Think about trade fairs and business events. Have a go — don't worry about mistakes.
Say 3 things you already know how to say in English when you meet someone at a business event. Try from memory — no notes!
Write your ideas here too — it helps you remember:
Today: introducing yourself and your company at a trade fair — so you can have confident first conversations with visitors and other exhibitors.
Why does this matter?
🤝
The first 60 seconds at a trade fair booth decide everything.
A visitor stops at your stand. You have one minute to make a good impression — in English. What do you say? How do you start? How do you describe what your company does?
Thousands of exhibitors, hundreds of visitors — the people who can explain clearly and confidently get the best contacts.
Activate — New Content
Step 1: The Greeting
At a trade fair, you need a clear, professional greeting. Look at these two versions:
❌ Unclear
"Hi. I am here. I have company."
✅ Clear & Professional
"Hello! Welcome to our stand. I'm Anna, the CEO of BrightLine Solutions."
What differences do you notice? Which sounds more professional? Why?
The Framework: 4 Steps to a Great First Contact
1
GREET — Welcome + your name + your position
2
COMPANY — What your company does (one sentence)
3
PRODUCT — Your main product or service (one sentence)
4
CONNECT — Ask about THEM
Useful Phrases — Step 1: GREET
👋
"Hello! Welcome to our stand."
A warm, professional first line at your booth
🏷
"I'm [name], the [position] of [company]."
Clear introduction — name + job title + company name
😊
"Nice to meet you." / "Good to see you."
Simple, polite follow-up
Useful Phrases — Step 2: COMPANY
🏢
"We are a [type] company from [country]."
Example: "We are a technology company from Spain."
⚙️
"We make / produce / sell [product]."
What your company does — one clear sentence
🌍
"We work with clients in [region/number of countries]."
Shows the size and reach of your business
Useful Phrases — Steps 3 & 4: PRODUCT + CONNECT
⭐
"Our main product is [name]. It's [adjective]."
One product + one strong adjective (natural, premium, innovative...)
🔄
"And you? What company are you from?"
Turn the conversation — ask about the other person
❓
"What brings you to the fair?"
Great open question — works with everyone
Now close your eyes or look away. Can you remember the 4 steps? Say them aloud: Step 1 is... Step 2 is... Step 3 is... Step 4 is...
Activate — Practice
🔍 Watch — Listen to this model introduction
"Hello! Welcome to our stand. I'm Thomas, the Sales Director of SolaCraft. We're a lighting design company from the Netherlands. We design smart lighting systems for offices and hotels. Our main product is the SolaPanel — it's energy-efficient and very modern.
And you? What company are you from?"
Notice: Thomas used all 4 steps. He kept it short. He asked about the other person at the end.
👆 Click to check: can you find all 4 steps in Thomas's introduction?
1. GREET: "Hello! Welcome to our stand. I'm Thomas, the Sales Director of SolaCraft."
2. COMPANY: "We're a lighting design company from the Netherlands."
3. PRODUCT: "Our main product is the SolaPanel — it's energy-efficient and very modern."
4. CONNECT: "And you? What company are you from?"
🤝 Together — Let's build one together
Imagine a company. Together, we will build an introduction using the 4 steps. Start with Step 1 — suggest a greeting, a name, and a position.
Say your idea for Step 1 (GREET). Then we move to Step 2 together.
Write your ideas below as we build together:
Step 1 — GREET:
Step 2 — COMPANY:
Step 3 — PRODUCT:
Step 4 — CONNECT:
🚀 Your Turn — Your real introduction
Now it's your turn. Write YOUR introduction for YOUR company, using the 4 steps. Then you will practise saying it aloud.
Now stand up if you can. Say your introduction aloud — without reading! Try to remember it. It's OK to look at your notes the first time, but then try again without them.
👆 Click after you've spoken: self-check — did you include all 4 steps?
Step 1: GREET — Did you say your name and position?
Step 2: COMPANY — Did you say what your company does?
Step 3: PRODUCT — Did you mention your main product?
Step 4: CONNECT — Did you ask about the other person?
Demonstrate — Application
🎭 Trade Fair Role Play
Time to use your introduction in realistic situations. Choose 2 of the 4 scenarios below. For each one, do a full introduction using the 4-step framework.
Click a scenario to select it.
