Business Communications

In this lesson, Phil calls Balton Lumber Co. Jim answers the phone and asks if he can help. Phil asks Jim if they sell plywood. Jim says yes. Phil says he wants 8 sheets of plywood. Jim says the minimum order is 10 sheets. Phil agrees to buy 10 sheets. Phil asks how much the freight (shipping) would cost to Miami Beach Port. Jim says he will call the freight company today and he will call Phil with a freight quote tomorrow.

Free ESL English Teacher student lesson for you. Practice every day and watch videos for extra support. ESL EFL TOEIC TOEFL tests are difficult. Tutor yourself on YouTube with free video lessons. Help yourself learn business English conversation grammar, vocabulary, nouns, verbs, adjectives, phrases, paragraphs and sentences fluently.

Duration : 0:2:41

Technorati Tags: business, communication, conversation, EFL, English, ESL, exam, language, learn, lesson, practice, read, School, second, Speak, student, study, talk, teacher, TOEFL, TOEIC, tutor, write

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26 Aug

Presentation Skills Course with Darren LaCroix

Author: admin // Category: Business Communications

http://www.howtowonthestage.com
How you like to learn the “process of developing a powerful presentation?” Learn first-hand from two of the best in the business. Toastmasters International World Champion Speakers, Darren LaCroix and Craig Valentine.

Duration : 0:5:11

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26 Aug

Inventors Given Hope on Patents for Business Methods

Author: admin // Category: Business Communications

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report, from http://voaspecialenglish.com | http://facebook.com

/voalearningenglishRecently, the United States Supreme Court decided a case on the property rights of inventors. The question was whether a business method is enough of an invention to receive a patent. Patents are a form of intellectual property. They give legal protections to individuals and companies against the copying of their inventions. Bernard Bilski and Rand Warsaw wanted to patent a method to let traders protect against the risk of price changes in energy markets. The United States Patent and Trademark Office said no. So the inventors went to court. Again they were told no. Finally, the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. In June, all nine justices said no. But they only said no to a patent in this case. Patent lawyer Meredith Martin Addy in Chicago explains that the court ruled narrowly.She said: “The Supreme Court held that there is no categorical rule denying patent protection for business method patents.”When patent laws were first developed, most patents were for machines. But since the late nineteen nineties, inventors of business methods and processes have increasingly sought patent protection. Bernard Bilski and Rand Warsaw brought a lawsuit against the Patent and Trademark Office. Technology companies, especially software makers, watched the case closely. They were concerned that the Supreme Court would require a test of some kind that could limit what can be patented.In its ruling, the court decided against the patent only because the idea was too abstract. Law professor Michael Meurer of Boston University gives a famous example from physics. It involves the relationship of energy, mass and the speed of light, written as the letter c. He said: “The Supreme Court has said, for example, if Albert Einstein determined that E = mc squared — which he did — he never would have been able to get a patent on that. That’s too abstract.” In the Bilski case, the court said patent examiners could consider what is known as the machine-or-transformation test. This is the idea that a patent should be given to a machine or something that creates a material change, like a chemical process. But a majority of justices said patent examiners must also protect innovation. Patent lawyer Meredith Martin Addy says no one wants to suppress creativity. Now, more cases will be needed to define the legal limits of business method patents. Such patents already exist. In March, for example, after re-examination, Amazon.com received a patent for its one-click ordering process. And that’s the VOA Special English Economics Report.

(Adapted from a radio program broadcast 16Jul2010)

Duration : 0:4:1

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25 Aug

The Importance of Intuition and Trust in Personal and Business Success

Author: admin // Category: Business Communications

I recently had to make a decision on a business deal. Looking purely at the numbers my decision should have been straightforward. Yet I hesitated. You see my intuition or my gut feeling was not in agreement with the outwardly, more logical decision that analysis of the numbers was leading me to.

