is totally possible. However, you will not become a fluent speaker overnight. It requires years of hard work and dedication. You should think in the short term when learning English. Break down your final goal into more specific goals and attack that area until you master it. Then, move on to another small specific goal and so on. You will need to master English one section at a time. Over time the collection of the skills you master will result in you becoming a fluent speaker.

One step back before going two steps forward.

Lot of English learners will eventually hit a wall while learning English. You will feel like you are not getting better even though you are studying and practicing regularly. When this happens to you, just be patient and trust the process. You can also try to review the basic sentence patterns you have already mastered to get a better understanding of the English foundation. Doing this will improve your confidence and improve your understanding of English fundamentals. If you master the basics, it will be easier to advance because every difficult and complicated sentence patterns and grammar rules will be built on top of it.

Business Meeting Course Lesson 1: Self-introduction and First Impression

You need to be clear and confident while introducing yourself. Your introduction length should depend on the circumstances of the introduction, but it shouldn’t be too long. You want to focus on creating a positive first impression.

Objective: Learn how to make a self introduction and make a good first impression

Key Expressions:

Stating your name/position/experience
Stating your tasks and responsibilities
Making a positive closing statement.

Warm-up:

Why is first impression important?

What can you do to make a good first impression?

Tips for making a good first impression:

Smile: Smiling can make others feel comfortable and make you look friendly and approachable.
Dress for success: How you dress and look is one of the first things people notice about you. Make sure you are dressed for the occasion and look your professional best.
The proper handshake: The handshake is accepted internationally as a professional way to greet people. Be sure to make eye contact and have a firm grip.
Make eye contact: Making eye contact can make you look confident and sincere.
Be prepared: You need to prepare for the situation. Do a little research of people or a company you are meeting beforehand so you will be prepared for what may come.
Be positive: People tend to gravitate towards positive attitudes. Don’t complain or be negative when meeting someone for the first time.
Be aware of your non-verbal components: Sometimes how you say something is more important than what you say. According to research, communication is only about 10% verbal and 93% non-verbal. Be aware of your body language and tone of voice.

Discussion:

Which of the above tips do you think is the most important and why?
Do you use any of the tips above when meeting someone for the first time?
What impression do you want to give when meeting someone for the first time?
What was the first impression you had of your company? Your boss? Your colleagues?
Think about a person who made a great first impression on you? What did this person do or say?

Key Expressions:

1. Stating your name/position/experience

Hello, I’m/my name is (name) and I’m (position) for (company).

It’s nice to meet you. I’m (name) from (company).

I’ve been with (company) for (length of time).

I’ve been working as a (position) since (point in time).

I’ve been (position) for the past (length of time).

2. Stating your tasks and responsibilities

I’m responsible for (verb + ing) (area of responsibility).

I’m in charge of (department/project).

My job is (to do)/(verb + ing) (responsibility).

I specialize in (products/services).

3. Making a positive closing statement

It is nice to meet you.

I’m looking forward to working with you.

We are excited to work with you.

We’re happy/excited to be here.

Business Meeting Course Practice:

1. Introduce yourself to the class or your partner by using the expressions we’ve covered. You may look at the examples below as a guide.

Examples:

Hello, my name is Chris Lee from Hyundai Motors. I’ve been working as a safety test engineer for the past 6 years. I’m responsible for conducting crash tests and recording the test results. It’s nice to meet you.

Hi, I’m Sandy Jones and I’m a HR representative for ABC Cosmetics. I’ve been working here for 7 years and my main job is handling employee complaints. I’m happy to be here.

It’s nice to meet you. I’m Bobby Wilson from Sky Insurance. I’ve been a sales representative for 3 years. I am looking forward to working with you.

2. Practice introducing yourself as a character below.

Name: Steven Jones

Company: New Wave Technology

Position: Software engineer

Experience: 5 years

Name: Colt Wiliams

Company: HK Entertainment

Position: Marketing director

Experience: 15 years

Name: Michelle Kim

Company: Natural Cosmetics

Position: Accountant

Experience: 2 years

Name: Amanda Lee

Company: ABC Publisher

Position: Editor

Experience: 3 years

Name: Adam Manning

Company: First Bank

Position: Loan manager

Experience: 7 years

Name: Michael Walton

Company: Global Insurance

Position: Sales representative

Experience: 4 years

Business Meeting Course Lesson 2: Small Talk

Small talk is an important part of business. It is a chance for you to build rapport with your colleagues and clients. It can be used before a meeting, cocktail parties, break rooms, and networking events. It’s important to know how to small talk effectively to help your career.

