Marketing is an important part of many businesses and is a large part of many conversations during meetings. Are you learning English for the workplace? If so, these 15 marketing idioms in English will be useful.
15 Marketing Idioms in English
Across the board
Definition: Applying to all.
Example: We will be making changes to the company across the board: our mission, our employee structure, and even our logo.
Bank on
Definition: Rely on (confidently).
Example: We are banking on a final investor to help get this project running.
Birds of a feather (flock together)
Definition: People with the same interests will often be found together.
Example: These investors are birds of a feather: they all went to Harvard, work on Wall Street, and golf together.
Bring something to the table
Definition: To provide a useful or helpful addition.
Example: We need each of the employees to bring something to the table during next week’s meeting: everyone needs to have a marketing plan for the next year and three suggested changes to our business model.
Fish where the fish are
Definition: Use resources, such as time, where the highest results will be.
Example: We have to fish where the fish are. I don’t think this marketing campaign is useful because it targets people outside of our age demographic.
Gain followers/subscribers
Definition: To get more followers on social media.
Example: In order to gain more followers, we’ve identified effective hashtags.
Go viral
Definition: To quickly become popular on the internet.
Example: After her post went viral, she received many advertising opportunities.
In the long run
Definition: Over a long period of time; eventually.
Example: We are putting a lot of time and money into this project, but in the long run it will be worth it.
In the works
Definition: In the planning stages.
Example: We have an exciting new project in the works.
Land (an account)
Definition: To sign a new client.
Example: He landed two new accounts last week.
Payoff
Definition: The return on an investment or on a bet.
Example: The pay-off for this risk was huge!
Put (something) on the map
Definition: To make a product famous.
Example: This new marketing campaign will help put our product on the map.
Sold on
Definition: Convinced of.
Example: He’s not sold on the idea: I think we should prepare some examples for him of why it will be a good idea.
Selling point
Definition: Something that will convince someone to purchase something or say yes to an idea.
Example: For me, the selling point was the budget you created. It was well-written and showed that you’re financially responsible.
Word-of-mouth marketing
Definition: A type of marketing that relies on advertising through conversation. The company creates the initial “conversation” about the product and attempts to make this conversation spread.
Example: They used word-of-mouth marketing to create some buzz about their product. After that, it went viral!
CISL San Diego and San Francisco offer Business English and Premier English programs to help students improve their professional English skills in a small classroom setting. With CISL’s Premier English programs, (Executive English in San Diego and Global Success in San Francisco) students are in a class of no more than 4 students and receive individualized training and curriculum based on their professional goals and needs. Contact CISL to learn more.