Top seven tips for better business communcation
In a guest post from Kent-based copywriting specialist Nikki Cooke, aka The Word Well, vents her frustration with BBC entertainment show The Apprentice and instead offers her top seven business communication tips which apparently those competing should heed! Here at Morgan PR we stopped watching last year and blogged why we had soured to Sir Alan Sugar's Circus.
Do check out @TheWordWell on Twitter and visit Nikki's blog, where this article first appeared.
Whilst watching the endless bickering and shameful behaviour in ‘The Apprentice’ recently, it struck me how some people simply can’t communicate properly. How can that be?
Perhaps some are so busy listening to the sound of their own voices that they’ve not learnt how to?
To be a successful communicator, you need to know when to speak and when to remain silent… That said, if you don’t communicate enough, you could damage your reputation. And overcooking it, can be disastrous.
For example, a telemarketing company rang me last week. Without acknowledging me at all, the guy rattled off a script at 100 mph. I listened for a minute… But, once his words whooshed over my head, I simply asked him to stop. Pause… He was no doubt scanning his script to see where he’d got to.
Unbelievably, he carried on with his pitch. Since he rejected my ‘How to speak to prospects’ training offer, the call ended. If he’d actually talked to me as a human being, he might have got somewhere. As it was, I lost interest the moment he forgot he had an audience.
Rule number one when talking to people: show an interest in them. If you don’t engage with others, you can’t expect them to listen to what you have to say. As you sit at your desk this morning or get on with running your business, try out some of these suggestions:
Top seven business communication tips
Actively listen: Use your ears twice as much as your mouth. Acknowledge, be empathetic, ask questions, give feedback and show genuine interest.
Build relationships: Clients often say, ‘you’re so easy to talk to.’ Truth is I like getting to know people and being myself around them. A stuffy, formal approach doesn’t work for me.
When you stop treating someone as a potential client, it’s far easier to build a trusting relationship with that person. Another tip is to call someone by their first name. After all, people like to feel valued and recognised…
Acknowledge emails/calls: Seems obvious, but many businesses fail to follow up on emails. Whether you are working with a client or supplier, always correspond as soon as possible. If you can’t due to time constraints, at least acknowledge the email.
There is no excuse for ignoring others… And you’re unlikely to get any referrals that way.
Say thank you: Courtesy costs nothing apart from your time. If you use social networking sites such as Twitter, always thank people for retweeting your tweets or for recommending you!
Thank a client for paying your invoice. Thank someone for commenting on your blog. People will simply lose interest otherwise.
Stay in touch: Do you keep in touch with clients you’ve worked for? If you’ve built up a relationship with them, it’s important to stay connected. Keep in touch via newsletters – ask permission first.
Send a courtesy email occasionally to see how things are going. Apart from showing you are interested in them, it’s also an excellent way to remind them you’re still there…
Apologise: Sometimes you’ll get things wrong… Sometimes life happens. In these circumstances, always hold your hand up and face it. Own the mistake, but then move forward by doing what you can to rectify the situation.
Be professional: As a Twitterholic, it still surprises me how many people reveal intimate details of their lives. After all, no one really wants to know about your personal problems! So don’t flaunt them…
My advice after seeing many people ‘lose face’ (and their reputation) online is to avoid saying something you’ll later regret. If you’ve worked with an awful client, don’t publically badmouth them behind their back. It’s unprofessional… Keep negative thoughts private. And keep your dignity…
Communication, as obvious as it sounds, really is a two-way process. After working in the communications industry for 20 years, I’ve learnt it helps to be open, honest and friendly. And remember, you don’t have to shout the loudest to be heard…
Business (face-to-face) networking is a different ball game. As I previously mentioned, the best elevator pitch is where you don’t religiously follow a script. But it does involve knowing the value you give to others…
Have these pointers been helpful? Please share your experiences – or feel free to add any other tips that work for you.