Objective: Learn how to initiate, carry, and end small talk.

Key Expressions:

Initiating small talk
Showing interest
Ending small talk

Warm-up:

What is the purpose of small talk?
What topics are appropriate for small talk?

Tips for small talk:

1. Initiate the conversation. Have confidence and initiate the conversation. Doing so will give off an impression that you are confident and interested.

2. Be aware of your body language: 90% of communication is from non-verbal cues. Smile, have an open stance and speak in an appropriate tone to put others at ease.

3. Ask a question or make a statement about the current environment, situation, or weather. Do not start with a random statement or a question.

4. Be interesting. Try to be informed about current events and have an interesting story to tell. You should be well-informed about many topics to hold a conversation.

5. Focus on the other person and listen carefully. You should focus on asking questions and be interested in what the other person has to say.

6. Discuss safe topics such as movies, sports, and weather. You may get into a more serious or specific topic as the conversation progresses. Also, try to let the other person lead you into the topic they are interested in.

7. Choose your words carefully and be thoughtful. You do not want to say something to offend the other person. Be careful what you say, because it’s difficult to take back what you say.

8. End the conversation politely or with a plan. Have an exit strategy before beginning small talk. In case the other person is not interested or the two of you don’t have much to discuss. Try to memorize few expressions, like “I have to get back to work, but it was nice talking to you.” Or “I need to get back to my office, but I enjoyed talking to you.”

Discussion:

Do you think you are good a small talk?
How can effective small talk improve your career?
How does it feel when a stranger starts small talk with you?
Have you ever initiated small talk with a stranger?
Do you prefer to talk or listen during a conversation?

Key Expressions:

1. Initiating small talk

Hello, I don’t think we’ve met. My name is (name).

Hi, you are from the (company/department), aren’t you?.

How is (something in the surrounding- could be food/beverages, weather, etc.)?.

I really like your (item/style, etc)?

Amazing weather today, isn’t it?

2. Showing interest

Really?

Uh huh…

That’s amazing.

Oh wow.

I see.

That’s very interesting.

3. Ending small talk

I have to get back to work, but it was nice talking to you.

I would love to talk more, but I have a meeting to attend in few minutes.

It was great meeting you. I hope we can continue our conversation later.

I need to step away for a bit, but I really enjoyed our conversation.

It was nice speaking to you. Maybe we can meet up later.

Business Meeting Course Practice:

Have a small talk with your partner about the following topics:

Weather
Sports
Hobbies
Movies
TV shows
Books
Internet
Food
Travel
Other

In a group class, students can stand up and talk to a classmate for few minutes and move on to a different classmate.

2. Role play the following situations:

Situation 1:

A new colleague has joined your team. Introduce yourself to the new team member and initiate small talk.

Situation 2:

You arrive early to the conference room for a meeting. There is another person you do not recognize in the conference. Initiate small talk while waiting for the meeting to begin.

Situation 3:

You are in the front lobby of your office building and you run into an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time. Initiate small talk.

Business Meeting Course Lesson 3: Greetings and opening a meeting

Strong opening to a meeting could lead to a more productive meeting. A good start to a meeting sets the tone, introduces the major topics, and provides a preview of the meeting. Do not neglect the opening of a meeting and make sure to set a productive atmosphere.

Objective: Learn how to open a meeting effectively

Key Expressions:

Greeting
Stating the meeting agenda
Outlining the meeting items

Warm-up:

How often do you have meetings at work?

How often do you lead a meeting?

Common meeting problems:

1. Not finishing on time

2. Inability to make decisions

3. Key members absent

4. Dominant participants

5. Silent participants

6. Lack of follow through on tasks

7. Personal attacks/gossips

8. Boring/Low energy

Discussion:

Which of the above problems are common in your workplace?
How can you avoid the problems from the above?
What percentage of your meetings do you think is productive?
What do you think is the biggest reason for a non-productive meeting?
Finish the following statement: Meeting is an opportunity to ____________________.

Key Expressions:

1. Greeting

Hello and thank you all for coming.

How is everyone doing today?

Good morning/afternoon. I’d like to begin by thanking everyone for attending today’s meeting.

2. Stating the meeting agenda

We are here to discuss/plan/go over/solve/talk about ______

Our meeting agenda for today is _____

I have called this meeting to discuss/plan/go over/solve/talk about _____

3. Outlining the meeting items

There are ____ items to discuss today.

We will discuss _____ items today.

First, we will talk about ________. Second, we will discuss ________. Finally we will finish up by discussing_________.

