When it comes to business, ensuring you communicate in an efficient and effective way is imperative. Getting it wrong could cause confusion, loss of clients and ultimately, perhaps the downfall of the entire company. Here we share ways in which you can make sure to get it right from the start.
Consistency and brand awareness
From letters, emails and SMS to social media posts and advertising, written communication forms an integral part of your business. First, you must decide the way in which you would like your company to operate and consider how that will be translated in the written word. For example, if you are a modern brand looking to appeal to youthful figures, your language will be completely different to a business hoping to attract a far more formal clientele. Decide on your strategy and stick to it. Consistency is key.
If you can afford to outsource the marketing or hire someone with that specific purpose, that is advisable. Of course, this is a rare luxury for new businesses. These professionals should listen carefully to your vision and ensure what they write tallies with that. Furthermore, they should be able to word things to attract the right people as well as creating engaging content for social media, which is the way in which the younger generations tend to discover new companies.
Communication within the organization and with clients
Liaising with your employees is just as important as getting your ethos right with your clients, both potential and existing. In fact, failure to communicate effectively with your workers and contractors could have drastic consequences with work not being up to scratch or your vision not being carried out. Mobile collaboration tools are effective within many industries, such as construction management, for helping that to happen, effectively closing the gap and preventing things from slipping through the net and escaping workers’ attentions. Furthermore, effective software and apps can also ensure that your clients are being well informed and kept up to date about the progress of their projects.
Verbal communication
Most people can speak, right? Yes. But are they effective in communicating your vision? Perhaps not. While speaking is a skill gained early in life, many employees lack the confidence and experience to speak in front of large audiences, for example. In that scenario, it might be useful to allow the employee to practice that in a comparable situation or send them on a training course where they can learn specific public speaking techniques.
Likewise, for people who are customer-facing, it would be useful for them to follow company protocol when engaging with clients, whatever their current status. Remaining calm under pressure is an essential skill that goes hand in hand with solid communicative techniques. Furthermore, knowing the answer to questions related to issues, such as refunds, complaints and discounts, should be known in advance and only referred to a manager or senior leader as a last resort. Training of new staff members should ensure that everyone is aware of what they should say, meaning that everyone will be consistent in their responses.
