Very positive correct very well encouraging increasing

Exercise 4. Match the statement with the reply.

We made a bad choice. They aren’t increasing, I’m afraid

The reorganization was a well, we certainly didn’t make

complete disaster. a good one.

Initial reaction was it certainly wasn’t cheap

disappointing.

The projections were it isn’t the most efficient system,

wrong. I’m sorry to say.

The new warehouse was it hasn’t been an unqualified success

ridiculously expensive. that’s for sure.

We are in a difficult I’m afraid that it wasn’t very

phase. encouraging.

The changes have been we certainly aren’t in an easy phase,

badly managed. that’s for sure.

Sales are falling. They certainly haven’t been managed

well, that’s obvious.

Our stock management well, they certainly weren’t

is very inefficient. absolutely one hundred per cent

correct.

Exercise 5. Complete the sentences with the words below.

Initial reaction was wasn’t very …………… .

The projections certainly weren’t absolutely one hundred per cent ……… .

Our stock management isn’t the most …… system, I’m sorry to say.

The changes certainly haven’t been managed ………, that’s obvious.

Sales aren’t …………., I’m afraid.

The new warehouse certainly wasn’t ……… .

We certainly aren’t in an ……….. phase, that’s for sure.

The reorganization hasn’t been an unqualified ……., that’s for sure.

Well, we certainly didn’t make a ………. choice.

good efficient increasing encouraging well

cheap easy correct success

Asking for clarification

When we are talking to somebody, we don’t always understand everything they say.

There are two useful techniques for dealing with this.

Firstly, we can simply ask them to repeat what they said.

Could you say that again please?

I didn’t follow that. Could you repeat it?

Secondly, we can ask them to say again a specific piece of information.

What time did you say?

Where exactly are we to meet?

Exercise 1. Put in order.

1. Sorry ,I’m, that. I ,catch, didn’t, but

2. Follow, you. I’m, I sorry, don’t

3. I ,what ,don’t, you, see, mean

4. Sorry, I, that, missed

5. Can, please? that, repeat ,you

6. It ,explain ,please ,could, you ,again

7. That, please? again, say, you, could

8. Run, again? you, that ,could ,through

Exercise 2. Complete the text.

Catch \that \repeat\run\follow\explain\see\missed

1. I’m sorry but I didn’t ….that. Can you…that, please ?

2. I’m sorry, I don’t … you. Could you … it again, please?

3. I don’t … what you mean. Could you ... through that again?

4. Sorry, I … that. Could you say … again, please?

Exercise 3. Complete the text with: If\ where\ who\ what\ how many\how much\ which \when\why

1. Sorry ...did you say it will cost in the first quarter?

2. Sorry ... products did we have to recall and in what quantity?

3. Sorry, but ... did we have the first problem?

4. Sorry, but ... are these parts manufactured?

5. Can you tell us approximately… people will be laid off?

6. Can you tell us … will be in change of the project when Jo leaves?

7. Could you explain … we are having these problems?

8. I’d like to know ... you have a solution to put forward.

9. Could you explain … you intend to do to rectify the situation?

Exercise 4. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

1. Sorry but when

2. Can you tell us approximately how many

3. Sorry, how much

4. Could you explain what

5. Sorry, I missed that. Who

6. Could you explain why

7. Sorry but where

8. I’d like to know if

9. Sorry, which sites

1. will be involved in the restructing ?

2. did you say this would begin?

3. We have so much left in stock?

4. Will be in charge of the project?

5. Will we need to invest to increase our capacity?

6. New jobs this will create?

7. You mean in a little more detail, please?

8. We can do this without increasing prices substantially.

9. Can we find the quality we need at the price we want to pay?

Exercise 5. Can you remember the sentences?