Offer A was more lucrative but I felt that the person making it would change their mind at a moment’s notice leaving me high and dry. I had more trust and respect for the person making Offer B. I felt that they would behave in a more trustworthy manner and that it would be a pleasure doing business with them. Through a mix-up in communications, although I didn’t know it at the time, while I was considering these two offers, the person making Offer A had already rescinded their offer. My intuition had been proved right. Fortunately, it was early enough in the deal that no irreparable damage had been done.

Intuition is often viewed more as a feminine trait but men use their intuition as well. Best-selling author, Marc Allen, reflecting on one of his mistakes regarding a business deal that went sour, said in a recent teleseminar,

“My first gut impression when I looked in his eyes was “Don’t trust this guy”. That was my initial intuitive impression and ever since then I’ve never denied that intuitive impression. I always wanted to meet people face-to-face. Just look in their eyes and you get a lot of intuitive information.”

Allen’s intuition was proved right when the company that this guy was brought in to manage went belly-up.

Some people underestimate the power of their intuition but it is not just a whim. Intuitive thought or a hunch is often the result of, among other things, our senses taking in and analysing a mass of data and helping us to formulate an opinion on the subject and assess a situation in a uniquely insightful way manner.

So as Dr Joyce Brothers said,

“Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.”
Dr. Joyce Brothers

However, like most things intuition is a skill that must be honed so here are five ways to improve your powers of intuition:

i. Accept that intuition exists and is a gift that can help you to reach your goals faster;
ii. Discover what fears you have that prevent you from using your intuition fully;
iii. Follow you intuition – when you hear that quiet voice, when you have inspired thought, act on it;
iv. Practice extreme self-care – take care of mind, body and spirit by exercising regularly, eating healthily, drinking plenty of fresh water and getting adequate rest this will make you more receptive to intuitive thoughts; and
v. Keep a journal – you may be able to see patterns that emerge when you have intuitive thought.

Intuition and trust go hand in hand. You cannot exercise your intuition without also using trust and when you trust you often have to rely on your instinct or intuition. There are many situations that don’t allow the time for other mechanisms for building trust to come into effect. Sometimes we have to make a snap decision relating to matters that can involve large sums or money or even our well being.

Legendary stock market investor, Warren Buffett and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, provides a great example of the value of trust in business success. Company mergers can be complex and drawn out affairs involving an army of lawyers, accountants and the like. It can sometimes take up to a year to finalise details. However, a few years ago Berkshire Hathaway bought McLane Distribution Company from Wal-Mart and following a 2-hour meeting managed to finalise the acquisition in just under a month. We’re not talking about trifling sums here either; this was a $23 billion transaction.

Warren Buffett did no due diligence. Both companies were public and therefore their records could be scrutinised by the public. Warren Buffett said, “I trusted Wal-Mart, I trusted the people I worked with. I knew everything would be in exactly the order that they said it would be, and it was.” He said, “We did no due diligence.”

Can you see the advantages of being able to operate under such an umbrella of complete trust? As Indira Gandhi said,

“You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist.”

A word of caution – this deal may have been lightning fast but this relationship was gradually built up over time. Yet building trust is something we are all capable of and need to develop if we are to be successful in building any sort of relationships whether personal or business.

Here are five simple ways you can create trust in your relationships:

i. Be open, transparent and scrupulously honest in your business dealings;
ii. Stick to your word – be known as someone who is completely reliable;
iii. Under-promise and over deliver – people love to receive unexpected bonuses;
iv. Refrain from gossiping about your colleagues or business partners, it is unprofessional and can seriously backfire; and
v. Take responsibility for your actions especially when things go wrong – similarly give credit where credit is due.

Trust and intuition are inexorably linked. To be able to tap into your intuition you have to learn how to trust yourself and as Cardinal de Retz said:

“A man who doesn’t trust himself can never really trust anyone else.”

