Your communication skills can have a major impact on how your business performs. It's not just about being able to speak in public or in front of crowds, as communication behaviors are beneficial for every stage of your business. Enhance your business communication skills by learning these five ways to communicate effectively in business.
Listen up
Two of the most effective communication tools at your disposal have been with your whole life: your ears. Listening to your audience gives you clarity on the characters, conflicts and context of a situation before speaking. It also keeps you from making assumptions, jumping to conclusions or pointing blame.
Regularly practicing active listening, or listening with focus, will make you a more well-reasoned communicator and business leader. It will also demonstrate to audiences that you have a vested interest in understanding what is important to them.
Speak to your audience
In your everyday life, you probably communicate differently with friends, family or co-workers. Tailoring your messaging to your audience is also one of the best ways to communicate effectively in business.
Moderate the content and tone of your communications to appeal to the unique concerns of the party in front of you. When you cater your speech to the priorities of your customers, partners and future prospects, you can meet both their objectives and yours.
Mind the 7 C's
It's not enough to speak to the needs of your audience if you do not convey your thoughts, feelings and ideas effectively. Follow the 7 C's of communication to enhance your business communication skills:
- Clear: Say what you mean without leaving room for misinterpretation.
- Concise: Get to the point.
- Complete: Provide all the facts.
- Concrete: Be specific and back up your claims with data.
- Correct: Use precise grammar and make valid claims.
- Considerate: Consider all viewpoints and communicate with respect and empathy.
- Confident: Have conviction in your words and in your ability to execute on them.
Master the art of follow-up
Your initial pitch, directive or memo may not always get the response you want. If you do not hear favorably or do not hear back at all, don't give up. Make up for their silence by being ultra-responsive. Reach out to your audience, whether a client or business prospect.
Find out whether they have what they need to act on your communication. If you receive negative feedback, analyze the feedback and look for ways to better structure and present your ideas in the future.
Use the right mode of communication
Even well-reasoned, well-meaning messages can get lost in translation if sent through the wrong mode of communication. Effective business communication starts with identifying your objective and seeking the best tool to relay it.
For example, let's say you are in the midst of a sensitive negotiation process with a client. Communicating verbally, in person or by phone, will likely get the job done better than textual communication modes. This will also help prevent miscommunication that can prove costly in the long run. Conversely, if you need to send a simple directive to an employee, an e-mail may be a more time-saving tool.