1. Sorry but… did you say this would begin?

2. Can you tell us approximately… new jobs this will create?

3. Sorry,… will we need to invest to increase our capacity?

4. Could you explain… you mean in a little more detail, please?

5. Sorry, I missed that…. will be in charge of the project?

6. Could you explain… we have so much left in stock?

7. Sorry but… can we find the quality we need at the price we want to pay?

8. I’d like to know … we can do this without increasing prices substantially.

9. Sorry,… sites will be involved in the restructing?

Asking for Clarification(2)

Sometimes you can only ask questions at the end of a presentation. In that case, you need to refer back to the point in the talk you need clarification on. Here are some useful expressions to help you do that:

First focus on the point you want to discuss

You talked about

You talked about the problems with the Glasgow office.

You told us about

You told us about the success of the new Singapore plant.

You dealt with

You dealt with the difficulties with the new system quite quickly.

You described

You described the reaction of the workers to the changes as 'broadly positive'.

You commented on

You commented on the problems with the euro.

You referred to

You referred to the poor economic outlook.

You mentioned

You mentioned the drop in sales in Europe.

Then ask for clarification

Could you tell us

Could you tell us why you did that?

Could you tell us if you think that was the right thing to do?

Could you explain

Could you explain why you said that?

Could you explain the thinking behind that?

These set phrases can be very useful

Could you be a bit more specific?

Could you give us more details?

Could you elaborate on that?

Exercise 1. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

You talked with the issue of late delivery

You told on the financial implications

You dealt your plans for the next five years

You described to the situation in France

You commented us about the difficulties you had calculating the costs

You referred competitors

You mentioned about the plant in Slovakia.

Exercise 2. Put in order.

1. design, commented, you, the, on

2. with, transport, of, the, dealt, you, question

3. you, described, situation, the, year, last

4. legislation, mentioned, you, new

5. budget, referred, restrictions, to, you

6. talked, changing, location, you, about

7. projects, you, the, about, research, told, us

Exercise 3.Complete the sentences.

Referred,commented,think,describe,go,elaborate,talked,mentioned,dealt,be,told,give,tell

1. You ____________ on the design. Could you ____us who did it?

2. You _________ with the question of transport. Could you explain what changes you will make?

3. You___________ the situation last year. Could you tell us if you ______this year will be similar?

4. You_________new legislation .Could you ______ a bit more specific?

5. You ________to budget restrictions. Could you _____us more details?

6. You_____about changing location. Could you _____on that?

7. You_____us about the research projects. Could you _____through those again?

Exercise 4. Complete the text.

1. You briefly explained the new recruitment procedure.

2. Could you run… us more about it

3. You gave us a list affecting sales. Could you go through it? again?

4. You mentioned a new range to be launched next

year. Could you tell over it again?

5. You mentioned new projects. Could you

elaborate more specific?

6. You referred to further investment. Could

you be on that .

7. You said $ 6 million could be written off.

could you explain that figure?

Exercise 5. Can you remember these sentences?

1. You briefly explained the new recruitment procedure. Could you ________through it again?

2. You gave us a list of factors affecting sales. Could you ________over it again?

3. You mentioned a new range to be launched next year .Could you ____us more about that?

4. You mentioned new projects .Could you ___on that?

5. You referred to further investment. Could you______ more specific?

6. You said $ 6 million would be written off. Could you ____that figure?

Dealing with questions

At the end of your talk, you may get questions. You don't have to answer all the questions - they may not be good questions!

If it is a good question, thank the person and answer it.

Some of the questions may be irrelevant and not connected to what you want to say. Say so and get another question.

Some may be unnecessary because you have already given the answer. Repeat the answer briefly and get the next question.

And some may be difficult because you don't have the information. Again, say so and offer to find the information or ask the person asking the question what they think.

When you get a question, comment on it first. This will give you time to think.

Exercise 1. Categorize the responses to the type of question.

Good Unnecessary Irrelevant Difficult

I am sorry but I don’t have this information to hand.

Can I get back to you about that?

A good question.

I'm not in a position to comment on that.

I think I answered that when I said …

I don't see the connection.

As I said earlier, …

I'm glad you've asked that question.

That's a very interesting question.

I did mention that.

