Learning to speak English? Our Everyday Conversations help you practice. Click the audio link to hear a native speaker pronounce each word while you read. Key terms are explained at the end. Today’s conversation is on promoting a product.
This is the first of our Everyday Conversations about business.
Simone: The launch of our newest phone wasn’t very successful. What can we do now to promote the phone?
Nadia: We can advertise online, through social media, and we can give away free accessories for the phone.
Simone: Those are both good ideas. Make sure that the accessories are our brand. We don’t want to promote another company’s product.
Nadia: Of course. My team will make sure that our trademark is on everything related to the promotion.
Simone: Good. Our goal is for every cellphone consumer not only to want our new phone but also to buy it.
Nadia: Okay, I’ll have my team brainstorm, and tomorrow we will present an entire promotional campaign to you.
Now let’s review the vocabulary
A launch is the introduction of a new product or service for sale to the public.
To promote means to make people aware of something, such as a new product, through some type of advertising, special event, sale, etc.
To advertise is to make people aware of a product or service that is being sold.
An accessory is something additional (extra) that is not necessary but is attractive or useful. Examples of cellphone accessories are screen protectors and cellphone cases.
A brand is a product made or sold by a particular company.
A product is something that is made or grown to be sold, often in large quantities.
A trademark is a name or symbol that identifies a particular company’s product and that cannot be used without permission.
A consumer is a person who uses a product or service and often is the person who also purchases the product or service.
A promotional campaign is a series of advertisements using various marketing tools that share similar messages to promote a product or service, with the ultimate goal of creating sales.
The American English website offers a variety of free resources for learners and teachers of English. The American English Facebook page posts learning materials for English-language learners daily.
Everyday Conversations are developed by the State Department’s Heidi Howland, a senior program officer in the Office of English Language Programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
