Page 20 - How to write effective business English your guide to excellent professional communication by Fiona Talbot
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02
Business writing
for today
Winning business through English
Years ago, it often took longer to do deals than it does today. The
ritual involved initial telephone enquiries or formal letters of intro-
duction, and preliminary and follow-up meetings for two or more
parties to ‘sound each other out’.
Today the layer of detailed introductions and small talk has
partly given way to addressing the real purpose: to drive business
success. Upcoming generations increasingly ditch phone calls and
meetings where they can, preferring the written word to achieve
results.
But there may be a gap between how you were taught to write
English at school or university and how you need to write it for
business.
Academic writing compared
to business writing
These are two almost entirely different genres. Their goals are dif-
ferent, and they require different approaches.