I'm sorry, I don’t follow you.

I think that is a very different issue.

Exercise 2. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

I did mention about that?

I don't see I said …

Can I get back to you on that

I'm sorry, I don’t that question.

I think I answered that when that

I think that is a very different the connection

I'm glad you've asked you

I'm not in a position to comment interesting question.

I'm sorry but I don't have that information issue

That's a very to hand

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences.

1. I'm sorry, I don’t ______________you.

2. I'm not in a position to ______________on that.

3. As I ______ earlier, …

4. I'm glad you've ______ that question.

5. I _______ that is a very different issue.

6. I'm afraid I can't __________ that.

7. I think I __________ that when I said …

8. I don't ______ the connection.

9. I did __________ that.

10. Can I___________ to you about that?

11. I'm sorry but I ______________ that information to hand.

Rhetorical questions

Presentations are more interesting if you use a conversational style. They are more lively and you establish a rapport between you and your audience. You can do this by using a question and answer technique – you ask a question and then answer it. Your questions create anticipation and guide your audience to your point of view.

For example:

Late delivery is a big problem. What is the best solution? There are two possible solutions. First …

Here are some exercises to help you practice this technique

Exercise 1. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

It’s a complex question what is the best solution

I’ve given you the three possible So, what results have we had?

scenarios So, how much do we need to invest?

Late delivery is the most serious So, what action do we take now?

problem we are facing So, how long will it take to sort out?

New production capacity will So, which would I recommend?

cost money

That is the total budget to date How did we do this?

That resumes the challenges

facing us Why we get profits?

The new organization is six months

old. What do these figures mean?

Turnover increased substantially

in the last financial year.

We have cut our production

costs dramatically

Exercise 2. Complete the questions.

1) New production capacity will cost money. So, ……………… do we need to invest?

2) Late delivery is the biggest problem we are facing. ……………… is the best solution?

3) I’ve given you three possible scenarios. So, ……………… would I recommend?

4) Turnover increased substantially in the last financial year. ………… didn’t profits?

5) It is a complex legal situation. So, …………….. will it take to sort out?

6) That is the total budget to date. ……………... do these figures mean?

7) We have cut our production costs dramatically. …………….. did we do this?

8) That resumes the challenges facing us. So, …………………. do we take now?

9) The new organization is six months old. So, ……………… have we had?

What, which, why, how, what results, how much, what, how long, what action.

Exercise 3. Match the question with the reply.

It is a complex legal situation. So, how long will it take to sort out?	The first thing we need to do is …
I’ve given you three possible scenarios. So, which would I recommend?	There are two solutions. First …
Late delivery is a big problem. What is the best solution?	I think the first scenario is …
New production capacity will cost money. So, how much do we need to invest?	They mean we are still on target.
That is the total budget to date. What do these figures mean?	They mean we are still on target. Possibly years.
That resumes the challenges facing us. So, what action do we take now?	We did three things. First …
The new organization is six months old. So, what results have we had?	It is still early days but …
Turnover increased substantially in the last financial year. Why didn’t profits?	Twenty – five million.
We have cut our production costs dramatically. How did we do this?	The first reason is …

Focusing attention

When we really want to focus the attention of our audience on an important point, we can use this "What ……. is …."

Look at these examples:

We must cut costs.

What we must do is cut costs.

We need more reliable suppliers.

What we need is more reliable suppliers.

Exercise 1. Match the sentences with their paraphrased equivalents.

I want to talk about next year What I want to move to

now is the results of the survey.

We need to consider our options What we have done is

ask for more time

I have tried to look at it from a

different angle What we are going to do

is recall all the products.

I want to look at the forecast for the

next quarter What we did was look at

alternative suppliers.

I want to move onto the results of

the survey What I want to look at

is the forecast for the next year.

We looked at alternative suppliers. What we will do is review the

situation next month.

We have asked for more time What we need to do is consider

our options.

We will review the situation next What I want to talk about is next

month year.

