effective business communication
Effective Business Communication
In the corporate world, good communication skills can boost one's career and lead him/her up the ladder of success. Hence, it has become inevitable for people to possess a command over their communication skills to achieve heights in their professional life. Learn more about it in this article.
- To express one's thoughts better so that it is well-conceived by others
- To create a positive rapport among colleagues and seniors that imparts a good impression
- To communicate better with subordinates which helps to motivate and guide them and extract maximum output
- To maintain good relations with suppliers, vendors, financiers and other organizations, etc. that prove advantageous in future
- To reach out to the customers effectively which in turn churns profit
- Upward Communication: It is defined as communication within the organization that flows from a lower hierarchy to the higher. Subordinates passing information to their senior is an example of upward communication.
- Downward Communication: It is defined as communication that flows from the higher hierarchy to the lower. Seniors sharing information with their subordinates is an example of downward communication.
- Horizontal Communication: Communication within peer groups or employees of the same rank/designation can be termed as horizontal communication.
- Advertising: Advertising is perhaps a very crucial mode of communication as far as the clients of the company are concerned. It could be in any form - prints, video or audio and are used effectively to communicate messages to the clients/customers. Advertising your products/services can help you to reassure your existing clients as well as give you a chance to attract new customers.
- Official Website: Maintaining an official website has become mandatory for business houses which pass information on current happenings, history, contact details and other vital details to the general masses.
- Press Release and Interviews: Mass media plays an important role in projecting a company's image to the public. Business houses can make best use of mass media to make important announcements or share their business growth for increasing their popularity.
- Understanding the target audience: This is the first step towards communicating in a business environment where the information, mode and tone, language etc., of communicating varies with the people it has to be done with.
- Listening: It is important to understand that communication is a bidirectional process that not only requires one to talk but listen to the ideas, thoughts, queries of others which can generate inputs that enhance the business.
- Time management: In today's world, time is the most precious thing which once lost cannot be retrieved; hence, we should respect others' time and give and take useful information in an effective manner within the stipulated time.
- Preparation: One should understand the target audience and make sure that he/she is well prepared for a business or client meeting which imparts a positive impact on the listeners and they tend to take the speaker more seriously.
- Innovativeness: A person should try various new formats and innovative ways to communicate with their customers or subordinates to keep them enthusiastic and coming back for more.
- Effective research: Before an important meeting or presentation it is mandatory to check the facts, figures, statistics and other details to be talked about, and keep oneself updated about the current trends and reports.
- Responsiveness: It is important to be responsive to problems and complaints that your clients, customers and financiers face, and cater to their needs and issues effectively and on time.
- Be well-informed about the venue and time of a business meeting and check for the schedule again before the main event.
- Be confident while addressing the listeners, as for them to have faith in your ideas, you should have it too and present them without any doubts or confusion.
- Be concise and precise while communicating as it ensures you are to-the-point and brief, because no one has the patience to read 100 lines of information which could have been dealt in just 30.
- Avoid jargon as it hampers the flow of communication between people who are new or unaware of specific and typical business terms.
- Be polite while facing questions and interruptions rather than responding with a rude or angry gesture which can put off people.
- Make an eye contact with your listeners and make them feel comfortable while communicating with them, so they pay attention to you happily.
- Use real life examples and personal experiences so that listeners can relate to your ideas and thoughts better.
- When communicating in writing, make sure the matter written is free of errors like spellings, grammar, punctuation, etc., and is clear and easily readable.
- And finally, keep it simple and professional, be it any form of communication so that the customers, clients, financiers, etc., feel that your services is worth their money and take you and your work seriously.