Home > Business English > Episode 1 - Pleased to Meet You
 
 

In this episode you can learn how to make introductions in a business setting.

Waiter hands drink to Victor.

VICTOR: Thank you very much

SAM: Hello, I don’t think we’ve met. Sam Eriks.

VICTOR: Victor Tang. Pleased to meet you.

SAM: And what company are you from Mr Tang?

VICTOR: OceanWide. I’m the sales representative for this region.

SAM: Ah yes. I know your company. Your business is expanding very rapidly at the moment.

VICTOR: Yes, we’re doing quite well. And yourself? Who do you work for?

SAM: Actually I work for myself. I’m the C.E.O. of a small export and packaging company. We specialize in seafood.

VICTOR: It’s a growing market.

SAM: Yes, but a very competitive one Mr Tang.

VICTOR: Please call me Victor.

SAM: Sam. Victor, let me introduce you to someone. Lin – this is Victor Tang – he’s the regional rep. for OceanWide. This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.

LIN: How do you do Mr Tang?

VICTOR: I’m very well thank you. Nice to meet you Ms Chan.

LIN: And you.

VICTOR: Can I get you another drink?

LIN: Thank you.

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Notes:

 

Let's look at introductions.

First – how did Sam introduce himself to Victor – who he didn't know?

 

Hello, I don't think we've met.
Sam Eriks.

Victor Tang.
Pleased to meet you.
 

Sam said hello. We can say hello in most situations. He also said I don't think we've met. This is a good phrase to use if you want to meet someone new. Practice saying Hello, I don't think we've met, and then say your name.
 

Hello. I don't think we've met…
(your name)

Victor Tang.
Pleased to meet you.

 

Victor replied by saying his name and pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you is a good formal greeting for most situations. After Sam introduces himself, say your name, and 'pleased to meet you'.

 

Hello, I don't think we've met.
Sam Eriks.
(your name)
Pleased to meet you.

 

And the Western tradition is to shake hands when you meet someone. Usually, when we first meet someone in a business situation, we want to find out what they do - what their job, or position is. Let's see how Victor and Sam do this.

 

And what company are you from Mr Tang?

OceanWide. I'm the sales representative for this region.
Ah yes. I know your company.
Your business is expanding very rapidly at the moment.

Yes, we're doing quite well.
And yourself? Who do you work for?

Actually I work for myself. I'm the C.E.O. of a small export and packaging company. We specialize in seafood.
Sam asks and what company are you from? There are a few different ways you could ask this question: Let's try some of them:
What company are you from?

Which company do you represent?

What's your line of business?
Now you try answering Sam's question with your own answer, saying what company you are from...
And what company are you from?
I'm from ......
Ah yes, I know that company.
And you can be more specific by asking about someone's job.

Practice these...

And what's your position there?
And what do you do there?
 

Position means the same as job, but it's a more formal term. Listen to how both Sam and Victor describe their positions:

I'm the sales representative for this region.

I'm the C.E.O. of a small export and packaging company.
We describe our job by saying I am or I'm and then naming the position. Notice that Sam says he is the C.E.O. or Chief Executive Officer of his company.

When someone asks who you work for, it can be useful to also tell them what your job is. When meeting someone, it helps them if you offer information before they ask. This makes the conversation more relaxed. Now Sam is going to ask you who you work for and what your position is - answer his questions with your own answers:

 

And what company are you from?
I’m from ......
Ah yes, I know that company.
And what’s your position there?
I’m the ......
Oh really. That's interesting.
Now, the business of names. Should we use formal titles, such as Mr, Mrs or Ms, or should we use informal, more familiar names. Let's see how Victor solves this problem:
It's a growing market.

Yes, but a very competitive one Mr Tang.

Please call me Victor.

Sam.

 

Sam uses Victor's formal title - Mr Tang. But Victor says Please call me Victor. Now that they have met, it's more comfortable for them to use each other's first names - at least in this less formal situation. Practise saying Please call me, and your first name after Sam's statement.
Yes, but a very competitive one Mr Tang.
Please call me ......
Sam introduces Victor to someone else. Let's watch how he does this.
Victor, let me introduce you to someone.

Lin - this is Victor Tang - he's the regional rep. for OceanWide.

This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.

How do you do Mr Tang?

I'm very well thankyou.
Nice to meet you Ms Chan.
Sam says let me introduce you to someone. This is a very useful phrase. Practise saying it after Sam:
Let me introduce you to someone.
When Sam introduces Lin, he has four pieces of information. Listen carefully to what they are:
This is Victor Tang – he’s the regional rep. for OceanWide.

This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.
Did you hear the four parts of Sam's introduction?

First, he told Lin Victor's full name. Second, he told her what Victor's position was and his company name. Third, he introduced Lin using her full name, and finally he told Victor what Lin's job was. This way both Victor and Lin know enough about each other to start a conversation. When introducing people at a function, it's important to try to make them feel comfortable.

Finally, listen again to how Lin and Victor greet each other:
How do you do Mr Tang?

I'm very well thankyou.
Nice to meet you Ms Chan.

And you.
Lin uses the phrase how do you do. Practise this phrase:
How do you do?
I'm very well thankyou.
How do you do is another formal phrase for introductions. Victor replies with a formal phrase too I'm very well thankyou. Practise this after Lin's question.
How do you do Mr Tang?
I'm very well thankyou.
If someone says How do you do? or How are you? we usually say I'm very well thank you. And we could ask them how they are, by saying How do you do? or How are you?

Let's review some of the phrases we've learnt today, for introducing yourself and other people. Practise the phrases with our characters Sam, Victor and Lin.
Hello, I don't think we've met.

And what company are you from?

Let me introduce you to someone.

This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.

Pleased to meet you.

Who do you work for?

Please call me Victor.

I'm very well thank you.

How do you do Mr Tang?

Nice to meet you.
Remember, when meeting people, tell them something about yourself before being asked.

When you ask people questions about themselves in English, use a falling tone - it sounds friendlier. Instead of Who do you work for? (upward inflection)
Who do you work for? (downward inflection)

And when introducing a colleague, or someone you've met, use the full names of both people, and their positions.
 

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story notes

When Sam introduces Lin, he has four pieces of information. Listen carefully to what they are:
 
Lin, this is Victor Tang – he’s the regional rep. for OceanWide.
This is Lin Chan, my sales manager.

Did you hear the four parts of Sam’s introduction?

First, he told Lin Victor’s full name. Second, he told her what Victor’s position was and his company name. Third, he introduced Lin using her full name, and finally he told Victor what Lin’s job was.

This way both Victor and Lin know enough about each other to start a conversation. When introducing people at a function, it’s important to try to make them feel comfortable.