A letter of inquiry is usually written to ask for specific information or sales literature about products and services, price lists, catalogues, terms of business, quotations, discount schedules, dealer prices, the name of a dealer or local supplier, or free samples or materials. Letters of inquiry are also referred to as request letters. Most letters of inquiry are short. They can be sent by mail, telex, fax, or e-mail. If necessary, you can include information about what type of company you are and how you heard about the company that you are writing to. The following elements can usually be included in a letter of inquiry:
Here are some sample letters:
Letter 1
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Sir/Madam:
Could you please send us your current catalog and price list of the video recorders advertised in this month's issue of Professional Video Equipment News? We are operating a video production facility and are particularly interested in Models AA5 and AA8.
Please, reply as soon as possible as we would like to make a purchasing decision early next month.
Sincerely yours,
Signature
Name
Letter 2
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Sir/Madam:
We have seen your advertisement in the March issue of Business Catering Management and would be grateful if you could send us details about your catering services for medium-sized companies.
A prompt reply would be appreciated.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
Letter 3
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
When we attended the International Electronics Trade Fair in London last month, we visited your stand and saw a very interesting demonstration of your automatic high-security garage doors. The ability to drive straight in and out of your garage from the comfort of your car, as well as your emphasis on theft protection, appealed to us. We believe that there is a ready market for this in the United States.
Our company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international Zetax Corporation, well-known in the security and theft prevention industry.
Would you please send us your current sales literature and price list? Of course, we will be glad to provide the usual credit and trade references if we decide to order from your company.
Sincerely yours,
Signature
Name
USEFUL SENTENCES FOR LETTERS OF INQUIRY AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
Saying how you found out about the company
We were given your name by the XYZ Company in Billings, Montana.
We have been given your name by our business associates, Messrs. Carlson & Sons in Twin Falls, Idaho, who inform us that they have been doing business with your company since 1988.
Your company was recommended to us by Ms. Andrea Jensen of the Heyerdahl Company in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Belgian Consulate General in New York advised us that your company is looking for an import agent in Belgium to represent you.
We have learned from the Muller Company in Frankfort, Maine, that you are the manufacturer of the Selekta answering machine with built-in telephone and fax.
Mr. Frank Norris of the Butler Company in Woodlawn, Oregon, advised me that your company is interested in supplying sporting clubs and fitness centers with competitively priced, high-energy soft drinks and candy.
Your company has been highly recommended to us by Stewart, Jones & Company in Melbourne, Florida, with whom we have done business during the past twenty years.
Giving some information about your company
We are a major retail store chain and are inviting estimates for the supply and installation of new universal product code cash registers in all of our 12 outlets in the Chicago metropolitan area.
We are a company manufacturing and selling electronic parts.
We are one of the largest manufacturers of electronic parts.
Stating your general reason for writing
We are writing to several industrial coffee machine manufacturers to invite estimates for the installation and maintenance of automatic coffee machines in our headquarters in Williamsburg, Virginia, as well as at our two production facilities in the Philadelphia area, in accordance with the attached specification list.
We are interested in importing Dutch cheese (in particular Edam, Gouda and Zaanlander) and would like to receive a copy of your latest sales brochure, export price list, and export terms.
Since we intend to place a substantial order for your new line of BMX lightweight binoculars and monoculars, we would like to know whether you are prepared to grant special quantity discounts for orders in excess of $10,000.
If your products and terms of business are as competitive as we have heard from our associates, Berrbaum Company in Denver, we would be interested to discuss a long-term contract with your company.
Requesting action
Please let me know what quantities your company can supply from stock and your earliest date of delivery. In addition, I would like to know if your company is prepared to grant a ten-percent discount.
Please e-mail us details about your Document Binding machine as advertised in the Sunday edition of The Newark Gazette.
We have studied the specifications of your electronic typewriters (Model 227BB) and would like a quote from you for the supply of 200 of these typewriters.
Since we intend to place a substantial order for your new line of BMX lightweight binoculars and monoculars, we would like to know whether you are prepared to grant special quantity discounts for orders in excess of $10,000.
Please let us know on what terms you can deliver the video recorders.
Please reply as soon as possible because we would like to make a decision early next month.
Please send us your latest catalog and full details of your export prices, discounts, and terms of payment.
Please fax me your quotation as soon as possible.
We would appreciate a prompt reply quoting export trade and delivery prices to Martinsville, West Virginia.
I. Read the following text on promotional tools, paying attention to the underlined words and expressions. (adapted from MacKenzie, Ian. English for Business Studies. Cambridge University Press, 2004)
The basic idea behind the 'marketing concept' - that you make what you can sell rather than sell what you make - does not mean that your product will sell all by itself. Even a good, attractively priced product that clearly satisfies a need has to be made known to its target customers. During the introduction and growth stages of the standard product life cycle, the producer (or importer, and so on) has to develop product or brand awareness, i.e. inform potential customers (and distributors, dealers and retailers) about the product's existence, its features, its advantages, and so on.
According to the well-known 'Four Ps' formulation of the marketing mix (product, place, promotion and price), this is clearly a matter of promotion. Since budgets are always limited, marketers usually have to decide which tools - advertising, public relations, sales promotion, or personal selling - to use, and in what proportion.