Business Meeting Course Practice:

1. Greet, state the agenda, and outline the items by using the expressions you learned. You may look at the example below as a guide.

Example:

Hello and thank you all for coming. We are here to plan a new marketing strategy for our new product. There are three items to discuss today. First, I will introduce our new product. Second, we will go over the budget for the project and finally, we will brainstorm some marketing strategy.

Meeting 1:

Agenda: To improve communication in the workplace

Item 1: Current problems
Item 2: Solve problems

Meeting 2:

Agenda: To plan for the end of the year office party

Item 1: Choose a date and location
Item 2: Assign roles for party planning (reservations, reminders, collect money, etc.)

Meeting 3:

Agenda: To improve sales

Item 1: Previous quarter results
Item 2: Brainstorm options

Meeting 4:

Agenda: To improve customer service

Item 1: Common complaints
Item 2: Steps for handling complaints
Item 3: How to handle difficult customers

Meeting 5: Create your own agenda and items

Agenda:

Item 1:
Item 2:
Item 3:

Business Meeting Course Lesson 4: Sharing ideas

Do you have a great idea that will take your company to the next level? Or perhaps you have a suggestion on improving the workplace atmosphere. If you want to stand out in the workplace, you must be able to give your ideas and opinions effectively. Be an active participant in your workplace by giving thoughtful and assertive opinions.

Objective: Learn how to share ideas

Key Expressions:

Asking for suggestions/ideas
Giving suggestions/ideas
Providing reason(s) using conditional statements

Warm-up:

Do you have a great idea for a new business or a product?

Does your company encourage employees to give new ideas or suggestions?

Tips on getting your opinion heard:

Be a salesperson. Just giving your suggestion is not enough. Make sure to sell your ideas by providing the benefits it will provide
Be humble. You want to be confident in your ideas and plans, but don’t come off as cocky. Do not say your idea is the best and completely dismiss other people’s ideas.
Don’t take it personally. If someone disagrees with your suggestion, don’t take it personally. Think of it as an opportunity for you to give a better explanation.
Stay positive. When you are giving new suggestions or ideas, try to use positive words to make your sales pitch.
Be flexible. Listen to other’s opinions and be willing to make a compromise. Be open-minded and listen carefully to other suggestions.

Discussion:

If you could change something about your company, what would it be?
How do you feel when your opinion or suggestion gets ignored?
Think about a person who you think is good at convincing people. What did they do? What tone of voice did they use? How did they make you feel?
Think about a person who you think is terrible at convincing people. What did they do? What tone of voice did they use? How did they make you feel?

It’s a good idea to copy and model your strategy from people who knows what they are doing.

Key Expressions:

1. Asking for ideas/suggestions

Does anyone have a suggestion?

What do you think we need to do?

What should we do?

2. Giving ideas/suggestions

I suggest/recommend + (verb + -ing) or (object) or (subject verb object)

How about/What about + (verb + -ing) or (object) or (subject verb object)

We need to/have to + (verb)

3. Providing reason(s) using conditional statements

If we do (action), we will (outcome). – realistic situation

If we did (action), we would/could (outcome). – hypothetical situation

Business Meeting Course Practice:

1. Write down 5 problems or stressful situation you are faced with at work.

2. Now, ask your partner for suggestions regarding the problems or stressful situation you are faced with. You may look at the example below as a guide.

Alex: I have too much work these days so I feel very stressed. What do you think I should I do?

Bob: I understand how you feel. Why don’t you speak to your boss to reduce the workload?

Alex: You make a good point, but I don’t think he will be able to reduce the workload because

everyone on my team is equally busy.

Bob: Well, if you can’t change your working condition, I suggest you do something to reduce the stress. I recommend meditating during your break time.

Alex: Yeah, I think that could work. Thanks.

Business Meeting Course Lesson 5: Evaluating Options and Making a decision

Objective: Learn how to evaluate options

Key Expressions:

Asking for more details
Comparing pros and cons
Making a decision

Warm-up:

What do you consider before making a decision?

When was the last time you made a big decision?

Choosing the best option

Brainstorm options: First thing you should do is come up with as many options as possible. Be open-minded and listen to all available options.
Evaluate options: Compare the pros and cons of your options. Evaluate the risk and reward for each option. Also, this is a good time to consider the realistic possibility of implementing the option.
Eliminate options: Eliminate the worst options and make a short list of the best options.
Repeat step 2: Evaluate the remaining options and choose the best option.
Action: Make an action plan to implement the option you chose.