We are going to recall all the

products What I have tried to do is to look

at it from different angle.

Exercise 2. Paraphrase the sentences using emphatic What .

1. I’ve tried to cut costs in this area.

2. I want to talk about recruitment.

3. I am going to give you a brief overview of the changes.

4. We are aiming to double production over the next six months.

5. We have made several important changes.

6. We need to invest in new equipment.

7. We should consider the impacts of cash flow.

8. We will implement the new policy as from July,1.

Cause and effect

When you are giving a presentation, your job is to not only present the facts but also to give the reasons (why), the purpose (objectives) and the results.

In a presentation, the language used is often very simple, much simpler than if we were writing.

For example:

Reason:

We sold the land because we needed to release the cash.

We closed the offices in London because they were too expensive to run.

Purpose:

We set up the team to look at possible ways to improve efficiency.

We sold the land to get necessary capital for investment.

Result:

We sold the land and had enough cash to invest in new equipment.

We expanded the sales network and sales increased.

Exercise 3. Categorize the statements.

reason purpose result

Hosepipe bans were introduced and water was conserved for essential use.

The smoking ban was introduced and two million people stopped smoking.

The smoking ban was introduced because smoking causes serious health problems.

The smoking ban was introduced to reduce pollution in the air in public places.

The vaccination program was set up to prevent an outbreak of smallpox.

The vaccination program was set up and smallpox was eradicated.

Hosepipe bans were introduced because levels of water in reservoirs were low.

Hosepipe bans were introduced to stop people watering their gardens during a drought.

The vaccination program was set up because smallpox kills.

Exercise 4. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

The smoking ban was introduced prevent an outbreak of smallpox

to

The smoking ban was introduced smallpox was eradicated

because

The smoking ban was introduced stop people watering their gardens

and during a drought.

Hosepipe bans were introduced water was conserved for essential use.

to

Hosepipe bans were introduced levels of water in reservoirs were low.

because

Hosepipe bans were introduced smoking causes serious health

and problems.

The vaccination program was smallpox kills.

set up because

The vaccination program was and two million people stopped

set up and smoking.

Exercise 5. Complete the text.

The vaccination program was set up…….. smallpox was eradicated.

Hosepipe bans were introduced…. water was conserved for essential use.

The smoking ban was introduced …. reduce pollution in the air in public places.

Hosepipe bans were introduced…. levels of water in reservoirs were low.

The vaccination program was set up… smallpox kills.

The smoking ban was introduced … smoking causes serious health problems.

Hosepipe bans were introduced … stop people watering their gardens during a drought.

The vaccination program was set up… prevent an outbreak of smallpox.

The smoking ban was introduced… two million people stopped smoking.

Exercise 6. Complete the texts.

The charity was set up…..help homeless people. There were many young homeless people on the streets……..of high cost of housing.

The charity was set up …..money was raised to provide shelters in the city.

We set up the inquiry …investigate the causes of the accident .We established the causes ….put new safety measures into place .We introduced a new training program ….the number of minor injuries fell.

We relocated the production ….cut our manufacturing cost. We chose Poland ….there is a plentiful supply of cheap ,skilled labor. We have opened the new factory …reduced our costs by more than 25 %.

Exercise 7. Render the text into English.

Презентація бізнес-плану здійснюється:

• для ознайомлення заінтересованих юридичних і фізичних осіб з новим бізнесом;

• для демонстрації в найдоступнійшій формі сутності підприємницької ідеї, кращих ділових якостей підприємця та команди провідних менеджерів фірми;

• для започаткування активних партнерських відносин з потенційними кредиторами та інвесторами.

У процесі презентації бізнес-план має викликати почуття оптимізму та ентузіазму. Інвестори не вкладатимуть свої гроші в проект, який не матиме для них бізнесового інтересу. Будь-який потенційний інвестор чи кредитор у процесі презентації бізнес-плану хоче переконатися в його реалістичності та ефективності. Якщо в процесі презентації підприємець буде спроможним довести до свідомості інвесторів (кредиторів) основні цілі, свої можливості та кінцеві результати, то він, як правило, може сподіватися на фінансову підтримку.