Public relations (often abbreviated to PR) is concerned with maintaining, improving or protecting the image of a company or product. The most important element of PR is publicity which (as opposed to advertising) is any mention of a company's products that is not paid for, in any medium read, viewed or heard by a company's customers or potential customers, aimed at assisting sales. Many companies attempt to place stories or information in news media to attract attention to a product or service. Publicity can have a huge impact on public awareness that could not be achieved by advertising, or at least not without an enormous cost. A lot of research has shown that people are more likely to read and believe publicity than advertising.
Sales promotions such as free samples, coupons, price reductions, competitions, and so on, are temporary tactics designed to stimulate either earlier or stronger sales of a product. Free samples, for example, (combined with extensive advertising), may generate the initial trial of a new product. But the majority of products available at any given time are of course in the maturity stage of the life cycle. This may last many years, until the product begins to be replaced by new ones and enters the decline stage. During this time, marketers can try out a number of promotional strategies and tactics. Reduced-price packs in supermarkets, for example, can be used to attract price-conscious brand-switchers, and also to counter a promotion by a competitor. Stores also often reduce prices of specific items as loss leaders which bring customers into the shop where they will also buy other goods.
Sales promotions can also be aimed at distributors, dealers and retailers, to encourage them to stock new items or larger quantities, or to encourage off-season buying, or the stocking of items related to an existing product. They might equally be designed to strengthen brand loyalty among retailers, or to gain entry to new markets. Sales promotions can also be aimed at the sales force, encouraging them to increase their activities in selling a particular product.
Personal selling is the most expensive promotional tool, and is generally only used sparingly. As well as prospecting for customers, spreading information about a company's products and services, selling these products and services, and assisting customers with possible technical problems, salespeople have another important function. Since they are often the only person from a company that customers see, they are an extremely important source of information. It has been calculated that the majority of new product ideas come from customers via sales representatives.
II. Read the following text on advertising and answer the following questions (source: MacKenzie, Ian. English for Business Studies. Cambridge University Press, 2004).
Advertising informs consumers about the existence and benefits of products and services, and attempts to persuade them to buy them. The best form of advertising is probably word-of-mouth advertising, which occurs when people tell their friends about the benefits of products or services that they have purchased. Yet virtually no providers of goods or services rely on this alone, but use paid advertising instead. Indeed, many organizations also use institutional or prestige advertising, which is designed to build up their reputation rather than to sell particular products.
Although large companies could easily set up their own advertising departments, write their own advertisements, and buy media space themselves, they tend to use the services of large advertising agencies. These are likely to have more resources, and more knowledge about all aspects of advertising and advertising media than a single company. The most talented advertising people generally prefer to work for agencies rather than individual companies as this gives them the chance to work on a variety of advertising accounts (contracts to advertise products or services). It is also easier for a dissatisfied company to give its account to another agency than it would be to fire its own advertising staff.
The client company generally gives the advertising agency an agreed budget; a statement of the objectives of the advertising campaign, known as a brief; and an overall advertising strategy concerning the message to be communicated to the target customers. The agency creates advertisements (the word is often abbreviated to adverts or ads), and develops a media plan specifying which media - newspapers, magazines, radio, television, cinema, posters, mail, etc. - will be used and in which proportions. (On television and radio, ads are often known as commercials.) Agencies often produce alternative ads or commercials that are pre-tested in newspapers, television stations, etc. in different parts of a country before a final choice is made prior to a national campaign.
How much to spend on advertising is always problematic. Some companies use the comparative-parity method - they simply match their competitors' spending, thereby avoiding advertising wars. Others set their ad budget at a certain percentage of current sales revenue. But both these methods disregard the fact that increased ad spending or counter-cyclical advertising can increase current sales. On the other hand, excessive advertising is counter-productive because after too many exposures people tend to stop noticing ads, or begin to find them irritating. And once the most promising prospective customers have been reached, there are diminishing returns, i.e. an ever-smaller increase in sales in relation to increased advertising spending.
1.1. Find the terms in the text which mean the following
VII. Further reading:
1. Sweeney, S: Test Your Professional English – Marketing, Penguin Books, 2002.
Necessary time for study: 3 h or 30 min./ day
VIII. Revision and consolidation
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Self-assessment tests
1. A public notice in a newspaper, magazine or free sheet whose purpose is to sell a product is a
a. commercial b. advertisement c. announcement d. article
2. An advertising film or message broadcast on television or on the radio is a
a. movie b. account c. campaign d. commercial
3. A person or a company whose job is to develop advertisements is a
a. advertiser b. developer c. director d. marketer
4. ………… plays an important part in the advertising of goods.
a. packing b. conditioning c. padding d. packaging
5. Which of the following sentences is a good example of a request?
a. Send me your price list. b. I want you to send me your price list c. Could you please send me your price list? d. You must send us your price list.
Assessment tests
1. A …. is an article sold below cost price in order to attract shoppers.
a. leading loser b. dead loss c. loss leader d. losing leader
2. Kodak is a famous ….
a. nickname b. brand name c. surname d. namesake
3. The oldest form of advertising is .......
a. by way of mouth b. by word of mouth c. from mouth to mouth d. from mouth to ear
4. Which of the following sentences is a good example of a request in English?
a. I would be grateful if you could tell me what your bank charges for money transfers. b. Tell me what your bank charges for money transfers. c. You must tell me what your bank charges for money transfers. d. I would be grateful if you tell me what your bank charges for money transfers.
5. A natural way of ending a letter of inquiry is
a. I hope I can see you soon b. See you J c. Please answer immediately d. I look forward to hearing from you.
