Internet Marketing

What is Internet marketing? This video explains terminology connected with ways in which the Internet can help your business.

In the following links, you can find terms connected with marketing:

http://www.englishclub.com/business-english/vocabulary_marketing.htm
http://www.learn-english-today.com/business-english/marketing-sales-vocabulary.html

Success

The dictionary defines success as "the achieving of the result wanted or hoped for" and as "something that achieves positive results". However, this is not enough. Dr Deepak Chropa enlarges on this and provides a healthier definition of success.

Click on this link to learn some words connected with our key word today: http://www.visualthesaurus.com/landing/?ad=cdo&utm_medium=default&utm_campaign=VT&utm_source=cdo&word=success

What's your definition of "success"? I'd be glad to read your views on this.

September 11th

Ten years ago, on a usual working day, I was teaching a group of adults, when one of my students came into the classroom and said that the Twin Towers had exploded. He didn't know more than this, and was shocked by the image he'd caught a glimpse of before leaving home. We all wondered what had happened? Later on that day, we could learn the extent of what had taken place and the only images we could see on TV were those of the attacks.
Now, ten years later, the people of the USA remember that day and have organized tributes to those who were killed.
Here's a report of how security has changed since then:

To read the script, click onto: http://www.newsy.com/videoshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif/how-has-security-changed-since-9-11/


An account of that day: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-09-09/Sept-11-newspaper-coverage/50340276/1

Views from abroad: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/09/9-11-changed-world-forever

History Channel: http://www.history.com/9-11-anniversary (press on 102 Interactive to watch videos taken in different places)

The Impact of the Internet

If you have never visited www.englishcentral.com this is a good chance to do so. There you can find short extracts that you can watch and read but that's not all. If you have a microphone, you can record your voice, trying to imitate the original. Cool, right?
This is the video I recommend today.

http://www.englishcentral.com/video/11608/eric-schmidt-the-reach-of-the-internet

More on speaking on the phone

We've already studied different expressions to speak on the phone. Today, we'll be revising them and learning some phrasal verbs we can use. Watch this episode and try to find the answer to these questions. Also, take advantage of the subtitles to revise typical expressions.

1) Why can't Mr Smith's assistant give Mr Green his phone number?
2) What does Mr Smith's assistant offer?
3) What's Mr Wilson's mobile phone number?
4) What does Mr Bradley tell Mr Wilson?
5) Why does Mr Green want to talk to Mr Smith?




Mr Green sees "I'll ring back". Ring back is a phrasal verb anstyle="font-weight:bold;">d it means "to call again". Then, Mr Bradley's secretary says "I'll put you through". "Put through" means "to connect your call to another telephone".

Do you know any other phrasal verb to speak on the phone? Here, you can find others:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit1telephone/expert.shtml

Financial vocabulary

Bookkeeping, transaction, credit, debit. What do all these words have in common? Yes, that's it. They are related to the field of accounting, financial vocabulary. Watch this useful video and try to collect as many new words as you can.

Writing a cover letter

When applying for a job, you will need to send your CV or résumé together with a cover letter. What is a cover letter? Watch this video and find out.



For useful expressions to write a cover letter, click onto:
http://www.businessenglishsite.com/exercise_coverletter1.html
http://www.businessenglishsite.com/exercise_coverletter2.html
http://www.businessenglishsite.com/exercise_coverletter3.html
http://www.businessenglishsite.com/exercise_coverletter4.html

Talking about salary

Talking about your salary seems to be one of the most difficult issues when interviewing for a job. This video will give you some ideas on how to make it easier.


You can also read these negotiation tips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOF1tJPqFRY&feature=related

Learn some collocations with the word "salary" by clicking onto these links and doing the exercises after reading the info.:
http://www.hrenglish.com/salary/menu.php
http://www.hrenglish.com/pay2/menu.php
http://www.hrenglish.com/pay3/menu.php

On being a leader

People have always wondered what a true leader should do and what he/she should learn? In business environments this has become even more important and loads of books can be found on the topic. Today, I'd like to introduce Fredy Kofman to those of you who still haven't heard of him. Fredy is an Argentine leader who lives in the States. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of California and has delivered presentations in many countries. His message is simple yet, inspiring. I hope you also find it so.

Listen to this interesting piece about the giant search engine Google. When you listen (then, you can read the script), pay attention to all the vocabulary connected with employment.

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

BY PAUL ROLFE


It’s a big payday for Googlers. Each of the search giant’s 23,000 employees is getting a 10% pay raise come January -- plus -- a $1000 Christmas bonus. Fox Business has some reasons that this makes sense for the company.

