UNIT 6: PRODUCTS AND STRATEGIES

Skills Focus

• Listening
• Speaking
 6.1 VOCABULARY Products and strategies
A. Here are some adjectives to describe products and services. Check that you know the meaning of them.

 efficient  sustainable
 safe  eco-friendly
 convenient  reliable
 versatile  stylish

 powerful  trustworthy
 durable  expensive
 effective  customizable
 affordable  innovative
B. Decide which of the below products matches each of the above adjectives. Compare your ideas with a
partner. How many were the same?
• car with a long-lasting engine  reliable
• portable Bluetooth speaker  convenient
• luxury leather handbag  expensive
• budget-friendly smartphone  affordable
• virtual reality headset  innovative
• multifunctional blender  versatile
• heavy-duty work boots  durable
• designer sunglasses  stylish
• washing machine  efficient
• solar-powered outdoor light  sustainable
• personalized phone case  customizable
• child car seat with advanced safety features  safe
• gaming laptop  powerful
• anti-aging skin cream  effective
• reusable water bottle  eco-friendly
• insurance policy from a reputable company  trust-worthy
C. Match these word partnerships with their meanings.
1. features i
P a) a marketing strategy in which branded products or services are featured prominently within
various forms of media, such as movies, TV shows, music videos, or video games
2. endorsement f b) the introduction of a new product into the market, involving various marketing activities and
R 3. recall g
strategies
c) a process used by businesses to distinguish a product or service from other similar ones available

O 4. placement a
in the market
d) a technique in which several products are grouped together and sold as a single unit for one
price
D 5. differentiation c e) the length of time from a product first being introduced to consumers until it is removed from
the market
h
U 6. branding f) the practice of using a well-known individual, such as a celebrity or influencer, to promote and
recommend a particular product or service
7. life cycle e g) a process in which a company retrieves and removes a product from the market due to safety
C 8. bundling d
concerns, defects, or regulatory issues
h) the process of creating and promoting a unique identity and image for a specific product

T 9. launch b
i) the specific characteristics, attributes, or functionalities of a product that provide benefits to the
customer
D. Complete these sentences with word partnerships from Exercise C.
product placementopportunities have expanded beyond
1. With the rise of online streaming platforms and social media, ….................….................
traditional media channels, offering businesses new ways to reach their target market.
product launch as businesses aim to maximize sales and gain a
2. Timing is a critical factor in a successful ….................….................,
competitive edge.
product differentiation
3. By focusing on ….................…................., businesses can establish a competitive advantage and attract customers who are
seeking something different or better than what’s currently available.
Product bundling can be an effective strategy for attracting new customers, as it offers convenience and cost savings
4. ….................….................
compared to purchasing individual items separately.
product life cycle is essential for businesses to effectively plan their marketing strategies and
5. Understanding the ….................….................
allocate resources accordingly.
product endorsement
6. As it provides social proof and validation of a product’s quality and effectiveness, ….................…................. plays a crucial
role in attracting and engaging customers.
product recall occurs, companies need to communicate transparently with their customers, regulators,
7. When a ….................….................
and the public to maintain trust and minimize negative consequences.
product branding helps businesses build trust and loyalty among customers, leading to increased sales and
8. Effective ….................….................
customer retention.
product features to develop,
9. Understanding customer needs and preferences is essential in determining the right ….................….................
ensuring that it meets market demands and satisfies target customers.
E. Discussion
Work in groups of three or four. Take turns to
describe some of your favorite products using the
vocabulary you have learned. Why do you like them?
Which of these products could you not do without?
 6.2 LISTENING Listening for gist  Listening for details

PRE-LISTENING
A. In pairs, discuss these questions.
1. What is the product life cycle?
2. How many stages are there in the product life cycle?
3. What are the key characteristics of each stage in the product life cycle?
B. Match these words with their meanings.