При цьому бізнесові інтереси заінтересованих осіб (кредиторів, інвесторів) не збігаються. Кредитора, як уже було сказано, передовсім турбує здатність компанії повернути свій борг. Він задовольняється тим, щоб регулярно виплачувались і борг, і проценти за користування позичкою.

Інвестори-акціонери прискіпливіше розглядатимуть сам бізнес-план. Вони будуть особливо уважними до питань, пов'язаних із розумним компромісом між інтересами акціонерного товариства та їхніми власними інтересами. Інвестора інтересуватимуть перспективи прибутковості та зміцнення бізнесових позицій на ринку. Як відомо, ринок інвестицій характеризується найвищим рівнем конкуренції.

Якщо діяльність фірми буде успішною, то це позитивно позначатиметься на нормі прибутку інвестора, який одержує частку в доході в обмін на інвестиції. інвестори готові прийняти на себе більший ризик за умови отримання більшого прибутку. Якщо ж прибуток є неспівмірним із ризиком, то інвестування в бізнесовий проект стає невигідним.

Дуже важливим моментом процесу презентації бізнес-плану є показ очікуваних обсягів продажу в динаміці за певний період. При цьому прогнози мають бути реалістичними, інакше можна поставити під сумнів обґрунтованість самого проекту.

Наступним важливим кроком у процесі презентації є: пояснення обсягів необхідного інвестування, напрямів його використання; обґрунтування прибутковості вкладеного капіталу; наголошення на можливостях і термінах повернення позичкових коштів. Якщо ці дані старанно підготовлені й переконливо доведені в ході презентації бізнес-плану, вони можуть стати одним з важливих критеріїв оцінки привабливості започатковуваного бізнесу.

У процесі презентації бізнес-плану підприємцеві обов'язково треба довести своє вміння передбачити всі можливі типи та джерела виникнення ризиків, на які можна натрапити в новому бізнесі. При цьому дуже важливо виокремити найбільш імовірні ризики з тим, аби перекинути «місток» до відповіді на запитання, як зменшити ризики й утрати.

Слід зазначити, що відверте, виважене і стисле обговорення цього питання в процесі презентації бізнес-плану передовсім характеризуватиме Вас як підприємця з кращого боку, а також засвідчить, що Ви виявляєте належну турботу про ефективне використання й захист капіталу, який збираєтесь одержати від свого партнера.

Тривалість презентації звичайно становить біля 20 хвилин. Після цього підприємець має бути готовий до відповідей на запитання, оскільки найголовніше завдання презентації бізнес-плану полягає в налагодженні діалогу з потенційними інвесторами.

Процес презентації бізнес-плану буде ефективним, якщо враховуватиме ті чинники, які «зваблюють» кредиторів та інвесторів до фінансування й співробітництва. Досвід свідчить, що найбільшу увагу привертають такі чинники:

• особисті ділові якості підприємця, його здібності як керівника;

• явно виражена заінтересованість підприємця своїм бізнесом, бажання будь-що досягти поставленої мети;

• професійна компетентність та обізнаність підприємця в практичних організаційно-економічних питаннях бізнесу;

• склад провідних менеджерів фірми, їх кваліфікація, досвід попередні досягнення та успіхи, збалансованість знань і кваліфікації команди менеджерів у цілому.

New Business Presentation Example

Speech preface

Home From Home provides fully-serviced flats and houses to local businesses as an alternative to forcing their staff and visiting customers to stay in uncomfortable local hotels.

The presentation and speech that follows was written for a new business event for an audience of PA’s and HR personnel. The speech seeks to humanise the experience of being ‘put up’ in a hotel in a strange city as well as hint at the negative effects that this could potentially have on your business success.