Homework:
1. Write a letter of inquiry.
2. Think of one or two well-known companies. Use some of the terms in this chapter to describe how they promote, their products.
3. Which of the following claims do you agree with and why?
Glossary of terms
Advertising= publicitate
Advertisement= reclama
Advertising agency= agentie de publicitate
Advertising media= mijloace publicitare
Advertising campaign= campanie publicitara
Brand awareness= cunoastere a marcii
Brand loyalty= loialitate fata de marca
Brand-switcher= client care schimba des marca
Brief= rezumat, scurta expunere
Commercial= reclama tv sau radio
Coupon= cupon, bon
Free sample= mostra gratuita
Institutional advertising= publicitate institutionala
Loss leader= produs vandut in pierdere in scopul atragerii de clienti
Marketing mix= mix de marketing
Media plan= plan media
Price reduction= reducere de pret
Product life-cycle= ciclul de viata al produsului
Promotional tool= instrument de promovare
Public relations= relatii cu publicul
Retailer= detailist
Sales representative= reprezentant de vanzari
Sales promotion= promovare a vanzarilor
Sales revenue= venituri/ incasari din vanzari
Target customers= clienti tinta
Word-of-mouth advertising= publicitate din om in om
I. Objectives:
- to develop writing skills (letters of reply to inquiries)
- to develop reading skills (reading comprehension)
- to introduce and practice a product-related vocabulary
II. Specific competencies acquired by the student.
After studying this chapter the student should be able to:
- write letters of reply to inquiries
- discuss marketing problems by using the specific terminology of the field, especially in relation to different types of products.
III. Key words:replies to inquiries, product, brand, brand image, brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand identity
IV. Structure:
1. Replies to inquiries, a theoretical introduction
2. Examples of replies to inquiries
3. Specialized vocabulary (products)
V. Summary:
This chapter teaches students how to reply to a letter of inquiry (functions and specific expressions used). It also introduces the vocabulary necessary for discussing product-related topics.
VI. Content:
The main parts of a letter of reply are the following:
Here are some sample letters:
Letter 1
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
Thank you very much for your request of April 16 for samples of our new ABC fabrics.
We have asked our agents in San Diego, Arthur Roth Company, to supply you with a copy of our current sales catalog and price list and a full line of samples.
We appreciate your interest and thank you for writing to us.
Sincerely yours,
Signature
Name
Letter 2
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
Thank you for your request for additional information on the Misell Carpet Machine, which we have been producing since 1994. This professional vacuum cleaner removes deep-down dirt.
Misell Company has an excellent reputation for high-quality products, reliability, and service. Our products are designed and manufactured in the United States.
I have enclosed a special folder on the Misell Carpet Machine and a catalog that describes our other professional floor care products, including the Silent Power cannister and the Full-Power Upright Vacuum Cleaner. Please call me at (000) 000-0000 if you have any questions.
Sincerely yours,
Signature
Name
Letter 3
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
In reply to your fax of September 12, we are pleased to enclose a copy of our most recent sales catalog which features the complete range of our new corduroy sports jackets for men. These handsome and versatile jackets—in beige, navy, chocolate, or rust—can be worn from the office to informal dinners to weekend activities in great style and comfort. The medium-wale corduroy is made from a long-wearing blend of long staple cotton and polyester and is soft and easy to wear. The models that you are interested in are presented on pages 9 to 15.
Mr. Robert Dillon, our regional sales manager, will telephone your office next week in order to arrange a meeting. He will be able to provide you with complete details of our other new sportswear lines.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
USEFUL SENTENCES FOR REPLIES TO LETTERS OF INQUIRY AND FOLLOW-UP LETTERS
Acknowledging the letter of inquiry
Thank you for your letter of 5 May inquiring about our full range of vacuum cleaners.
We have received your letter of 5 May inquiring in which you inquired about our full range of vacuum cleaners.
Thank you for your e-mail of February 19.
Thank you for your inquiry.
Thank you for your interest in our sales management training program.
Stating what action you are taking
Please find enclosed our color brochure and export price list, which will give you a good idea of the range of our best-selling brass-look curtain rods.
I enclose our latest catalog and export price list which will provide you with detailed information about our newest range of smooth leather gloves and crocodile-look belts. Our company allows a trade discount of 25 percent off the quoted list prices to wholesalers in North America.
Please find enclosed a copy of our latest catalog and price list quoting prices for delivery in Montreal. The prices quoted are subject to change, however, because the international market for pure cotton is rather unstable at the moment. Of course, we will inform you by fax or telephone if there is an increase in our quoted prices.
The samples you requested in your fax of June 21 will be sent to you today as a separate airfreight package.
The brochures you ordered are being printed now. We will ship them on December 3.
Answering any specific questions (about discounts, terms of payment, etc) and focusing attention on important information
Our usual terms of payment are cash on delivery (C.O.D.).
Our usual terms of payment are sixty days from the date of delivery.
Our quotations are subject to 2 percent discount for cash.
Our terms are 30 percent discount, with 3 percent for settlement within fifteen days of date of invoice.
This is a special introductory offer and is therefore not subject to our usual discount schedule. If you accept our quotation of November 5, please advise us by fax or e-mail.
We are enclosing our current catalog and price list quoting F.O.B. prices Tokyo and urge you to order as soon as possible, because there is a great demand for the new Models ZA2 and ZB3. Our quoted price includes special export packing and airfreight delivery.
