How to write effective business English

How to write effective business English

01 Why are you writing?
Who are your readers?
What’s the purpose of your writing?
Readers take just a few seconds to judge your writing
How formal or informal do you need to be?
Your checklist for action
02 Business writing for today
Winning business through English
Academic writing compared to business writing
Can you use ‘I’ in business writing?
Listen to readers’ feedback
Choosing the right style
Ideal communication
The word power skills system: four easy steps to premier business writing
Your checklist for action
03 Quality matters
Shine through your writing!
To make mistakes is only human
How readers can react to written mistakes
Further costs of getting your writing wrong
You can never fully outsource your writing
Checking for mistakes
Proofreading tips

04 Writing across generations – for colleagues as well as clients
Pool communication strengths: the rewards of generational diversity
Write to get that job
Write to recruit
Use word power to develop your career and get the results you need
Write for your boss
When you’re the boss, writing brings extra challenges!
Your checklist for action
05 Telling your story through social media
Social media has shaken ‘the rules’ of business writing
Get into the social media mindset
Get your business message to anyone, anywhere, anytime
What are the key objectives?
How do companies shine through their social media interaction?
Writing that creates trust can create a community
The long and the short of it: past, present and future
Further writing tips for key channels such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
What excites people so much they want to share it?
Call people to action – and check it’s worked
Telling your story
Your checklist for action
06 Standard or variant English?
‘Standard’ and ‘variant’ English
Writing for both native and non-native English speakers
Some surprising problems with English for global business
Define business English within your company
Your checklist for action
07 Writing globally? Or in multinational teams?
Looking at how you use English at work
Converting thoughts into words, then into writing
Better to ask if you don’t understand something
These features can perplex readers too
Muddled business writing costs on so many levels
Tune in to how English continues to evolve
Non-native English writers can have an advantage!
Your checklist for action
08 E-mail and instant messaging
General
Writing e-mails
E-mail scenarios to watch out for
Multilingual and other e-mail threads
Structure your e-mails
Designing how you write e-mails
Instant messaging and texting
Your checklist for action
09 Punctuation and grammar tips
Why punctuation and grammar matter
Punctuation and other marks
Parts of speech and other grammar
Paragraphs
Verbs and tenses
Agreement of subject and verb
Comparison
Fluidity in writing
Your checklist for action
10 Practical conventions and common confusions
Writing a date
Time
Numbers
Measurements
Words that can confuse both native English and non-native English writers
Acronyms
Active and passive
Nominalization
Your checklist for action
11 Paper is here to stay
Letters
Traditional letter format
When flexibility is key, you need to adapt letter-writing templates
A letter that involves the reader with the company’s narrative
Specific tips about addressing letters
CVs/résumés and cover letters
Your checklist for action
Conclusion: What will you do differently – and better?