Nickolove Lovemore
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/the-importance-of-intuition-and-trust-in-personal-and-business-success-110050.html

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24 Aug

Easy Home Based Business Myth or Reality

Author: admin // Category: Business Communications

We have all seen the advertisements about easy home based business opportunities that just take a small initial investment and then you can make hundreds or thousands of dollars a week. Have you ever wondered if these are myth or reality? Have you wondered who these people really are that make all of this money? In this short article we will discuss a few of the myths and realities of these easy home based businesses that are advertised on the internet as well as in the local papers.

Remember the high tech boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the latest and greatest technologies were going to replace the existing communications capabilities. At that time, many new companies were formed and although we are over simplifying, they just needed an idea and a rough business case to find an investor willing to provide millions of dollars in investment. Many of these companies did not even make it to the product stage and never even were able to complete beta trials before they had spent all of the money and went bankrupt. The single reason for this, in the writers opinion, is they did not complete a proper business assessment before spending their investment funds.

The analogy to take away from this short review of history is that everyone, no matter how big or small, no matter what the idea, whether it is a corporation involving millions of dollars or a small home based business needs to have a business plan that is well thought out and will withstand a thorough review by any investor. Many so called easy home business opportunities may come along, however we are suggesting that the same rigorous review be applied to these ideas as well before you spend too much time and your own money in developing your business.

Before readers get discouraged, and decide that they should not enter into a home business, take a moment to consider what is being suggested. The first step is to estimate your revenue opportunity and the number and kind of customers you expect to have. How will you market your services and how much will marketing cost? You are going to have expenses that will be incurred even if you operate out of your home. What are they and how much will these operational expenses cost. Finally can you make sufficient net income to pay yourself for the effort that you put into your business and live on this income?

Even doing this basic level of assessment will assist you in deciding just how easy this home based business opportunity will be.

Elias
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-business-articles/easy-home-based-business-myth-or-reality-51827.html

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24 Aug

Looking For An International Business Career?

Author: admin // Category: Business Communications

Want to have an international business career? Well, why not? But first, go through this short list of reminders:

* Most positions in international business career are located in the urban areas in the United States. So if you live in the rural areas, you have fewer opportunities available.
* Employment restrictions do exist so you may or you may not be able to obtain positions abroad.
* Expatriates, or American citizens working abroad, often have an advantage over non-expatriates. However, they are only typically employed if they possess certain skills or experience. So this means that having the right skills and experience are still the best guarantee you have to building an international business career.
* One of the best international employers is the Peace Corps, which has its own business-related set of opportunities. In addition, financial institutions, consulting firms, and manufactures also offer strong opportunities for international business careers.
* The fast track to an international business career in most companies is through sales, market research, advertising, or product management.
* As a general rule, your best chance for an international business career is with an American multinational economy.

Now you know the basics in international business career, here is how to prepare for it:

Start while still in school.

There is really no better starting point that when you are still in school and contemplating your career options. Seek out opportunities related to business. Preferable areas that you should focus on include accounting, finance, and marketing. Remember the stark reality: the fast track to an international business career often involves sales, marketing, and advertising. So choosing courses that address these areas in business and finance should help you prepare for a career in international business.

Narrow down your interests.

Once you have settled on a career, it is time for you to narrow down your interests. Focus on one particular field of business that offers several potential global opportunities. These may include: accounting, advertising, administrative/management, auditing, banking/finance, communications, computers/data processing, consulting, cultural affairs, and the like.

Obtain related experience.

There are many ways you can gain experience related to business. Through internships, summer jobs, or part-time employment, you will be exposed to current business practices and will gain valuable experience and even contacts as a result.

Try to find internship programs and other opportunities that are directly related to your chosen career goal. For instance, if you want a career in international finance, then work in a bank. You may not be able to intern or work in their international division, but you can still use this opportunity to learn all you can from someone in that office.

Also, you can volunteer to help out in an international division. Or ask someone who may have international experience about the international market

T J Madigan
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/looking-for-an-international-business-career-113370.html

Rovin Net Business Services

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