随身英语 Getting something for nothing 天下没有免费的午餐
Play audio file 没有人不喜欢拿免费的东西，但俗话说，天下没有免费的午餐——在接过赠品的同时，我们其实也付出了相应的“代价”。这期节目探讨在哪些地方最有可能拿到免费的小样，还会为大家介绍商家以激励顾客消费为目的的常用营销策略。来收听本集 《随身英语》吧，这说不定会是BBC英语教学发放的最好的赠品！
课文内容 Vocabulary: marketing 词汇: 营销 Everybody likes to get a freebie – something given to you to try for free. On my commute to work today I was offered a complimentary sample of washing powder and a bottle of new mineral water. Lucky me eh? Well it's not necessarily down to luck – where you can grab a freebie depends on a number of factors.
For businesses, giving out something for nothing is an important marketing technique. We might not give it much thought but they are keen to see our reaction and hear our feedback and ultimately make us buy more. But who they hear from is very crucial. They want to target the so-called trendsetters and influencers, in the hope that they will speak positively about the product and then sell more.
In the UK, the makers of an upmarket popcorn brand gave out free packets at London's Fashion Week to create a buzz about their product by fashionable people. A spokesman said "It's less about immediate increase in sales, and more about getting our product in the hands of people who will excitedly and personally engage in our brand and story."
Living in a capital city certainly improves your chances of getting a freebie. Not only is the population larger but these places are often considered the trendsetter for retail purchases. So if you live in London, Paris or Beijing you'll probably see a new promotional campaign launched there first. The hope is that the fashionable city dwellers will try and like the new item and endorse it on social media. Eventually everyone around the country will know about it.
How businesses give away freebies is also of interest. According to behavioural economist Enrico Trevisan, they have three different approaches: "future selling, cross-selling and up-selling". The first is about giving something away assuming we will like it and buy more later. "With cross-selling, the company tries to gain new clients through an entrance product, with the intention of selling them additional products during their life cycle" and 'up-selling' happens when a basic version is given away for free but charges a client for more advanced and complete versions. Maybe you've experienced one of these approaches?
Of course a freebie is not actually free – someone has to pay for it and this usually comes from a firm's marketing budget which is funded by the products we buy – so the expression 'there's no such thing as a free lunch' could be true!
词汇表 a freebie 赠品，免费品
complimentary （公司）免费赠送的
marketing 销售，营销
feedback 反馈意见
trendsetter 引领潮流的人
influencer （营销）具有影响力的人
upmarket 高档的，高端的
brand 品牌
create a buzz 制造话题
engage in 参与到……中
retail 零售
promotional campaign 促销推广活动
endorse 宣传，推荐（产品）
future selling 远期销售
cross-selling 交叉销售
up-selling 追加销售
client 客户
budget 预算
'there's no such thing as a free lunch' “天下没有免费的午餐”，即世上没有不劳而获的事情
测验与练习 1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. What did the makers of a popcorn brand want to achieve by giving free samples to people at The London Fashion Show?
2. How do businesses think consumers will spread the word about new products?
3. True or false: Future selling is a technique that gives away free products in the hope that people will buy more advanced versions later on.
4.Who pays for the freebies that are given out?
5. Name something a business wants to know from us when they give us a freebie.
2. 请你在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处 。
1. Helen doesn't like the phone I got her. She is loyal to one ______ and won't use anything else!
brands brand branded branding
2. My brother is a ______. Whatever he decides to wear, his friends copy him.
freebie client trendsetter cross seller
3. The airport has an impressive business lounge, with free drinks and ______ wi-fi.
retail budget complimentary promotional
4. My new business is doing well – I already have over a hundred ________ on my database.
clients client cliants clienters
5. I knew the salesman was ________. He gave me a free computer game but he'll want me to buy the one with better graphics later.
cross selling future selling free selling up-selling
答案 1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. What did the makers of a popcorn brand want to achieve by giving free samples to people at The London Fashion Show?
They gave out free packets at London's Fashion Week to create a buzz about their product by fashionable people.
2. How do businesses think consumers will spread the word about new products?
The hope is that the fashionable city dwellers will try and like the new item and tell people about it on social media.
3. True or false: Future selling is a technique that gives away free products in the hope that people will buy more advanced versions later on.
False. Future selling is about giving something away assuming people will like it and buy more later.
4. Who pays for the freebies that are given out?
We do. The money comes from a firm's marketing budget which is funded by the products we buy.
5. Name something a business wants to know from us when they give us a freebie.
They are keen to see our reaction and hear our feedback
2. 请你在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处 。
1. Helen doesn't like the phone I got her. She is loyal to one brand and won't use anything else!
2. My brother is a trendsetter. Whatever he decides to wear his friends copy him.
3. The airport has an impressive business lounge, with free drinks and complimentary wi-fi.
4. My new business is doing well – I already have over a hundred clients on my database.
5. I knew the salesman was up-selling. He gave me a free computer game but he'll want me to buy the one with better graphics later.