节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2013-06-14
难易度:High
关键字:mailing list, questionnaire, focus group, coverage, media kit
Well, if you're just joining us, we've been talking about Do It Yourself
Marketing, or DIY Marketing.
We're enjoying a conversation between Ben and his Uncle Bob.
And his Uncle Bob is always very helpful and has very good questions.
He asks about this marketing campaign and how he's going to do this.
Well, Ben has a three-step plan.
They're going to connect with current and potential customers.
And of course, one way to do that is through social media like Facebook or
Twitter to get feedback about these things.
Well, we have more to learn in the next part of our conversation today.
(Music).
DIY Marketing.
Questionnaires are a simple and inexpensive way to do market research.
We'll probably come up with a short list of questions to ask people or companies
we work with.
We'll also post stuff in industry-related forums and do online focus groups.
Are you going to follow that up with advertising?
Kind of.
We're going to try to create some buzz.
What does that involve?
Buzz is basically just excited interest.
We'll create a media kit and try to get some coverage in the local media.
Then we're hoping to use our social media and website to spread the word.
That sounds very interesting.
Let me know how it works out.
Don't worry. I will.
Well, it sounds like Uncle Bob is learning something from this conversation with
his nephew today.
Well, going to the beginning of this section, Ben has the first line and... oh,
that's me today.
Yes, I am Ben.
Questionnaires are a simple and inexpensive way to do market research.
OK. Before you continue, Ben, let's take a look at that word from our Word Bank.
It is "questionnaire." It's kind of a long word with some uh, letters there at
the end: A-I-R-E; a questionnaire.
OK, this is a kind of survey.
Well, what kind of survey is it?
You could probably guess - it's got some questions on it; a survey with lots of
questions.
That's right.
And that is a questionnaire.
Have you ever had to fill out a questionnaire?
Did someone want your feedback and they gave you a questionnaire to write down
your answers?
Answer a few questions and then give it back to them.
It's a pretty easy way to give some feedback about a project or a service that
you received.
Well, OK. I... I will continue Ben's line.
We'll probably come up with a short list of questions to ask people or companies
we want to work with.
Excellent.
I hate to interrupt you again, Ben... Carolyn.
But there's a phrase here I think is important to talk about.
The phrase is "come up with something." We'll probably come up with a list of
questions.
You can use this phrase in another way.
You could say let's come up with some fun games to play at the party tomorrow
night.
How else could you use that phrase?
Well, I might say: Oh, that's a great idea. Can you come up with any other good
ideas?
Or have you come up with a plan yet?
Do you know what you want to do this weekend?
Let's come up with something fun to do.
All right.
So the phrase "come up with" simply means to think of something that you want to
do.
Well, please continue, Ben.
Oh, thank you. Thank you, Gabe.
We'll also post stuff in industry-related forums and do online focus groups.
Excellent! I need to interrupt you again.
A focus group, that's from our Word Bank.
So we've been talking about different ways that they're going to get feedback,
and a focus group could be one of those ways.
Carolyn, what is a focus group?
Well, a focus group is a specific group of people with a specific purpose.
So they have a goal that they want to achieve and discuss a topic fully.
OK, so they're going to discuss maybe these products that Ben and Sandy are
selling.
They're going to do this in a focus group.
And now you can have focus groups online as well.
Well, how does Uncle Bob continue?
He says: Are you going to follow that up with advertising?
Great, Uncle Bob.
That's fantastic.
But right there in your line, there was a good phrase: to follow up with
something.
What does it mean if you follow up with something, Gabe?
Well, you did something; maybe you introduce an idea, and now you're trying to
follow up.
You're trying to see how people are reacting to that idea.
What's another way you could use the phrase "follow up"?
Well, a couple of days ago we learned about dragon boating, how it's becoming
popular around the world.
And the Hong Kong Tourism Association was good at putting an idea out there.
And they followed up with people by sending out pictures of dragon boating.
So that's one way that you can follow up with someone.
How else might you use that phrase?
Well, a lot of teachers like to follow up on their lessons by giving you a
worksheet or a test to see how much you remember or how much you learned.
It's a type of follow up.
You might also want to follow up your meal with dessert.