We are offering your company a special discount for our video recording equipment based upon the following sliding-scale: On purchases exceeding an annual total of $2,500 but not exceeding $5,000: 2 percent; $5,000 but not exceeding $15,000: 4 percent; $15,000 but not exceeding $35,000: 5 percent; and $35,000 and above: 6 percent.
As you can see on page 3 of our price list, we allow you a special discount off all net prices for orders of the value you stated in your fax. Delivery will be within four weeks of receipt of your order.
Suggesting ways to help the inquirer and inviting further question
Please let us know if you would like to have a demonstration of our document-binding machine at your office next week.
If you would like more information or have any questions on any of our products, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.
Our international sales manager, Ms. Louise Truffaut, will be in San Diego next month and will be pleased to visit your office to discuss the contents of our follow-up letter of April 9.
Mr. Robert Dillon, our regional sales manager, will telephone your office next week in order to arrange a meeting. He will be able to provide you with complete details of our other new sportswear lines.
Please call me at (000) 000-0000 if you have any questions.
Just give me a call at (000) 000-0000 and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
I. Read the following text paying attention to the underlined words and expressions (also see the glossary of terms at the end of this chapter).
1. Marketing theorists tend to give the word product a very broad meaning, using it to refer to anything capable of satisfying a need or want. Thus, services, activities, people (politicians, athletes, film stars), places (holiday resorts), organizations (hospitals, colleges, political parties), and ideas, as well as physical objects offered for sale by retailers, can be considered as products. Physical products can usually be augmented by benefits such as customer advice, delivery, credit facilities, a warranty or guarantee, maintenance, after-sales service, and so on.
2. Some manufacturers use their name (the ‘family name’) for all their products, e.g. Philips, Colgate, Yamaha. Others, including Unilever and Procter & Gamble, market various products under individual brand names, with the result that many customers are unfamiliar with the name of the manufacturing company. The major producers of soap products, for example, are famous for their multi-brand strategy which allows them to compete in various market segments, and to fill shelf space in shops, thereby leaving less room for competitors. It also gives them a greater chance of getting some of the custom of brand – switchers.
3. Most manufacturers produce a large number of products, often divided into product lines. Most product lines consist of several products, often distinguished by brand names, e.g. a range of soap powders, or of toothpastes. Several different items (different sizes or models) may share the same brand name. Together, a company’s items, brands and products constitute its product mix. Since different products are always at different stages of their life cycles, with growing, stable or declining sales and profitability, and because markets, opportunities and resources are in constant evolution, companies are always looking to the future, and re-evaluating their product mix.
4. Companies whose objectives include high market share and market growth generally have long product lines, i.e. a large number of items. Companies whose objective is high profitability will have shorter lines, including only profitable items. Yet most product lines have a tendency to lengthen over time, as companies produce variations on existing items, or add additional items to cover further market segments. Additions to product lines can be the result of either line-stretching or line-filling. Line-stretching means lengthening a product line by moving either up-market or down-market, i.e. making items of higher or lower quality. This can be carried out in order to reach new customers, to enter growing or more profitable market segments, to react to competitors’ initiatives, and so on. Yet such moves may cause image problems: moving to the lower end of a market dilutes a company’s image for quality, while a company at the bottom of a range may not convince dealers and customers that it can produce quality products for the high end. Line-filling- adding further items in that part of a product range which a line already covers – might be done in order to compete in competitors’ niches, or simply to utilize excess production capacity. (source: English for Business Studies by Ian MacKenzie, Cambridge University Press, 2004)
1.1 Match the following words with their definitions. Also see the glossary of terms at the end of this chapter:
1. Service |
6. Generic product |
2. Clone |
7. Perishables |
3. Consumer durable |
8. Manufacturing |
4. Sell-by date |
|
5. Fast moving consumer goods |
|
|
|
1.2. Change each word in bold type to a related word which fills the gap in the sentence correctly.
Consume
Perish
Produce
Duration
Add
Retail
Serve
Purchaser
Patented
Flopped
Brands and branding
A brand is a name given to a product or group or products so that it can be easily recognized. ‘The most distinctive power of professional marketers is their ability to create, maintain, protect and enhance (strengthen the power of) brands, says Philip Kotler. This is reflected in the value that companies put on their brands. For example, BMW paid $60 million for Rolls Royce name alone, not including any material assets such as manufacturing plant.
‘Brand’ often occurs in these combinations
brand awareness/ familiarity/ recognition - the degree to which people know a brand
brand promise - what people expect from a brand
brand preference - when consumers like one brand more than another
brand image - all the ways that people think about a brand
brand equity - the value of a brand to its owners, as sometimes shown on a firm’s balance sheet (source: Business Vocabulary in Use by Bill Mascull, Cambridge University Press, 2004)
1.3. Brand also occurs in expressions such as those below. Complete each sentence with the correct word or phrase from the following list:
brand identity, brand name, brand image, own-brand, intangible assets, brand loyalty, premium brand, brand valuation, unbranded.
1. Coca Cola, Sony, Mercedez Benz: each of these is a famous ………………
2. Deciding a financial value for a brand name is called …………………
3. Consumers usually expect to pay less for products that are ……………………..
4. Producers like Chanel or Christian Dior have a …………………. which is more glamorous than that of many less well-known competitors.
