Mastering Business Communication: Presentations, Meetings, and Etiquette
Mastering Business Communication
Giving Presentations
- Greet the audience appropriately, e.g., ‘Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,’ and introduce yourself.
- Speak clearly and at a natural speed. Try not to rush or talk too slowly.
- Make sure you keep to the allotted time. It is always better to finish early and allow more time for questions than to overrun. When using slides, allow about 2 minutes per slide.
- Keep to your plan and don’t be tempted to digress as you might lose your concentration.
- Ask at the end of your presentation if anyone has any questions and have some ready in case the audience is slow to ask any.
Remember not to:
- Read directly from a script. Instead, prepare short prompts and rehearse your presentation before the day so you feel confident about giving it.
- Stand in front of the screen and always check that everyone can see it.
- Use lots of colors and fonts for your slides, or overcrowd them with words. Keep them clear and simple.
- Use a small font because it makes it difficult for people to read your slides, particularly if they are sat at the back.
- Forget to check your slides for spelling mistakes. Mistakes like this can create a bad impression.
Taking Part in a Meeting
Opening a Meeting
- Shall we begin?
- Let’s make a start, shall we?
- The first item on the agenda is …
Stating the Purpose of a Meeting
- The aim of this meeting is to discuss …
- We need to reach a decision on …
- We’re here to talk about …
Asking Someone to Speak
- Would anyone like to comment?
- James, do you have anything to add?
- Tina, what do you think about it?
Introducing Another Topic
- The next item on the agenda is …
- Can we move on to … ?
Checking Everyone Agrees
- Is that decided then?
- Do I take it we’re all in agreement?
- Do we all agree?
Concluding the Meeting
- I think we’ve covered everything.
- So to sum up …
- Is there any other business?
Telephone Etiquette
- Always make sure you answer calls quickly. Never let the phone ring more than five times as that is unacceptable.
- Turn away from the desk and computer screen so you do not get distracted.
- Greet the caller with your name and/or the organization where you work before you ask how you can help.
- Ask how you can help.
- Remember to listen carefully and don’t interrupt the caller.
- Think about your answer while the caller is speaking.
- Smile while you are talking: it helps make you sound warm and friendly.
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Adapt your language to the English language ability of the person calling.
- Take notes when there is a message for a colleague or when names and numbers are given.
Making Small Talk
- Say ‘hello’ first and offer your card to the other person.
- Introduce people you are with to others.
- Make an effort to remember new names and use them.
- Make a remark about where you are from and what’s happening.
- Remember to use open questions to encourage the other person to speak more, rather than simply answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (as they might with closed questions).
- Listen more than you talk and look the other person in the eye rather than look around the room.
- Be aware of your body language and remember that people who look ill at ease often make others uncomfortable.
- Act as if you’re confident and comfortable, even if you aren’t.
- Have something interesting to say. It helps if you know what’s happening in the news and current affairs as this can give you an opportunity to start a conversation.
- Find out which topics are popular for small talk in the country you are in, e.g., sport in the U.K.
- Prepare some ‘exit lines’ so you can gracefully end a conversation and move on.
Phrasal Verbs
- Don’t worry, it’s not a big problem and shouldn’t take long to sort out.
- I’m sorry, but it’s impossible to get through to that number at the moment. Could you try again later?
- Please don’t ring off yet.
- Oh no, my battery is about to run out.
- Sorry, we were cut off.
- Please could you pass on a message to Mr. Chalmers?
- I’ll get back to you as soon as I’ve discussed this with John.
- Please hold on a moment while I see if Ms. Wilson is in.
- I’ll just put you through.
- I’ll look into possible dates and give you a call later.