“Its trying to create a moat around itself from its employees leaving to Facebook. Ten percent of Facebook employees have Google on their resume in some way shape or form... People are often a competitive advantage in these technology companies. The brain trust -- it wants to protect that. Frankly its also cheaper to retain employees than hire new employees... Last but not least, frankly the company can afford to do so. Profits were up more than 32% in the third quarter. It has $33 billion of cash sitting on its balance sheet.”

Google doesn’t usually comment on internal matters, but in a statement to the press it said competitive compensation plans are important for the future of the company. CNN Money points out how important it is for Google to retain good employees, after losing some noteworthy ones.

“Google has lost top minds such as YouTube co-founder and CEO Chad Hurley, AdMob co-founder Omar Hamoui, and Google Maps and Wave creator Lars Rasmussen.”

Many ex-Googlers have defected to Facebook. Computer World spoke to an analyst from Gartner who highlights the growing tension between the two companies.

“There is a battle for the future of the Web, and it is not about search engines, but about the social Web. The competition is between the new and the old -- between Facebook as the early leader in the social Web, and Google as the dominant player in the content Web.”

But wait a second -- aren’t we in a recession? Well -- The Wall Street Journal says its actually not bad news for investors.

“If Google is making this ten percent raise now, it means that they’re doing probably pretty well in the fourth quarter. So, I don’t know how concerned investors are going to be. Google has been acquiring a lot of companies for talent. They’ve also been acquiring a lot of companies for technology. I don’t think this is going to be too big of a concern.”

Oddly, Google is already number four on Fortune’s top 100 companies to work for. Facebook -- not even on the list. So, what do you think? Will this move spark other tech companies to start hiring -- and paying -- more?


Get more multi-source tech news analysis from Newsy.com

For more practice on the language of work, you can click on these links:
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/vocabulary/lefg1_vocabulary34.html
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/vocabulary/lefg1_vocabulary38.html

Smaller iPad?

Apple has always been at the cutting edge of mobile phone innovation but, is this too much? Listen to this piece of news. Then, you may read the script below.

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Rumors are starting about Apple again. Now they say the next generation of iPad may have a 7-inch screen, and could be available in the first quarter of 2011. PC Magazine’s Lance Ulanoff doesn’t understand the point of a smaller screen for Apple.“Every time I hear this rumor, I have to suppress the urge to shout back in the face of the rumor monger, ‘If you want a smaller iPad, get a freaking iPod touch!’ Okay, I admit it; I have actually said that to a few people.”The news of the possible 7-inch screen originally came from a Taiwanese paper back in August.“Is a seven inch ipad in your future? Apple may not be standing still with the success of its original iPad. The story is from a Taiwan newspaper that had the details right on the first iPad release. It said Taiwanese companies have received contracts for a new baby iPad, about a 7 inch screen.” (Bloomberg)

More information is now coming from an analyst at Rodman and Renshaw, a full service investment bank. The analyst Ashok Kumar based his report on conversations with Apple’s supply chain. MSNBC’s Athima Chansanchai spoke with Kumar to confirm the rumors.

“I talked to Kumar this morning, and he verified the information that has appeared in other outlets. But he gave us a little more, too. He said the built-in cameras will be capable of capturing HD quality video.”Yes, beyond the smaller screen, the next iPad may have front and back HD cameras and also a faster Cortex A9 processor. The smaller screen could be an attempt to lower prices and get into the Samsung Galaxy’s market.But GigaOm’s Darrel Etherington thinks that Apple will stay competitive without mimicking the competition.“That’s not something Apple’s done in the past, and as long as Jobs is in charge, I believe it’ll go the route of innovation before it chooses to passively fall in step with the rest of the industry.”

The original 9.7-inch version will still be around and will also be receiving the processor upgrade. So what do you think? Are you interested in a smaller, lighter, and cheaper iPad?Get more multi-source tech news at newsy.com

For other videos on mobile phone companies:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/is-facebook-developing-a-phone
http://www.newsy.com/videos/nokia-tabs-microsoft-s-stephen-elop-as-ceo/

If you want to work on you vocabulary on mobile phones:
http://www.businessenglishsite.com/cell-phones-vocabulary1.html
http://www.businessenglishsite.com/cell-phones-vocabulary2.html

Twitter and Business Objectives

Most of you must be acquainted with Twitter but for those who aren't, let's go over what this is. Twitter (Trademark) is a social networking service on the Internet that allows mini-blogging (=sending short text messages to other users). Originally, the word refers to the short high sounds made by birds, and that's why the logo for Twitter is a bird.
But, apparently, this service can go beyond this social use and if you're in business, you can make profit out of it.