5. In the 1990s most supermarkets began to sell …………………. products.
6. A brand name is valuable not only for the main products that are represented by the name, but also for the range of ………………….. that accompany that name.
7. A key concern for marketers is to establish ………………………among their customers so that they do not buy similar products made by other companies.
8. Consumers are often prepared to pay a high price for a ……………….. which they believe represents high quality.
9. A new product must create a …………………. so that it is easily recognized and associated with specific qualities.
VII. Further reading:
1. Sweeney, S: Test Your Professional English – Marketing, Penguin Books, 2002.
3. Bantas, A, Nastasescu, V: Dictionar economic englez – roman/ roman – englez, Editura Niculescu, 2001
Necessary time for study: 3 h or 30 min./ day
VIII. Revision and consolidation
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Self-assessment tests
a. product class b. product line c. product mix d. product category
a. product mix b. marketing mix c. product line d. product range
4. Products sold in very large quantities, such as groceries, which are bought often and move through stores quickly are
a. durables b. clones c. fast moving consumer goods d. perishables
5. A time suggested for reasons of safety by which perishable goods should be used
a. deadline b. sell-by date c. warranty d. guarantee
6. A natural way to open a letter of reply is to say
a. Thx for yr letter. b. We are in receipt of your message, dated 15th of this month. c. Thank you for your letter of 15 June. d. I received your letter. I have sent the goods.
Assessment tests
a. durable b. clone c. fast moving consumer good d. perishable
2. Long-lasting products produced and sold in large quantities are
a. durables b. clones c. fast moving consumer goods d. perishables
3. The actual making of products or components for products is called
a. manufacturing b. fabrication c. processing d. delivery
4. The degree to which people know a brand is called
a. brand awareness b. brand promise c. brand loyalty d. brand image
5. When consumers like and buy one brand rather than other competing brands, this is called
a. brand awareness b. brand promise c. brand loyalty d. brand image
Homework:
1. Write a letter of reply to the inquiry you wrote in the previous chapter.
2. Think of a product you know well and describe it.
Glossary of terms
Warranty= garantie
Maintenance= intretinere
After-sales service= service post-garantie
Manufacturer= producator
Brand= marca
Product line= linie de produs
Product mix= mix de produs
Market share= cota de piata
Market segment= segment de piata
Niche= nisa
Consumer durables/ Durables= produse de folosinta indelungata
Sell-by date= termen de valabilitate
Perishables= produse peribabile
fast-moving consumer goods= bunuri de consum cu circulatie rapida
Added value= valoare adaugata
Patent= patent, brevet
Flop= esec, produs fara succes
Own-brand= marca proprie
Intangible assets= active necorporale
Premium brand= marca premium
Brand valuation= evaluare a marcii
I. Objectives:
- to develop writing skills (letters accompanying orders)
- to develop reading skills (reading comprehension)
- to introduce and practice a price-related vocabulary
II. Specific competencies acquired by the student.
After completing this chapter the student should be able to:
- place orders in writing
- discuss marketing problems by using the specific terminology of the field, especially in relation to different types of prices and terms of payment.
III. Key words: to place an order, delivery, terms of delivery/ payment, etc.
IV. Structure:
1. Written orders, a theoretical introduction
2. Examples of orders
3. Specialized vocabulary (price)
V. Summary:
This chapter teaches students how to write a letter accompanying an order (functions and specific expressions used to render them). It also introduces the vocabulary necessary for discussing price-related topics.
VI. Content:
Letters for placing and acknowledging orders should be brief, accurate, and to the point. In many cases, companies use printed prenumbered order forms. In turn, sellers also use printed acknowledgments.
When placing an order by letter or fax, the following details must be mentioned: reference to price quotations, discounts, price lists or catalog numbers; quantity; quality, models, patterns, or colors; packing, special markings, and shipping instructions; warehousing; delivery; documents (e.g. invoices, pro-forma invoices, customs documents, bill of lading, insurance); and confirmation of the terms of payment.
An order should be acknowledged as soon as it has been received.
Here are some sample letters:
Letter 1
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
We acknowledge receipt of your samples and quotation of October 3. Please find enclosed our order No. GW/RK 1193-DdeO, for 450 Martinex 100 percent cotton thermal blankets for twin- and full-size beds.
We would remind you that, as stipulated in our letter of August 29, the blankets must be delivered to our warehouse in Salt Lake City before October 15, because our special Winter Sales Week will start on Monday morning, October 27.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
Letter 2
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
We thank you for your quotation of July 3 for the supply of vacuum bottles and find your terms acceptable. We are pleased to enclose our order, No. 993 for 1,500 unbreakable stainless steel vacuum bottles (Cat. No. 330C 1-quart Bottle) at $19.75 per bottle.
We would appreciate delivery within one month and look forward to your acknowledgment.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
Letter 3
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
Thank you for responding so quickly to our telephone inquiry of June 26 about your "Rough Country" insulated leather sports boots for men (spring catalog: Model X9-ZZ).
We believe that these guaranteed waterproof boots will sell well in Norway and therefore we enclose our order form No. 02985B for a substantial trial order. We accept the terms in your quotation of June 28 and also confirm that payment will be made by irrevocable letter of credit.
Please acknowledge this order and also confirm that you will make delivery to Dallas, Texas, before September 15.
Sincerely yours,
Signature
Name
USEFUL SENTENCES FOR LETTERS PLACING AN ORDER
Please find enclosed our official order form No. 338A for fifty (50) Model B Regina compact disc players.