1. seasoned e a) to make something continue for some time without becoming less

2. insight c b) expert knowledge or skill in a particular subject, activity or job

3. capitalize f c) an understanding of what something is like

4. inevitable g d) going from one thing to another in a single series of stages

5. sustain a e) having a lot of experience of a particular activity

6. expertise b f) to take the chance or to gain advantage from

7. linear d g) certain to happen and unable to be avoided or prevented

WHILE-LISTENING
A. Jane Smith is a seasoned product manager. Listen to the first part of the interview, where Jane talks
about the first two stages of the product life cycle, and fill in each blank with one word.
The product life cycle refers to the journey a product takes from its (1) ….................
introduction to
consumers until its eventual (2) ….................
discontinuation / … In the introduction stage, the product
manager plays a crucial role in launching the product into the market. This involves
investments
significant (3) …................. awareness
in advertising and marketing to create (4) …................. and
highlight the product’s features and benefits. The product manager closely (5)
monitors consumer response and gathers (6) ….................
…................. feedbackto make judgments the
product’s potential success. During the growth stage, the product manager focuses on
capitalizing
(7) …................. on the increasing consumer demand and sales. They may invest heavily
outshinecompetitors. This stage also involves
in advertising and promotion to (8) ….................
expanding market and attracting new customers. The product manager ensures
(9) ….................the
repeat purchases.
customer satisfaction and encourages (10) ….................
B. Listen to the second part of the interview, where Jane talks about the last two stages of the product life
cycle, and answer these questions.
1. What is the market in the maturity stage like?
Largely saturated
2. What may the project manager do to target different market segments
during this stage?
Develop new or alternative products
3. What challenges does the product manager face in the decline stage?
The inevitable decrease in demand and rapid sales drop
4. What is the ultimate fate of the product during this stage?
It will be discontinued from the market
C. Listen to the last part of the interview, where Jane talks about the challenges of product managers,
and decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F).

1. Product managers face challenges in some stages of the product life cycle. F
2. The introduction stage focuses on generating as much income as possible from the new product. F
3. Innovative marketing strategies are required in the growth stage to stay ahead of competition. T
4. Product managers need to look for new opportunities during the maturity stage. T
5. Sustaining profitability in a saturated market is a challenge during the decline stage. F
6. Managing the product’s discontinuation and switching to new products are tasks involved in the decline
stage.
T
7. The product life cycle is a straightforward process in which there is a clear start and end point. F
8. Constant monitoring and analysis of market trends are important to make profits. F
9. Proactivity and adaptability are important qualities for product managers. T
10. Delivering products that exceed customer expectations is not important in product management. F
POST-LISTENING
Work in groups of three or four. Choose a product you like, discuss, and make a short presentation on the
life cycle of that product.
 6.3 SPEAKING Taking part in meetings
LEAD-IN
A. Seven marketing executives are talking about increasing the marketing budget. Listen to the
conversation and decide who agrees and who disagrees with this idea.

Mario Simon Emma John Helen Robert Laura

Agree N/A
Disagree N/A
B. Fill in the blanks with the phrases below. Then listen and check your answers.

I think it would I think we should I’m afraid that I How do you feel Why don’t we …
be wiser to … … don’t. about that?

That’s exactly In my opinion … How about Starting with … I know what you
what I think. taking some time mean, but …
to …
… it’s out of the I completely I doubt that … Would you like Anyone else?
question … agree with … to share
something?
1. Starting with …
2. I’m afraid that I don’t.
3. I think it would be wiser to …
4. Anyone else?
5. I doubt that …
6. I completely agree with …
7. That’s exactly what I think.
8. I know what you mean, but …
9. … it’s out of the question …
10. Why don’t we …
11. Would you like to share something?
12. In my opinion …
13. How do you feel about that?
14. I think we should …
15. How about taking some time to …
FUNCTIONAL LANGUAGE
Look at the words and phrases in the previous activity, which are frequently used when taking part in
meetings.
ASKINGWrite
FORthe correct
GIVINGwords and phrases
OPINIONS in the correct place
AGREEING in this table.
DISAGREEING MAKING SUGGESTIONS
OPINIONS
 How do you  I think we  That’s  … it’s out of the  I think it would be
feel about should … exactly what question … wiser to …
that?  In my I think.  I’m afraid that I  How about taking
 Starting with … opinion …  I completely don’t … some time to …
 Would you like agree with …  I doubt that …  Why don’t we …
to share  I know what you
something? mean, but …
 Anyone else?
TASKS
Work in groups of five. You are part of a product
development team at a tech company. The team is responsible
for creating a new mobile application that will revolutionize
the way people organize and manage their daily tasks. The
team consists of the following roles: project manager, product
designer, software developer, marketing manager, and
customer support representative. Role-play a meeting in
which some common challenges and possible solutions for
each role are discussed.
Here are some ideas to help you:
 Project Manager Product Software Developer Marketing Manager Customer Support
Designer Representative
Problem Lack of clear Difficulty in Technical limitations and Inadequate market analysis Insufficient support
communication and understanding user challenges in and ineffective product resources and inability to
coordination among needs and implementing the desired positioning. address user queries.
team members. preferences. features.

