Effective communication is something many of us take for granted. You say something, people listen; simple, right? Not exactly. Communicating is about more than the words we say or write. It’s about knowing the most effective ways to communicate, share your thoughts, and interact with other people. It’s about saying exactly what you mean and approaching every conversation with its specific context in mind.
Miscommunication can be detrimental to a business in an assortment of ways. Not only can it lead to a decrease in productivity, but it can also impede on winning new clients and damage your reputation.
Productivity and efficiency
Internally, business communication is how you interact with your staff, whether that’s sharing information, providing training, or giving feedback.
Effective communication is about saying exactly what you mean in the most digestible way possible. This means staff understand what is expected of them, information is efficiently shared across the workforce, and everything runs smoothly. And you do all that without offending or upsetting anyone. With so many caveats, it’s a wonder we can communicate at all.
That’s how we end up with miscommunications. If your message isn’t clear, you leave the door open for a litany of errors. And if every member of staff isn’t on the same page, how can you expect them to be their most productive?
Research shows that employee productivity increases by 20-25% in organisations where employees feel connected. And 74% of employees feel they are missing out on company news. If you don’t have open lines of communication across your entire business, staff are likely to feel a lack of connection. They might feel undervalued or unimportant, ending up less productive, inspired, or motivated to do better.
Effective internal communication is especially pertinent considering the current COVID-19 crisis. With most businesses operating remotely for the first time, many have come to understand the importance of maintaining regular, effective communication, realising how essential it is to keep the business moving.
Selling yourself
How you interact with people outside of your business is conducive to business growth. Whether you’re emailing prospective clients, talking to people at a networking event, or writing copy for your website, you want to make sure you’re always presenting yourself and your business in a positive light.
When interacting with prospective clients, nothing will ruin the air of professionalism quite like typos and spelling mistakes. It’s always worth spending an extra few minutes to proofread anything you’re sending. The smallest mistakes can have the largest impact.
When it comes to networking and talking about your business, it’s important you get all the relevant information out there in a concise way. You want people to understand what you do without boring them with tangential ramblings. It’s a similar case with your website. It should be clear, concise, and communicate exactly what you do and what you bring to prospective clients or customers.
What you say versus how you say it
In business, we all want to say the right things. We have to communicate what we want effectively to be our most productive and efficient. But equally important is how you’re saying what you’re saying.
You can have all the right intentions when talking to someone, and still completely miss the mark. A key part of effective communication is understanding context – where you are, who you’re speaking to, and why you’re speaking to them.
Different situations will demand differently from your communication. For example, is it a professional or casual setting? Is the interaction taking place digitally, and therefore should you be wary of how someone may misinterpret your tone?
Communication is key in all facets of life. But it’s especially important when it comes to business. Effective communication could make the difference between winning a new client, improving daily operations, or building a positive reputation for your business.
If communication isn’t your forte and you think you could push your business to new heights, Coster Content can provide a content and consultancy service to ensure you’re always hitting the right mark. Get in touch today on info@costercontent.co.uk or 0161 413 8418