Discussion:

Do you tend to make more decisions based on facts and figures or based on your instincts?
What are the pros and cons of making a quick decision in the workplace?
Do you regret any decisions you have made in the past?

Key Expressions:

1. Asking for more details

Can you tell me more about that?

Let’s discuss that in more details.

Why don’t we explore that option more?

2. Comparing pros and cons

The pro is __________, but the con is ____________.

It has some good points like_____________, but it also has some bad points.

The advantage/disadvantage is ____________, but it has some flaws/benefits.

* You could start by stating the cons before stating the pros.

3. Making a decision

Let’s go with option A.

I/We will choose/do/implement option A.

It would be best to (option/action).

Business Meeting Course Practice:

1. Compare the pros and cons of the following situation with your partner.

Working a job you dislike for a lot of money

Drinking during a company outing/workshop

Flexible time in the workplace

Investing in stocks

Multi-tasking at work

Going on a business trip abroad

Being too nice to everyone

2. Discussion:

Would you rather choose a job that pays well or a job that is personally satisfying?
Do you prefer working alone or in a team?
Which is more important, the destination or the journey?

Business Meeting Course Lesson 6: Closing a meeting

It’s important to close a meeting effectively. Like a good movie that was ruined by a poor ending, you don’t want to ruin your meeting by ending the meeting ineffectively. Beginning and ending is what most people remember, so don’t neglect a good ending.

Objective: Learn how to close a meeting

Key Expressions:

Setting up a follow up meeting
Summarizing key points
Closing statement

Warm-up:

Do you think it’s important to close the meeting effectively? Why?

What is more important, opening or closing?

Tips on closing a meeting:

Stick to the schedule. Don’t let your meeting drag on and finish on time.
Keep it positive. You should try to end all meetings on a positive note. Even if the meeting was confrontational, change the mood.
Be nice and sincere. Don’t just say “thank you” because you have to. Say it as you mean it with sincerity.
End it with action. Make sure to review the key points discussed and the actions that will be taken.

Discussion:

Have you ever watched a movie that had a bad ending?
How do you feel when someone asks a complicated or off-topic question towards the end of the meeting?

Key Expressions:

1. Setting up a follow up meeting

Let’s have a follow up meeting on (date) at (time).

We will have our next meeting on (date) at (time).

Why don’t we meet again on (date) at (time)?

2. Summarizing key points

I would like to go over what we discussed today.

Let’s go over some key points we discussed today.

Before we end the meeting, I want to go over some important issues we covered today.

3. Closing statement

If there are no questions, let’s end the meeting.

Great job everyone. Let’s get back to work.

Thank you for attending today’s meeting.

Business Meeting Course Practice:

Looking at the meeting scenarios below and practice closing the meeting using the expressions we have covered.

Meeting 1:

Set up a follow up meeting: January 17th, 2:00 PM, Conference room 3

Summarize key points from the meeting:

Use social media for pre-launch marketing campaign for the new product
Use billboards for pre-launch marketing campaign for the new product
Bobby will contact the social media department and explain the marketing strategy
Sam will contact the billboard company and get a price quote

Meeting 2:

Set up a follow up meeting: Friday, 10;00 AM, Meeting room 1, 5th floor

Summarize key points from the meeting:

Johnny will pick up the client from the airport at 4:30 pm and take him to the hotel.
Brian will make a reservation at a luxury restaurant for party of 6 at 7:30pm.
Sally will research clients interests and preferences and notify the our team at the follow up meeting.

Meeting 3:

Set up a follow up meeting: Next Monday, 11:00 AM, Mr. Smith’s office

Summarize key points from the meeting:

Mr. Jones wants to increase the order but at a 10% discount.
Mr. Smith will check with the executives to reduce the cost of the supplies by 10%.

Business Meeting Course Simulations

Simulation #1:

Agenda: Create an innovative product

Items: Create a new innovative product

Create a short sales pitch of your product

In a group, brainstorm and create a new innovative product. The product could be a real product with new modification or it could be an entirely new imaginary product.

Example:

Name: 007-Series Watch X

Key function/use: Shoots laser

Sales Pitch: The violent crime rate in our country has been rising at an alarming rate. Protect yourself and your loved ones with our stylish laser shooting 007-Series Watch X. Our watch can shoot laser beam with super accuracy that will leave the criminals in ashes and you in one piece.

Conclusion:

That will conclude the Business Meeting English Course. It’s important to use the above curriculum as a starting point to improve your student’s foundation English related to business meetings. By memorizing and practicing the expressions we have covered, the students will be able to handle any business meetings.