The conclusion is a unique and clear call to action. The objective of the speech was to get as many people as possible to view Home From Home’s properties and so this is highlighted as a ‘must do’ in the conclusion, even planting clear tasks in the mind of the audience, such as ‘feeling every cushion’ and ‘checking every oven door’.

This speech looks to build a simple yet persuasive argument using Aristotle’s three key elements of speechwriting: Ethos, Pathos and Logos.

Ethos, the character and credentials of the speaker, are addressed in the opening of the speech. The speaker is introduced and the mild humour of thanking the waiters for the canapés helps to portray a friendly and caring speaker.

Pathos, the emotional side of the argument is delivered through a real-life example, encouraging the audience to draw on their own negative experiences of staying in hotels and to place themselves within the story. The fear of losing a top staff member or important customer is also played upon by suggesting that they could be the individuals having a negative hotel experience.

Finally Logos, the logic and factual evidence behind the argument is given. This comprises of Home From Home’s past experience and service levels as well as an invite to encounter first-hand the accommodation that Home From Home provides.

Good evening ladies and gentleman and on behalf of Home From Home I would like to welcome you to the Grand Café.

My name is Rich Watts. Thank you for accepting our invitation to join us here this evening and I hope that in return for us providing you with canapés and drinks (which are lovely by the way. Nod to waiters.), you’ll take the time now to listen to me for ten minutes as I tell you a little bit about the downfall of the modern hotel.

Customers and employees are key to any business.

Great customers place large orders and help you to make profits and grow.

Great employees work hard, save you costs and provide outstanding customer service.

So why do we insist on taking them away from their homes and putting them in small dark rooms in strange cities?

Let’s have a think about what our most important customers and outstanding staff members experience when they go on an away job or come to visit our offices for a crucial meeting about placing that big order.

First of all we make them travel a long distance away from their home and loved ones.

We then make them work hard all day at our offices or in meetings.

Then we expect them to return to a single room in a city that they do not know.

After this long day we then ask them to go out in the evening and search for somewhere to eat.

We make our best staff and customers pay restaurant prices for food that they may not like or enjoy, especially if they are used to food from another culture.

We then request that they return to their room and enjoy the very best that British Freeview television has to offer until they get so bored that sleeping is better than staying awake.

The following day we then ask them to do this all again and remain motivated or interested in that big business deal.

Is this how you want your best employees or customers treated?

At Home From Home we’ve found that businesses have much happier customers and staff if they really look after them when they are on the road. It’s for this reason that we supply serviced accommodation; fully furnished flats or houses to help ensure that your key staff and customers can relax properly when working away from home.

Serviced accommodation overcomes all of the inadequacies of hotels by providing a perfect home from home with full cooking facilities, TV and DVD player and washing/drying facilities.

Instead of sitting on the end of an uncomfortable hotel bed watching Freeview, your visitors can cook for themselves, watch their favourite films and lie down on a sofa in their pyjamas – they can even bring their family with them if they want to.

You might think that serviced accommodation is costly and that the first question that your boss will ask you when you book a room is ‘how much extra did it cost?’

In fact, serviced accommodation is 30% cheaper than an equivalent hotel.

The rate that you pay includes all utility bills, a flat screen TV with digital/Sky and Internet access as well as a weekly linen change and maid service.

So why use Home From Home for your serviced accommodation?

Home From Home has been in business for over 25 years now and is owned and run by David Smith, son of the original Home From Home founders. Having grown up watching his mother run this business, you could say that David has been bred to do this, or that he has serviced accommodation in his blood, or any other cliché that you wish to use!

David now works with an expert team who are all here tonight (you can identify them by their rather stunning Home From Home shirts) to manage properties in Bristol, London and Edinburgh.

All properties are a minimum of 3 or 4 star quality, contain between 1 and 5 bedrooms depending on your needs and are award-winning. You can book nightly or block bookings (for which there may be a discount, David?).

Ok, so what now?

You’ll notice that the presentation behind me has no images in it – you haven’t actually seen the properties that your key staff or best customers will be staying in.

