Noupe Editorial Team February 26th, 2010

12 Secrets Of Effective Business Communication

By Alyssa Gregory The ability to communicate, and communicate well, is one of the biggest factors in business success. You could be an excellent designer or a photographer, but if you're unable to promote your services and communicate effectively with clients and colleagues, your potential is limited. The principal areas where communication is essential include:
  • Pitching potential clients,
  • Client meetings,
  • Customer service,
  • Face-to-face networking,
  • Marketing your business

Pitching Potential Clients

When you freelance or own a business, your livelihood depends on your ability to sell your services. You need to be able to convince prospects that you are the best person for the job, and the communication secrets in this article will help you do this successfully.

A man in a black suit loosening his tie Photo by Ben Rosett on Unsplash

1. Ask the Right Questions

Part of selling your services is being able to understand the client's unique needs. You can do this only by asking questions that get to the heart of the challenges they are facing. Once you have a clear understanding of the problem that the client needs to solve, you can pitch your services as the best possible option for the client, outlining how you will meet their needs. For example, when I am contacted by a prospective client, I have them fill out a website requirements document that poses various questions to help me better understand what they are looking for in a website. Some of the questions I ask are:
  • Describe the nature of your business.
  • Who is your target audience?
  • What is the background on the project? (Is it brand new? Has it already begun?)
  • What are the goals and objectives of the project?
  • What is the timeline for the project?

2. Communicate Professionally

Your professionalism can win you contracts, and your professional communication skills add to the complete package. Collect the information you need before starting the work. Really grasp what your customer wants. Use digital communication tools to your advantage. Photographers, for example, can create a photography form through which you can ask the customer the specific questions that will make it easier for you to understand what she wants. Take time to proofread all emails prior to sending; use a business email address with a proper signature; answer the phone professionally, and speak articulately and competently at all times. While my email signature has evolved over time, below is the general format I follow, which has worked well for me:
-- Name Company | Website Email | Phone number

Client Meetings

Client meetings, even those that take place over the telephone, are an integral part of every successful business. Follow these tips to make your meetings as productive as possible.

photo of dining table and chairs inside room Photo by Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash

3. Schedule and Prepare Thoroughly

We're all busy these days, so scheduling your meetings in advance ensures that you and your clients have an adequate amount of uninterrupted time to speak. Once your meeting is scheduled, take time to prepare an agenda that outlines focus points and sets a structure. Sharing the agenda for the meeting gives both you and the client an opportunity to fully prepare. Because you may not be using the same calendar or scheduling program as your client, confirming the date and time of your meetings in an email and sending a reminder and the agenda the day before is good practice. If you are unsure how to format an agenda, plenty of templates are available for free online.

4. Speak, Pause, Listen

When you have several topics to tackle, rushing through them to get all of your ideas out may be tempting. But this causes confusion and makes the client feel that their input is not important. Slow down, and remember that communication is a two-way street. Establish a give-and-take that allows both parties to have their say. One way to become a better listener is to limit or eliminate distractions during your conversations. That may mean closing your email client, turning off the television and closing the door to your office. By doing these small things, you ensure that the client has your full attention, and they will sense that, too.

5. Follow Up in Writing

While you may be taking notes during phone or in-person meetings, the other party might not be, so follow up after the meeting with a written message, giving an overview of the discussion to make sure you are both on the same page. Summarize what was agreed, repeat questions that were raised and outline the next steps and responsibilities for both parties. In addition to sending your notes, invite the other party to give their feedback on what you have sent. This way, it becomes a collaborative document and not just one person’s view.

Customer Service

Your clients want to feel that they are your priority. You can make them feel so by providing exemplary customer service. Try these communication-focused actions to improve your customer service.

black and brown headset near laptop computer Photo by Petr Machá?ek on Unsplash

6. Ask for Feedback

One way to maintain long-term relationships with your clients is by keeping open lines of communication. This means asking them for their input on how things are going and how they feel about the service you're providing. This can be accomplished by inquiring at the end of a project, during day-to-day conversations or through formal surveys. The format matters less than the actual act of it, so work it into your business and fine tune as you go along. When conducting surveys, use an online service that tracks responses for you. There are several online services that should give you enough functionality to conduct client surveys. Here are a few worth checking out:

7. Address Problems

If a client is unhappy, don’t ignore their complaints. Ask them why they are unhappy and what you can do to fix the situation. The longer you wait to bring it up, the worse it will get. Addressing the issue and being accountable when appropriate puts you on the path to resolution. And your willingness to face the problem head-on tells the client that you care about the project and their satisfaction. If a client complains about your turnaround time or responsiveness, you may need to create a more formal project plan to clarify expectations. A working document like this can also eliminate some of the uncertainty regarding responsibilities and keep everyone on track.