This fax will confirm our order — placed by telephone this morning with your representative, Janet Gaynor — for 100 Annis pocket thermometers Model F4.
We hereby confirm our telephone order for 25 sets of your special Quartz Clock (see page six of your summer catalog) at $89.50 per clock, minus two percent cash discount.
We would like to emphasize that this is a trial order. If the quality of your merchandise is up to sample, we expect to place substantial orders at regular intervals.
As agreed in our telephone conversation of August 12, we will pay half the amount of this order against your invoice when the goods are delivered at our warehouse in Fayetteville, Maryland, and the remainder within 30 days, deducting three percent discount.
We place this trial order on the clear understanding that delivery to our warehouse in San Diego, California, has to take place before May 1. Therefore, we reserve the right to cancel this order and refuse delivery after this date.
You will find detailed instructions regarding marking and packing on the attached sheet.
When packing, please wrap each part separately in soft material.
Please, limit the overall length of any one crate to two yards.
I. Read the following text on prices and terms of payment, paying attention to the underlined words and expressions. Refer to the glossary at the end of the chapter for unknown words.
Budget-priced goods are goods which are sold at a very low price and are aimed at the lower end segment of the market. Goods can also be sold at a sale price when they have already been offered at the recommended retail price for a period of not less than three months. Discounts, on the other hand, are usually offered to loyal customers or for large orders.
The factory gate price is the price offered by wholesalers to producers of goods. They must allow the latter to cover production costs and also to realize a profit that will allow it to remain on the market. Producers, however, often prefer to sell directly to retailers, as this will cut out intermediaries and avoid retail prices being forced higher by high wholesale prices.
The market price is the price the market will accept for a given product. It shouldn’t exceed the going rate. (source: Test Your Professional English- Marketing, by Simon Sweeney, Penguin Books, 2002)
VII. Further reading:
1. Sweeney, S: Test Your Professional English – Marketing, Penguin Books, 2002.
2. Hollinger, A: Test Your Business English Vocabulary, Teora, 2004
3. Bantas, A, Nastasescu, V: Dictionar economic englez – roman/ roman – englez, Editura Niculescu, 2001
Necessary time for study: 3 h or 30 min./ day
VIII. Revision and consolidation
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Self-assessment test
Match the words (1-9) with the definitions (a-i)
1. break-even point |
a. the prices wholesalers and distributors pay to the producer for goods |
2. discounting |
b. a pricing strategy based on low pricing and low unit profits |
3. factory gate price |
c. an illegal and secret agreement between competitors to fix higher prices to boost their profits. |
4. inelastic demand |
d. the day-to-day costs of running a business |
5. overheads |
e. sales of a product do not change much with variations in price |
6. penetration strategy |
f. reducing the price of goods in return for bulk sales or to a favoured customer |
7. price sensitive buyers |
g. a product sold at a specially low price, perhaps at a loss, in the expectation that customers will spend money on other goods where margins are high. |
8. loss leader |
h. the point in the development of a product when sales begin to exceed the investment. |
9. cartel |
i. consumers who are very attentive to price changes and look for lower-priced items. |
Assessment tests
1. Goods which are sold at a very low price and are aimed at the lower end segment of the market are
a. premium goods b. cheap goods c. budget-priced goods d. fast moving consumer goods
2. The price offered by wholesalers to producers of goods is the
a. factory-gate price b. retail price c. market price d. wholesale price
3. The price the market will accept for a given product is the
a. factory-gate price b. retail price c. market price d. wholesale price
4. The price offered by retailers to wholesalers is the
a. factory-gate price b. retail price c. market price d. wholesale price
5. The price offered by consumers to retailers is the
a. factory-gate price b. retail price c. market price d. wholesale
6. The point in the development of a product when sales begin to exceed the investment is called the
a. point of no return b. break-even point c. point of sale d. despatch point
7. Reducing the price of goods in return for bulk sales or to a favoured customer is called
a. discounting b. giving away c. sharing d. offering
Homework: Write a letter accompanying an order.
Glossary of terms:
Budget price= pret de deviz
Sale price= pret de sold
Factory-gate price= pret de fabrica
Retail price= pret cu amanuntul
Wholesale price= pret cu ridicata
Recommended retail price= pret recomandat de producator
Discount= reducere
Production costs= costuri de productie
Market price= pret de piata
Going rate= tarif obisnuit
Break-even point= prag critic al rentabilitatii
Cartel= cartel
Overheads= costuri indirecte
Penetration strategy= strategie de penetrare
Inelastic demand= cerere inelastica
I. Objectives:
- to develop writing skills (letters of complaint)
- to develop reading skills (reading comprehension)
- to introduce and practice a customer-related vocabulary
- to develop speaking skills
II. Specific competencies acquired by the student.
After completing this chapter the student should be able to:
- write letters of complaint
- discuss marketing problems by using the specific terminology of the field, especially in relation to different types of distribution channels and retail outlets.
III. Key words: complaint, distribution, retail outlets.
IV. Structure:
1. Complaints, a theoretical introduction
2. Examples of complaints
3. Specialized vocabulary (distribution)
V. Summary:
This chapter teaches students how to write a letter of complaint (functions and specific expressions to render them). It also introduces the vocabulary necessary for discussing distribution -related topics.