Let's see how:



For more info on Twitter and its history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter

My cubicle

A cubicle is "a small room etc closed off in some way from a larger one" (The Free Dictionary). Some people work in an office, but most do so in a cubicle. This song exaggerates the frustration felt by many who don't like working in this way but it's really funny to listen to and read. Hope you have a good laugh!

Flying cars

Can you believe it? Yes, it seems like news taken from a science-fiction novel, but it's true.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of these vehicles according to the report?

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

You may read the report and click on the words you can't understand

(Thumbnail Image: Terrafugia)

Get more multi-source video news analysis at Newsy.com.

The Federal Aviation Administration has just given the go-ahead for a Massachusetts company to start production on the first-ever flying car.

The company, Terrafugia, has spent years working on The Transition. In the air it can go about 115 miles per hour. On the ground, it gets about 30 miles per gallon. Terrafugia says the product brings convenience to consumers: Take a trip, then simply land the bird, let it fold up its wings, drive home and park it in your garage. MSNBC’s Willie Geist says this has been a long time coming.

WILLIE GEIST: “We Americans were promised flying cars a long, long time ago. We’ve been lied to, frankly, for decades now — by our government, our scientists and our cartoon characters. The Jetsons teased us with the idea that we could run out to the grocery store by flying through the clouds with a talking dog at our side. ... The Transition. We can work on the name, but the point is the FAA just approved a damn flying car. It’s here. After all these years.”

The Transition is a bit heavy because it has to have safety devices required for both planes and cars, like air bags. So, a disadvantage is that it can only fit two people and a little bit of luggage. The Tech Journal says Terrafugia got lucky with the FAA.

“Uniquely… the FAA has granted The Transition an exemption — allowing it to be classified as a light sport aircraft despite being 120 lb over the limit. Light sport aircraft licences require just 20 hours’ flying time, making them much easier to obtain than full private licences.”

So how common will the car become? Discover Magazine has some early numbers.

“So far, Terrafugia says 70 futuristic folks have pre-ordered the car … The total price tag is $194,000.”

Those buyers should get their cars in the next year and a half. What do you think? Would you get a Transition?

Mocking companies

To mock is to laugh at someone, often copying them in a funny but unkind way. In this segment of The Simpsons, we can see their mockery of a well-known company. Pay attention to the slogan and the logo. What company are they making fun of? What are they criticising?

Taking part in meetings

I've been trying to find positive quotations about holding a meeting but to my surprise, most of them portray meetings as useless and boring. Look at some of them:
"A meeting is an event where the minutes are kept and the hours are lost."
"A meeting is a gathering where people speak up, say nothing, then all disagree."
Why is there such a negative view of meetings? I'll be glad to read your comments.



You can also practise some useful expressions you can use in meetings. Do the exercises and press on the green button at the bottom of the page to check your answers
http://www.business-english.com/meetings/meetings1/exercise1.html
http://www.business-english.com/meetings/meetings1/exercise2.html
http://www.business-english.com/meetings/meetings1/exercise4.html

Planning your day

How do you plan your day? Listen to Jack Canfield.



Vocabulary building:
He says that planning your day the night before has its payoff. If you don't know what it means, click on the word.
You can also try this quiz, to check how well you can understand it.

Planning your day » online exam

TOEIC

TOEIC stands for "Test of English for International Communication" and it measures the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment, which is why many companies are choosing it to learn how well their staff can communicate in English.
This video explains what the TOEIC is about

If you want to learn more about this exam, you can visit the following websites:
http://www.ets.org/toeic

http://www.toeic.co.th/TOEIC/pdf/ExamineeHandbook.pdf

5 Mistakes to Avoid

Looking for a job? Check these tips on things to avoid when you attend a job interview. Can you add any other?



Read these sentences from the video. Can you guess what they mean? If not, click on them and find out.
"Many people try to cover up their nervousness by rambling "
"The way you dress can speak volumes to someone you're meeting for the first time"
"Stomach butterflies are to be expected"

You may also take this quiz to learn new vocabulary on applying for jobs:

http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/vocabulary/lefg1_vocabulary37.html

How to present like Steve Jobs

We've all had to deliver a presentation at one point or another, and we've all been afraid of facing an audience. In this video, we're introduced to an analysis of how a successful executive like Steve Jobs does it. Here are some of the main ideas on the video.
- Set the theme: make it relevant and memorable
- Open and close your segments with clear transitions to help your audience to follow you
- Demonstrate enthusiasm
- Make numbers and figures meaningful
- Make it visual
- Give them a show
And finally...REHEARSE, REHEARSE, REHEARSE