8. Try a New Format

If a problem with your client stems from miscommunication, try a different method of communication. If you have been handling everything via email, schedule a phone call to see if that clears things up. After the call, you can summarize the conversation in an email to the client, which will give you another opportunity to get both of you on the same page again. Today, so much communication is done via email that the opportunity for major miscommunication is almost inevitable. A rule of thumb is to limit your email to one screen-full (i.e. above the fold); anything that requires more space than that should be handled by phone. This should help you avoid some of the pitfalls of relying on email alone.

Face-to-Face Networking

Networking events, conferences and other face-to-face opportunities can take your business to a new level. These tips focus on helping you get the most from in-person networking activities.

two person sitting while holding clear glass mason mugs Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

9. Communicate Confidently

Be confident and use body language to support that confidence. Shake hands firmly, smile and make eye contact while communicating at live networking events. Don't forget to bring business cards to hand out to everyone you meet, and remember to relax and be yourself. Before heading out to a networking event, practice introducing yourself to new people to gain confidence. Working on your introduction with someone you trust and asking for their feedback also helps.

10. Prepare an Elevator Speech

An elevator speech helps you make the most of a first impression, while making networking situations easier and more productive. Be prepared with your speech and ready to answer common questions about your business and what you do. Practice your elevator speech ahead of time so that you are relaxed and comfortable with introducing yourself. Your elevator speech should last no longer than 30 seconds and should convey how your product or service solves a problem for your target audience. An elevator speech could go something like:
Have you ever gotten completely lost on a website because the navigation was inconsistent, confusing and disorganized? What I do is redesign websites for small-business owners who need a stronger, more coherent online presence. By learning as much as I can about the company, I create a strategic plan for reinventing an existing website to be more functional and user-friendly.

Marketing Your Services

Whether you market your business online, in person or through traditional advertising, communication is key to brand awareness. Here are two secrets to magnify the impact of your marketing across the board.

person using laptop computer Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

11. Be Responsive

A big part of marketing is being available to your target audience and following up when necessary. If you market your business through social media outlets—including Twitter, Facebook and blogging—watch for and respond to comments, questions and especially complaints. And when you are contacted as a result of offline marketing activities, respond quickly and professionally. Plenty of recent examples on Twitter show how certain brands have been slow to respond to criticism, hoping it would die down, only to see it spin out of control. Also, when you do respond on social media websites, keep it professional, and avoid confrontation because that would only spread the fire.

12. Write Well

You can't successfully promote your business if your marketing copy is not clear, concise and action-provoking. If writing is not your forte, consider hiring someone to help you craft copy that attracts potential clients, generates interest in your services and motivates potential clients to action. To strengthen your writing skills, start a swipe file of marketing copy that you like and have found inspirational. Read through it and make notes of what you like in particular and what pulls you in. By making this a frequent exercise, you should be able to learn what makes good copy good and bad copy bad.

Your Turn to Weigh In

Being a tolerable communicator and an effective communicator is the difference between being good and great at what you do. If your design skills are up to par with your competition's, then strong communication skills can put you ahead. Strengthening your communication skills is worth the time and effort, and you may be surprised by how much you benefit from more polished and professional interaction. What do you think? What impact has communication had on your success? How have you improved your ability to communicate with clients and colleagues?

Related Reading

About the author

Alyssa Gregory is the owner of avertua, LLC, a full-service virtual assistant firm. She has a passion for supporting small businesses, and provides business tips, advice and news through her business blog, the Small Business Idea Generator, and as a regular contributor on SitePoint.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @alyssagregory. (al)

Noupe Editorial Team

The jungle is alive: Be it a collaboration between two or more authors or an article by an author not contributing regularly. In these cases you find the Noupe Editorial Team as the ones who made it. Guest authors get their own little bio boxes below the article, so watch out for these.

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72 comments

  2. Good stuff. Dealing with clients is one of the most difficult parts of freelancing for me, and I’m always looking for good tips to smooth the process.

    Most of my potential clients come from word of mouth of satisfied customers.

    Reply

  3. Excellent topic. I have to say “Elevator Speech”

    It’s important to think about effective communication, rather than just jumping into it.