VI. Content:
Letters of complaint about delays, wrong shipments, damaged goods, missing parts, defective merchandise, billing errors, late deliveries, faulty equipment, community problems, rude employees, or warranties (to name just a few problems) are usually written by dissatisfied, indignant or angry customers seeking redress. In writing such letters you must provide a clear description or explanation of what is wrong with the delivery, product or service.
Here are some sample letters:
Letter 1
(Complaint about a delivery)
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
We are sorry to inform you that your delivery of 28 four-drawer chests (Model H95—white finish) on February 19 has given us cause for serious complaint. They were delivered in substandard condition and cannot be fixed. We have been doing business with your company for the past four years and have always been satisfied until today. For that reason, please let us know as soon as possible what your company intends to do to rectify this situation.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
Letter 2
(Complaint about a wrong item shipped)
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
On June 14, I ordered an answering machine with a built-in telephone (Article No. 172AM-TE) from your Summer Sales Catalog. On opening the parcel, I found that it did not contain the ordered item. Instead it contained an entirely different machine. I am therefore returning the item for replacement.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
Letter 3
(Complaint about damaged merchandise)
Date
Name/Title
Business/Organization
Address
City, State Zip Code
Dear Name:
The seven-piece wood-and-glass dining set (Order No. 13899) I ordered on April 2 was delivered yesterday. Since I was away on business that day, my neighbor (who has a key to my apartment) accepted the packaged set and signed for it without question. However, when I unpacked the oak-finished table myself with great care, I discovered that one glass insert of the table's three glass inserts was badly scratched. I can only assume that this damage must be due to careless handling at some stage prior to packing. I cannot accept the table in this state and want to receive a replacement as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
USEFUL SENTENCES FOR LETTERS OF COMPLAINT
I am writing to complain, not only about the very poor service we received from your company this week, but also about the discourteous behavior of your new sales representative, Arthur Jones.
I want to lodge a complaint about the very discourteous treatment that my wife and I experienced in your department store on Friday afternoon, May 29.
My wife and I would like to register a serious complaint about one of your store's salesmen.
We are sorry to inform you that your delivery of 28 four-drawer chests (Model H95—white finish) on February 19 has given us cause for serious complaint.
We refuse to pay for merchandise that was never delivered to our company.
I am returning the damaged goods to your office for a full refund.
We are returning the defective products for credit at your expense.
We are returning the entire order of 55 tennis rackets and would like to be refunded for their full purchase price of $2286.37 plus shipping expenses of $198.11.
In our opinion, the damage seems to have been caused by inadequate packaging.
I would like to clear up this unpleasant situation without delay. For that reason, I expect a prompt reply.
This mistake must be corrected as soon as possible, because we are far from satisfied with the service your company offers.
We are confident that we can resolve this serious complaint without having resort to the Small Claims Court.
Our order No. 88KLS was placed on condition that we receive the blue jeans before November 15. Unless your company can fulfill our monthly orders efficiently in the future, we will have to consider other reliable sources of supply.
I am seriously disappointed to find that the quality of the tricycles for young children (Model EK3-RR) you supplied does not correspond with that of the sample tricycle submitted to us in February.
Things have now reached the point that I want action within forty-eight hours or I will place the whole matter in the hands of my lawyer.
Read the following text on retail outlets and selling methods, paying attention to the words and phrases written in boldface (also see the glossary of terms at the end of this chapter).
The variety of selling techniques has increased remarkably in recent years. Some industries, such as banking, have moved enthusiastically into e-commerce, completely changing the customer's experience. Many shops now offer e-shopping and a home delivery service. However, old traditions live on. Most towns and cities still have traditional street markets!
The growth in hypermarkets, supermarkets, chain stores and multiples has had a big impact on the small business sector. Many small retailers have disappeared, but some have continued to trade profitably. One way that small specialist retailers have survived is by forming buying groups, which provide them with economies of scale and cost benefits. Franchises also help small businesses to compete. A parent company (the franchisor) grants a licence to use its name to a smaller business (the franchisee). Hypermarkets, supermarkets and railway stations increasingly have in-plants - smaller shops which operate within them and pay them rent - and these are often franchises. Another recent development is the growth in convenience stores. These are small food and grocery outlets, selling fresh milk and bread, and also newspapers, confectionery, and so on. They are often open long hours. Many are attached to petrol stations. (source: Test Your Professional English- Marketing, by Simon Sweeney, Penguin Books, 2002)
1.1. Match each term in the box with a set of words in italics in the newspaper extract (for unknown words see the glossary of terms at the end of this chapter). Then write the number after the term.
chain stores |
cold calling |
(1) Companies which specialize in selling goods through a catalogue sent out through the post normally have (2) large buildings full of goods from where the goods are despatched. (3) Companies which own many stores have (4) strength in negotiating prices where manufacturers are concerned. Small shops do not have this. (5) Retail outlets which pay a licence fee to trade under a famous brand name often benefit from increased business, since the name is a powerful advertisement.
(6) Going from one house to another, knocking on doors, is a highly labour-intensive type of sales operation. This type of work is normally paid on the basis of a (7) percentage of the sales achieved being paid to the seller. Another type of selling is by (8) a combination of catalogue and ordering by post. This may be complemented by (9) personnel who sell by telephone, trained to deal with customers' calls. Another kind of telephone selling is through (10) telephoning someone who is not expecting your call but whom you think might buy your product. The idea is to get your prospective customer to agree to buy your products or receive a home visit for a demonstration. A variation on this - popular with banks and the financial services industry - is to call existing customers and offer them new products.