So it's something that comes after something you did before.
OK. So try to use that phrase sometime today: to follow something up with
something else.
Ben, you have the next line.
Oh, yes.
So you asked me if we were going to follow it up with advertising.
And Ben replies: Kind of.
We're going to try to create some buzz.
What does that involve?
Oh. So what things is that going to include?
What do you need to do in order to create buzz?
Well, Ben says: Buzz is basically just excited interest.
Hmm. so that's what buzz is.
Well, how will Ben create buzz?
Well, he says: We'll create a media kit and try to get some coverage in the
local media.
Excellent. I need to interrupt you.
Let's talk about that Word Bank word.
It is "coverage." If you have coverage from the media, that means the press or
the media are going to be maybe doing a story on you or your company.
They're giving you coverage.
That's right.
So you are getting some time in the media.
Maybe a magazine or newspaper article or just an interview with a local reporter
could all be types of coverage.
That's right.
Now if you're working with the media and you're a reporter, then your boss might
ask you to cover a story.
That means you're going to be in charge of gathering that story and the details.
Well, let's continue with Ben's line.
Then we're hoping to use our social media and website to spread the word.
All right.
Well, Ben sounds like he has a great idea.
Let's continue learning something with Steve and Ken right now in the
Information Cloud.
Hi, friends.
Have you ever heard someone say they want to have a word with you, and when they
do, they almost always end up saying a lot more than just a word?
Uh, may I say a word about that, Ken?
That's just one of the many idiosyncrasies of the English language.
"A word" can mean either one word or a brief statement, which can contain quite
a number of words.
So let us take a closer look at the word "word" today and see what other
meanings it has.
Steve, thanks for putting in a good word for me.
Don't mention it, Ken.
All the good things I told the boss about you were actually true.
So as you can see, Steve didn't just say one word.
He actually said some positive things about me.
Another meaning of the word: "word" is news or information.
And that's using "word" as an uncountable noun.
People often like to spread the word when they find a new restaurant they like.
Right.
Today many people use social media to get the word out so that others can
experience the tasty food themselves.
OK. "Word" can also mean rumor.
Word has it that the two companies are planning a merger.
And word gets around.
If you do something bad in a small town, word gets around.
Which means everyone will hear about it.
(Chinese).
Thank you.
Well, the word on the street is that everyone loves the Information Cloud.
Let's continue with this conversation.
Uncle Bob says:
That sounds very interesting.
Let me know how it works out.
Don't worry. I will.
Well, that brings us to the end of our conversation between Uncle Bob and Ben.
But we still get to enjoy a review skit and learn something with Michelle in the
Language Lab.
So tell me, Ben, how are you?
I'm doing well, Uncle Bob.
Great. And how are things going with your business?
Pretty well, but things have leveled off.
Ooh. Do you know why?
No. We're talking about doing some market research to figure out why.
Oh, sounds expensive.
Not really.
The Internet makes it easy to connect with customers.
And it's good for advertising and collecting feedback.
Really! Tell me more.
Uncle Bob, we're basically following a three-step marketing campaign.
Well, what's the first step?
We'll connect with current and potential customers.
Will you create a long mailing list?
First, we'll just use social media and gather information.
How about surgerys?
We'll use questionnaires and post things on forums, too.
And also use focus groups.
Well, sounds like a simple way to do market research.
And inexpensive.
We'll also create buzz.
Buzz?
Buzz is basically excited interest.
We hope to use social media and our website to spread the word.
Well, that sounds interesting.
I guess you'll be as busy as a bee. Ha...
As busy as a bee?
Yeah, buzz, buzz, buzz.
Ah... you're a funny man, Uncle Bob.
Busy as a bee...
(Chinese).
And now let's get back to our teachers.
We've been learning a lot about DIY Marketing, and I wonder what would you do if
you were Ben to market your company.
Gabe?
Hmm, interesting question.
Well, people like to post videos online.
Maybe that would be a good idea to make a little video of the product, put it on
YouTube.
See how people react.
That sounds like a pretty good idea.
Well, we hope that you've enjoyed learning about marketing here on Studio
Classroom.
And we will see you next time.
See you then.