Effective business communication means sharing information in a clear and understandable way so that it's easy for others to grasp. It's like passing on a message without causing any confusion. Without effective communication it is unlikely that a business will succeed. When communicating in English we should use a formal tone and avoid slang as it could cause misunderstanding.

Informal tone- less business-like, friendlier and could also mean ad hoc. Can also refer to information given verbally.

Formal tone- business-like, factual, technical and professional, providing a record. It can refer to writing, such as formal written feedback.

These are documents that contain important information. Imagine you're working for a company and you create a report that shows how much money the company made last year. This report, which includes graphs and numbers, is a written presentation. It's like telling the story of the company's financial performance using words and visuals. 

Reports tend to be formal in tone and are often used within businesses to document policies, finance matters, accounts, meeting minutes or investigations. Usually reports will be created using Word Processing Software and may include graphs or charts from Spreadsheets. With all written reports it is important that the information is accurate and presented in an appropriate format.

Sometimes a presentation may be given alongside a report to help people to understand the key aspects of it. This may involve a person leading a meeting and illustrating key points through drawings on flip boards or even a digital presentation. With modern technology is possible through video conferencing to share the presentation in real time with people all around the world. This may be less formal than the actual report to help the audience engage and understand the content.

The table bellow shows a range of ways businesses can communicate.

This is when you talk to an audience to share information. If you have to explain your ideas using slides on a screen (like in school presentations), you're doing an oral presentation. For example, you might use slides to show your classmates the steps to make a paper airplane and explain each step while showing them. 

Through modern technology oral presentations can now be delivered virtually through platforms such as Google Meet or Skype. Presentations are useful when communicating with a large audience and can be more engaging and interactive than written reports.  Images, animations and questions can be used to help engage the audience.

It is important to consider the purpose of communicating and wheteher the language or format used needs to be adapted for the audience.

Imagine you have a small cake shop. If you post mouth-watering pictures of your cakes on social media, people will see them and want to buy your cakes. This is communication helping your business succeed! Also, if you talk nicely to your customers and listen to their feedback, they'll be happy and keep coming back. 

Today social media is used by most businesses to interact with their customers. This is a really useful tool for communication if used responsibly. Comments allow customers to respond to posts or share them. It also allows unhappy customers to share their opinions.

Virtual communities can also be used to communicate with customers. However, many customers may create their own community to discuss products/services. Sites like Reddit and Facebook Groups allow users with common interests to join and share ideas/issues. These can often provide businesses with good ideas on how to innovate or improve their products. Trip advisor and Google/Facebook reviews can be very important for businesses to consider as they have a direct effect on their reputation.

Some companies like Microsoft use discussion boards to generate ongoing interaction whether to promote a product or service, or solve problems.

Due to the worldwide nature of these virtual technologies they have the added bonus of helping businesses to better understand cultural diversity.

Appropriate Presentation and Delivery of Information: It's not just about sharing info, it's about sharing it in a way that matches the situation and the people you're talking to.

Formal and Informal Reports: If you write a detailed document about the company's plans for the next year and use a serious tone, that's a formal report. On the other hand, if you write a quick email to your coworkers about ordering lunch for a team meeting, that's an informal message. It's important to consider which is most suitable for your communication.

Computer Projection/PowerPoint with Speaker Notes: When you use a computer to show slides to an audience, like in school or at work, that's a computer projection. For example, if you create a PowerPoint presentation about endangered animals and you have notes to help you explain each slide, that's using speaker notes.

Video Conferencing Platforms: Imagine you're at home, and you use your computer to talk to your friend who's far away using the internet. That's like video conferencing. Businesses use this too. If your boss talks to a team in another city through a video call on the computer, it's video conferencing.

Social Media and Virtual Communities: When you use websites or apps like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share news or stories about your business, that's using social media. Also, if you have an online group where people who like your products can chat and share ideas, that's a virtual community. For example, if a skateboard company has a Facebook page where they show new skateboard designs and skaters can chat about tricks, it's like a virtual hangout for skateboard fans.

Remember, good communication is like a bridge that helps people understand each other. It's super important for businesses because it helps them connect with customers, work better as a team, and grow successfully.