AA visitor walks to your stand and looks at your display. They seem interested but don't say anything. You start the conversation.
BYou are at the coffee area during a break. The person next to you has a name badge from a big company. You introduce yourself.
CAnother exhibitor from a different country comes to your stand. They want to know about your business. You introduce yourself and your company.
DYou are at the networking dinner after the fair. You sit next to someone you don't know. You start a conversation.
⏱ Timed Practice
For each scenario: speak your full introduction. Try to keep it under 60 seconds — clear, confident, and complete.
1:00
Scenario 1: Do your full introduction. Go!
After you finish, write down any words or phrases that were difficult:
1:00
Scenario 2: Different situation, same framework. Go!
Responding when THEY introduce themselves
At a trade fair, you don't only introduce yourself — you also need to respond when someone introduces their company. Here are useful responses:
👍
"That sounds interesting!"
🤔
"How long have you been in this market?"
🌐
"Do you work mainly in Europe, or internationally?"
Imagine someone just introduced their company. Use one of these responses and then ask a follow-up question of your own.
Demonstrate — Elaboration
🎙 Teach It Back
Imagine you are teaching a colleague how to introduce themselves at a trade fair in English. Explain the 4-step framework — in your own words.
Explain the 4 steps to a colleague. Don't look at the lesson — use your memory. What is Step 1? Step 2? Step 3? Step 4? Why is each step important?
✍ Written Task: The "Lift Pitch"
You are in a lift (elevator) at the trade fair hotel. You have 30 seconds. Write your shortest possible company introduction — maximum 3 sentences.
3:00
👆 Click to see an example lift pitch
"Hi, I'm Maria from TerraLogix. We design packaging solutions for the European market. We work with clients in 15 countries — can I show you our latest range?"
Notice: Short, clear, ends with an invitation. Compare with yours — is yours clear enough for a 30-second conversation?
🔀 Mixed Practice — Which step is missing?
Read each introduction below. One step from the framework is missing. Which one?
Introduction 1: "Hello! I'm Karl from NovaTech. We design smart security systems. Our main product is the NovaGuard — it's reliable and very modern."
Which step is missing? Say your answer, then click to check.
👆 Click to check
Missing: Step 4 — CONNECT. Karl didn't ask about the other person. The conversation stops. He could add: "What about you? What brings you to the fair?"
Introduction 2: "Welcome to our stand! We are a software company from Italy. We build tools for online shops. And you? What company are you from?"
Which step is missing? Say your answer, then click to check.
👆 Click to check
Missing: Step 1 — GREET (partially). They didn't say their name or position. The visitor doesn't know who they're talking to. They could add: "I'm Sofia, the Export Manager."
Introduction 3: "Hi, I'm Pedro, the founder of VentureBox. Nice to meet you! What brings you here today?"
Which steps are missing? Say your answer, then click to check.
👆 Click to check
Missing: Steps 2 & 3 — COMPANY and PRODUCT. Pedro is friendly, but the visitor doesn't know what VentureBox does or offers. He could add: "We build co-working spaces for startups. Our newest location is the VentureHub in Berlin."
Consolidate
🔄 Quick Review
Let's see what comes to mind from things you already know. Try from memory — no looking back!
Without looking at anything — what are 3 ways to greet someone in English in a professional situation?
What is the difference between "make" and "do" in English? Can you give one example of each?
How do you say your phone number in English? Say your real phone number now — digit by digit.
🧠 Final Review
Close your eyes or look away from the screen. Now:
Say the 4-step framework from memory. What is each step called? What do you do in each step?
Now write it from memory:
👆 Click to check your answer
1. GREET — Welcome + name + position
2. COMPANY — What your company does
3. PRODUCT — Your main product (+ one adjective)
4. CONNECT — Ask about the other person
How many did you get? Which one did you forget?
💭 Thinking About Thinking
What helped you remember the framework today? Was it the visual steps, the practice, the role play — or something else?
✅ I can...
We said you'd be able to have confident first conversations at a trade fair. Can you?
I can greet a visitor professionally at a trade fair stand.
I can introduce myself with my name, position, and company.
I can describe what my company does in one sentence.
I can describe my main product with one adjective.
I can ask the other person about their company.
Which of these "I can" statements are you most confident about? Which one needs more practice before the fair?