English is the most widely spoken language by non-native speakers across the globe. It’s fairly quick and simple to reach a basic conversational level in English and there are plenty of great resources to do so, such as English online tutors. When it comes to business English, however, there is a whole new vocabulary that you wouldn’t hear on most TV shows or films. Speaking it fluently is key in the corporate world, particularly when looking to expand into new markets. So, here are some simple ways to improve your B2B English.
Get a business English tutor
Just like getting a regular tutor, you can get an English business tutor that will focus on teaching you a more corporate vocabulary. Plenty of language tutors online will be extra flexible with their teaching times based on your availability, which is great for working professionals with no time to attend classes physically.
This is a great opportunity to have a more structured approach to improving your speaking and writing skills and regular business-related conversations in English – as we all know, practice makes perfect. Keep in mind that, for business English courses, you will be expected to have good speaking skills to get straight to business.
Watch business conferences
There is no better place to get familiar with the business lexicon than at business conferences and other similar events. You can easily find those to watch for free online, either by attending an online webinar event or watching a pre-recorded session. If you attend a live event, don’t worry, you don’t have to speak to anyone – just use it as a place to listen to others’ conversations and learn some new vocabulary.
If you feel more confident, attending a physical business event is also a great idea. Not only will you learn a lot of new English, but you will also be presented with some networking opportunities while practising your B2B vocabulary with other attendees.
Read reputable English news pages
As a working professional, you are most likely already in the habit of reading the news daily to get informed about the latest market and economic affairs which may affect your business. So, why not get into a new habit of consuming your news in English? It’s a great way to make yourself practice business English daily, 15-minutes at a time.
Again, the internet is full of reputable news pages, which will give you a full scope of the latest affairs while using a highly professional lexicon. Some of the more popular business news providers may ask for a small subscription fee, but there are certainly lots of free options out there too.
Listen to business-related podcasts
Podcasts are rapidly becoming one of the most popular entertainment mediums online and you can find them on almost any topic you may think of. Business podcasts are no exception – you can easily find ones that interview well-known and successful business people.
Many busy professionals can get put off by the idea of listening to a 1-2 hour podcast. However, you should treat it as an informative and entertaining way to expand your B2B vocabulary. Not only will you regularly come across corporate terminology, but you also get inspired by successful business people discussing their challenges and approaches in the corporate world.