1. 1 General Education Office BUSINESS ENGLISH LA.231/LA.331/LA.3501 Unit 1: Introductions

2. 2 Objectives By the end of this class you should be able to… 1. 1. Be familiar with introducing yourself. 2. 2. Be familiar with introducing other people. 3. 3. Be familiar with important cultural points during introductions.

3. 3 First Impressions “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  Most of the time a successful business relationship will be based on the introduction, or “first impression.” The way you dress, your greeting, your handshake, even the way you wear your hair is important in making businesspeople trust you. Is it better to be formal, or informal? When in doubt, always be formal.

4. 4 First Impressions  Here are some important points about to remember about making business introductions in English… 1. Introduce other businesspeople in importance: the person in highest authority is always introduced first. 2. If possible, stand when introductions are being made. 3. If clients are present, they should always be introduced first. 4.Introduce people by name and job title first, and then some small extra bit of information about the person. 5.If you are introduced, shake hands, look the person in the eyes, and say “Hello” (informal), or “Pleased to meet you”, “Nice to meet you” or “How do you do?” (formal). 6. Always treat a business card with respect, reading them carefully, and then keeping them safe.

5. 5 Cultural Etiquette Many cultures have similar cultural practices, especially in business deals, but some countries have very different traditions. What may be okay in one country, could be rude in another country. Handshakes in the USA, UK, and Australia are firm with several shakes, but in France they are weak and only one shake. What are some other cultural differences in introductions? To know what to do you should research these traditions before you go on your trip, so you avoid losing the business from poor etiquette.

6. 6 Cultural Etiquette Handshakes There are many rules for shaking hands, but only a few that are important in business dealings. While handshakes used to be considered something only for men to do, nowadays both men and women shake hands during business deals. But when a woman is going to do business, the man should always let the woman decide if she will shake the hand before the man tries it.  Now look at the following types of handshakes…

7. 7 Practice It! Now everyone must stand, find at least 5 people and introduce yourself while shaking hands. Make sure you practice the greetings for saying hello.