This is because we’ve paid lots of money for expensive photo shoots for each apartment and the images that are produced still don’t do the properties justice.

The best way to experience what your staff and customers will experience when they stay with Home From Home is to get up to one of our properties and touch and feel every cushion, check every oven door, take in every room and look at every view from each every window.

Fortunately, we have one of these wonderful properties just upstairs and our team will be happy to show you around it in the next few minutes.

And please when you’re up there experiencing the apartment, think about how it compares to your last business trip when you stayed in a Premier Inn!

Thank you!

Presentation Example 2

Thank you ladies and gentlemen. What a warm welcome, and let me thank you for that by opening with a beautiful topic:

Bacteria.

Mmm. Kind of makes you warm and fuzzy, doesn't it? But we're going to talk about bacteria this afternoon because they have everything to do with our company right now, today.

Like the rest of the world, we're at something of a crossroads, where traditional advertising methods no longer provide the impact they once did, and we have to look to new ways of building both brand and loyalty.

Now if I'm talking about social media marketing and some of the modern buzzwords, I'm a bit on target. But exactly what is it about these new methods that makes them so successful?

Well this is where bacteria come in. Now generally speaking, bacteria have sort of a bad name because when we think bacteria, we think disease. But you've heard about the health benefits of probiotics -- those little buggers you find in yogurt, for example. Well those are friendly bacteria. So there are good and bad bacteria.

What you probably don't know, however, is that there are approximately 9 times more microbial cells in and on your body than there are human cells!

Think about that! In one sense, what you think of as your body is 9 times more someone else's body, and you cannot exist without this microbial zoo.

In fact, just in your gut you carry about 2-5 pounds of bacteria, and even though they're not technically human body cells ... guess what:

United, those bacteria function as an additional organ in your body, making it possible for you to process food and live.

Folks, I want you to think carefully about this. All the years, we've treated our bodies as our bodies. And we've also treated our businesses as our businesses. In doing so, it's not like we've wiped out the human race or been entirely ineffective in business. But what we're discovering is that the more we pay attention to our bacteria and promote their health, the more we promote a positive life experience for ourselves. Because it's a symbiotic relationship.

In the same way, we have to stop thinking in terms of our business apart from our customers. They are an actual organ of the business itself.

Now I could keep it simple without expanding this analogy, but I think it's important that we expand it so we understand this whole social media marketing trend.

Even if you take into account that bacteria are an important part of your body, you might like to still think that you decide what to put in your mouth and the bacteria just help you to draw nutrients from the food, replenishing your body so that you stay alive and keep the process going. In this case, a healthy respect for the bacteria would have you consuming foods that support their well-being. But you're still in charge, right?

In the same way, you might think that a business can simply decide what to produce and then rely on the customers to consume the products and sustain the business with income. A healthy respect for the customers would have us producing things that improve their life experience. End of story, right?

Well here's the frightful truth: bacteria may do more to decide what you eat than you realize. When certain bacteria get out of control, the latest research suggests that this can lead to overeating and obesity. In a similar way, people with too much fungus in their bodies -- which feeds on sugar -- crave sweet foods.

So what does this tell us in business? What does it remind us?

That the demands of our third-party organ, our customers, is what should drive product selection and, to some extent, our very identity.

This, my friends ... [pause] this is the power of social media marketing. Many businesses have made the mistake of thinking that the power of social media is that social websites are simply where the people are. So you go where the people are and you slap up more advertising.

No, no, no. This is almost exactly the opposite of what our modern understanding of health and business are showing us. Yes, you can still scoop up some customers this way perhaps. But this is an old model that people are actively moving away from. BUT ...

... they are absolutely moving toward any place where they can be a meaningful organ within a business, helping to shape identity and product selection. And until we had interactive platforms like we do in social media, we didn't have a very practical, immediate way of engaging customers to this degree.

Now that we have it ... we need to use it. Not force it. Not make it what our old media models offered. But to use it for what it offers -- a true interaction with those who make up so much of who we are.