Good business communication isn’t just about instructing employees how to use new software or email systems to coordinate daily business functions. It takes applying and learning several core skills and components that help in solidifying long-term business relationships, developing a good team, and reinforcing a productive workforce. Communication in business is equally applicable to all departments, and the following essential business skills are helpful in creating positive and constructive relationships with customers, vendors, and peers. While most people understand the basics of written communication – the ability to explain something in simple terms – there’s a lot more to communicating effectively than just being able to use words on a page.
- Key Points. The essentials of business communication include defining key points, using them effectively and being able to explain their relevance to the audience. To create an impact, you need to first establish your own key points, then connect them to the rest of your message. For example, if you’re stating the benefits of procrastinating, then your key points should be, “Procrastination is costly, and it’s also one of the main reasons that businesses fail.” The key point is important, but what if you were to leave out the fact that procrastination is one of the main reasons why businesses succeed?
- Body Language. Another one of the essential elements of effective business communication involves the way you communicate with your audience. Interacting with your audience using written or oral cues is the foundation for building strong relationships with your audience. In order to fully understand your audience, you need to be able to interpret their body language and understand what makes certain actions certain reactions from them.
- Solid Grip. Communication is about much more than just words on a page. Even if you have the best laid out business plan in the world, you can only communicate effectively with someone if you have a solid grasp of the materials that you are presenting. Learning how to hold phones, take notes, and formulate ideas quickly is part of the process of good business. In fact, a number of studies have shown that the best executive and top sales professionals are successful business owners and leaders who can articulate thoughts and ideas quickly.
- Solid Stance. Although verbal and written communication skills are important when communicating, many business people realize that a well-structured posture and vocal tone are essentials of business communication. A professional speaker can put forth hundreds of words, but if they have a strained or off-key voice, then the listener is likely not going to take the information seriously. Likewise, writing skills are very important, but to get your point across to your audience, you need to be able to explain it effectively using language that they may be able to understand. For example, using technical terms like GIS or mapping in a way that laymen can understand would not be very appealing to the general public. Similarly, using popular social media communication tools in a way that a younger person or a newer generation of individuals would not be able to comprehend is essential.
It is important to recognize the seven essential elements of business communication so that you can practice them regularly and effectively communicate with your peers and business associates. While many of the rules that apply to verbal communications may not apply to written forms of communication, the principles that guide how to communicate effectively still apply. By paying attention to these seven elements, you will find yourself more effective at the job you are in. So take the time to identify what you need to work on, and work on those areas daily.