    Reply

    3. The key to win new client is to satisfactorily serve the existing client…key points listen to your client, think of their expectation and deliver them…….
      No situation is difficult if you plan it through to the end….

      Reply

  6. Very helpful article. This is a very good guideline to follow. I have implemented many of these steps in our own business. Thank you for the post!

    Reply

  8. Thank you for all of the comments! Although much of the article is pretty commonsense, I think many of us (me included!), tend to underestimate the importance of communicating effectively on a daily basis.

    My biggest challenge is being consistent with asking clients for feedback and then implementing it into my business activities. What’s your biggest communications challenge?

    Reply

  11. I would also encourage you to include your address in the signature. Also, make sure it is on the bottom of every email. I would rather scroll through it 15 times, then not be able to find your phone number to make a quick call to clarify something.

    Great article. You’d be surprised how commonly these “common sense” suggestions are not followed. :)

    Reply

  18. I truly enjoy this blog. Discovered it on Google and you put up some great information. Look forward to the following post.

    Reply

  20. very nice Post!
    I really appreciate and admire the information you are offering in this post.
    Really helpful article.
    Thanks for sharing

    Reply

  23. Anyone who has been to AA meetings and discovered the prevalence of individuals coming to their knees in petition to their Higher Power, mentions of “GOD” and Our Lords Prayer recognizes that AA is a faith set on spirituality – just like Christianity.

    Reply

  24. I had a little trouble understanding right away, but I think I get what you’re saying now. Thanks!

    Reply

  25. this is good general advice. I would also say that it’s important to be able to gauge the working style of your customer and to make adjustments accordingly.

    Reply

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  31. I had a little trouble understanding right away, but I think I get what you’re saying now.I would also encourage you to include your address in the signature. Also, make sure it is on the bottom of every emailI would also encourage you to include your address in the signature. Also, make sure it is on the bottom of every email.Dealing with clients is one of the most difficult parts of freelancing for me, and I’m always looking for good tips to smooth the process.

    Reply

  36. These are great tips, like you said, a reminder of the common sense things we sometimes forget. I especially like Elevator Speech idea. It is smart to be prepared instead of stammering when you may only have a few moments to talk.

    Reply

  38. these tips are of great importance not only for students of business badministration but also for teachers and businessmen.
    thanks.

    Reply

  39. I think these are great tips, it’s good to read tips on how to be more successful so you can realize the things that you aren’t doing.

    Reply

  40. well.. its so nice that you guys come up with such great points. the thing that might be considered is adding some more elaborate points on other areas of business communication too… thanx

    Reply

  44. Most of these tips were in my head anyway, but as i am totally new and about to start in business i wasn’t sure if they were the right ways of going ahead. So now my instincts match the expert advice, i will go ahead.

    I paticularly like the idea of the “elevator speach”, i often wondered why buisness professionals were so quick and easy to the point, now i know it’s practise.

    Thank you so much for the blog/info.

    Reply

  52. Thanks a lot for nice article! A really informative one! Agree with you with all the points! Good job ;-) Maybe you will find my post concerning Business Etiquette at my website an interesting one.

    Reply

  56. Great write-up! Communication is definitely the key to success no matter which type of business you are involved in. I work as a Virtual Assistant and have found that much of my own success comes through the feedback and follow-up when a job is done. Adding that little extra bit when I finish a project almost always leads to the client being even happier and much more willing to recommend me to others. Don’t be afraid to ask for a recommendation, a link to you/your business or a testimonial you can use later.

    Reply

  59. This is the best article for business owners. Alyssa Gregory you have done it again. I have been in a conference related to this topic an let me tell you that I have learn more reading your article. This is pure gold for business owners: To understand the client’s unique needs, professionalism, prepare an agenda that outlines focus points, communication is a two-way street, follow up after the meeting with a written message, customer service,Feedback, Address Problems, Face-to-Face Networking. This key points in not well practice by business owners. Well done Alyssa.

    Reply

  60. South America,

    Excellent ,efficient and so very applicable.
    Everyone studying Communication, especially at an Institute for Applied Sciences,needs to be familiar with these facts.Thanks for the article.

    Reply

  61. Hell Alyssa

    Thanks you so much for doing the great job of knowledge sharing. Article is very helpful.

    Thanks you so much again.

    Advocate Nagvendra Singh Parmar

    India 0009987898168

    Reply

  62. the people who are dealing with clients can have a excellent stuff here.
    thankyou for providing us the valuable information

    Reply

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