(11) Large out-of-town stores selling a huge range of goods have had a serious effect on business for smaller, city centre shops. (12) Small shops offering a personalized and highly specialized service can survive better than small shops which try to compete directly with the larger outlets and other (13) retail outlets owned by the same company and trading under the same name. In recent years (14) selling over the Internet has become much more common. Customers order and pay for goods or services by accessing a website from a home or office computer. Companies wanting to trade over the Internet need access to the world wide web (WWW) which is provided by one of the (15) companies that provide access to the net. (source: Test Your Professional English- Marketing, by Simon Sweeney, Penguin Books, 2002)
VII. Further reading
1. Geffner, A: Business English – A Compete Guide to developing An Effective Business writing Style, Barron’s, 2004
2. Brieger, N and Comfort, J: Language Reference for Business English, Prentice Hall International, 1992
3. Stanton, AJ and Wood, LR: Longman Commercial Communication, Longman, 1992
4. Sweeney, S: Test Your Professional English – Marketing, Penguin Books, 2002
5. Hollinger, A: Test Your Business English Vocabulary, Teora, 2004
VIII. Revision and consolidation
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Self-assessment tests
producer, place, services, intermediary, customer, provider, user, goods, distribution
Shipping, or shipment, in the marketing or selling sense, means the despatch of (1) ................... from the (2)............................ to the (3) ........................., or to an (4) ............................ The entire process of moving goods or (5) ....................... from the producer or (6) ....................... to the customer or (7) ........................... is described as the (8) ........................... process. It is also known as (9) .............................. one of the four Ps.
Consumers ........... despatch ...............
e-business ..................
Mail order ............. middlemen ............ multiples ....................
Producer ............... retailers ............... sales forces ................
Sales representatives ......... wholesalers......
Dear Sara,
As the (1) manufacturer, we obviously must ensure that products reach (2) customers with maximum efficiency.
At present we use independent (3) distributors, but we should consider better alternatives. The following changes need urgent consideration:
Please call me to discuss these points as soon as possible.
Regards,
Alain
Assessment tests
1. A large building full of goodsfrom where the goods are despatched is called
a. supermarket b. hypermarket c. warehouse d. store
2. Retail outlets which pay a licence fee to trade under a famous brand name, which is a powerful advertisement are called
3. Small shops offering a personalized and highly specialized service are called
4. Selling over the Internet is known as
5. Companies that provide access to the net are called
Homework:
1. Write a letter of complaint.
2. What do you think about the future of small shops in the context of hypermarket/ supermarket boom that is currently taking place?
Glossary of terms
Chain store= magazin in retea
Consumer= consumator
Commision= comision
Multiple= magazine universal
E-commerce= comert electronic
E-shopping= cumparaturi electronice
Economies of scale= economii de scara
Franchise= franciza
Franchisor= francizor
Franchisee= francizat
Mail order= comanda prin posta
Warehouse= depozit
Door-to-door selling= vanzare din usa in usa
Internet service provider= furnizor de servicii de internet
Purchasing power= putere de cumparare
Ch.1
Ex.1: 1 identify, 2 design, 3 persuade, 4 develop, 5 modify, 6 influence
Ex.2: 1a, 2i, 3f, 4h, 5d, 6j, 7e, 8b, 9c, 10g
Ex.3: 1b, 2c, 3c, 4b, 5c
Ex.4: 1b, 2a, 3d, 4a, 5d
Chapter 2
Ex.1.1: 1 word-of-mouth, 2 institutional or prestige advertising, 3 advertising agencies, 4 advertising accounts, 5 budget, 6 brief, 7 campaign, 8 target market, 9 media planner, 10 comparative parity method, 11 counter-cyclical advertising.
Self- assessment tests: 1b, 2d, 3a, 4d, 5c.
Assessment tests: 1c, 2b, 3b, 4a, 5d.
Chapter 3
Ex. 1.1: 1f, 2c, 3d, 4g, 5b, 6e, 7a, 8h.
Ex.1.2. : 1 consumer, 2 perishable, 3 products, 4 durables, 5 added, 6 retailer, 7 service, 9 purchased, 9 patent, 10 flop
Ex.1.3. : 1 brand name, 2 brand valuation, 3 unbranded, 4 brand image, 5 own-brand, 6 intangible assets, 7 brand loyalty, 8 premium brand, 9 brand identity.
Self-assessment tests: 1b, 2a, 3d, 4c, 5b, 6c
Assessment tests: 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5c
Chapter 4
Self-assessment test: 1h, 2f, 3a, 4e, 5d, 6b, 7i, 8g, 9c.
Assessment tests:1c, 2a, 3c, 4d, 5b, 6b, 7a
Chapter 5
Ex. 1.1.: chain stores 13, cold-calling 10, commission 7, door-to-door selling 6, e-commerce 14, franchises 5, hypermarkets 11, internet service providers 15, large multiples 3, mail order 8, mail order companies 8, purchasing power 4, specialist retailers 12, telesales staff 9, warehouses 2.
Self-assessment tests:
2. consumers 2, despatch 7, e-business 11, mail order 10, middlemen 4, multiples 9, producer 1, retailers 8, sales forces 5, sales representatives 6, wholesalers 3.
Assessment tests: 1c, 2a, 3d, 4b, 5a
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