Solution 1 Implement effective Conduct thorough Prioritize feature Conduct comprehensive Provide comprehensive
project management user research and development based on market research to identify training to the customer
tools and methods to usability testing to technical feasibility and the target audience, their support representatives to
support team meetings, gather insights and resource availability. needs, and potential enhance their product
task tracking, and feedback. competitors. knowledge and problem-
progress updates. solving skills.

Solution 2 Encourage open Collaborate closely Maintain a strong Collaborate with the product Continuously collect user
communication and with the software collaboration with the designer to create persuasive feedback and identify
collaboration among developer to ensure product designer to ensure marketing materials and common issues to
team members. the design is feasible the feasibility and campaigns that highlights the improve the application’s
and user-friendly. efficiency of the software unique features and benefits usability and address user
development process. of the application. concerns.
 6.4 SKILLS BANK

Effective communication is key to successful meetings and achieving desired outcomes. By using appropriate structures, students can actively
participate in meetings, contribute effectively to discussions, and foster a collaborative and respectful environment. Here are some points to
consider:
When asking for opinions:
 Begin by expressing interest in others’ perspectives.
 Use open-ended questions to encourage a broader range of responses.
 Seek clarification if a point is unclear or requires further explanation.
 Summarize and restate others’ opinions to ensure understanding.
 Avoid dominating the conversation and give everyone an opportunity to contribute.
When giving opinions:
 State your opinion clearly and concisely.
 Provide supporting evidence or examples to strengthen your viewpoint.
 Use active listening skills to respond to others’ opinions.
 Acknowledge and respect differing viewpoints.
 Avoid personal attacks or derogatory language when expressing opinions.
When agreeing:
 Express agreement by acknowledging the validity of others’ opinions.
 Highlight common ground and shared objectives.
 Offer support for ideas that align with your own perspective.
 Use positive language to convey agreement.
 Avoid excessive repetition or empty statements of agreement.
When disagreeing:
 Begin by acknowledging the merits of the opposing viewpoint.
 Present counterarguments or alternative perspectives logically and respectfully.
 Use evidence or examples to support your disagreement.
 Avoid personal attacks or confrontational language.
 Focus on the issue at hand rather than attacking the individual.
When making suggestions:
 Clearly state your suggestion or idea.
 Provide a rationale for your suggestion, highlighting potential benefits.
 Offer specific action steps or implementation strategies.
 Encourage discussion and feedback on the suggestion.
 Remain open to modifications or alternative suggestions.
 6.5 WORD BANK

 discontinuation (n) /ˌdɪskənˌtɪnjuˈeɪʃn/ the act of stopping doing or providing

something
 expertise (n) /ˌekspɜːˈtiːz/ expert knowledge or skill in a particular subject,
activity or job
 feedback (n) /ˈfiːdbæk/ advice, criticism or information about how good or useful
something or somebody’s work is
 inevitable (adj) /ɪnˈevɪtəbl/ certain to happen and unable to be avoided or
prevented
 innovative (adj) /ˈɪnəveɪtɪv/ introducing or using new ideas, ways of doing
something, etc.
 insight (n) /ˈɪnsaɪt/ an understanding of what something is like
 lifespan (n) /ˈlaɪfspæn/ the length of time that something is likely to live,
continue or function
 linear (adj) /ˈlɪniə(r)/ going from one thing to another in a single series of stages
 maturity (n) /məˈtʃʊərəti/ the state of being fully grown or developed
 monitor (v) /ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/ to watch and check something over a period of time in
order to see how it develops, so that you can make any necessary changes
 outshine (v) /ˌaʊtˈʃaɪn/ to be more impressive than somebody/something; to
be better than somebody/something
 profitability (n) /ˌprɒfɪtəˈbɪləti/ the ability to make a profit
 prolong (v) /prəˈlɒŋ/ to make something last longer
 seasoned (adj) /ˈsiːznd/ having a lot of experience of a particular activity
 significant (adj) /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ large or important enough to have an effect or to
be noticed
 sustain (v) /səˈsteɪn/ to make something continue for some time without
becoming less