Exam reading practice

To: all-employees@zrokar.com
From: judith.zrokar@zrokar.com
Subject: Introducing the new global business culture at Zrokar’s

Dear All,

I am writing to inform you about a few changes we’d like to introduce at Zrokar’s. Our aim is to bring Zrokar’s into the 21st Century by establishing a more global business culture. Let me talk you through what that will mean for you.

1. English will be used as the official language of communication at middle and senior management levels, so all documents and slides will be written in English and meetings will be conducted in English. Training will be provided in-house for any managers who require support in this area.

2. First names will be used in spoken and written communication at all levels to establish a more informal and relaxed working environment.

3. We will more proactively recruit from beyond Germany when we have vacancies in our organisation, as well as maintaining our recruitment activities in Germany. This will enable us to draw on a wider talent pool and give our people more of an international perspective.

If you have any questions about how these changes will affect you or you need any support with the implementation of our new global business culture, please contact your line manager who will have been briefed on how to support you.

Here’s to an exciting future for Zrokar’s!

Judith Zrokar

Making the most of a trade fair

So your boss has invited you to represent the company at a trade fair? You may feel a little nervous right now, especially if it’s the first time you’ve been to a big event like this. But there’s no need to worry. These tips will help you make the most of your time at the trade fair and should even help you enjoy yourself!

1. Prepare well

   You should have identified the most important people for you to talk at the fair before you even arrive. Remember their names and how to pronounce them and go online to read some background information about them, for example where they live, how long they’ve been in the business, and you can then use this to break the ice and the keep the conversation going when you talk to them.

2. It’s all about the coffee breaks

   Some of the most interesting – and most profitable – conversations you’ll ever have at a trade fair will probably take place while you’re taking a break. You’d be amazed how many deals are done over a cup of coffee or at dinner. If you go home early or you only need one coffee a day, you’ll miss some great opportunities.

3. Keep the conversation going

   Once you’ve started talking to someone who you think your company could potentially work with, you need to keep the conversation going. Closed questions should be avoided because they usually take your conversation into a dead-end. Instead of asking closed questions like “Is this the first time you’ve been to this fair?” You can ask: “How are you enjoying the fair?” Then, when you get an answer, show how interested you are in what your conversation partner is saying by commenting on it – “Really?” “That’s interesting!” – or asking a follow-up question.

4. Keep the conversation going when you get home

   The hard work and networking don’t stop when you get back to your desk and have to deal with the paperwork that’s piled up while you were away. Ensure you keep the promises you made to send some extra brochures to those people you talked to at the booth or send an email to the manager from the Vietnamese component manufacturer to remind her to arrange a meeting between you and her boss.

Notice that getting the most out of a trade fair requires you to do something before, during and after the event itself. All three of these stages are equally important. Attending the fair itself is just one part of an ongoing process of networking, which helps you to increase your company’s profit margins.