What a big subject communication is. I'm even having to divide it up for my blog because it's so big.
The reason I'm writing about it at all is because of it's huge importance in every area of our life, and if you're running a business, it's essential that your communication skills are excellent.
When you're offering the same widget or service as hundreds of others, what is it that can make people buy from you? Is it that your prices are cheaper? If you're buying off the net, this might be the case, but if someone prefers to get something from a shop it may not be.
What about a money back guarantee? This is very attractive to a client buying something like coaching and it's something I'm using more and more.
OK, so we have cheap prices and money back guarantee. What else can we offer that's different from our competitors? Quality of goods would be attractive certainly, but what if your business is a service? Then, the quality becomes how you treat the customer or client.
I was listening to the radio on Saturday and a lady was talking about why she loved the retail store John Lewis. "Because people are always nice to me here", she said.
When I log into my online bank, I'm greeted by the message "Wealth warning, poor service many cause anger and resentment". How true that is!
THe worst service for me when I go into a shop is when the assistant serves me while continuing a conversation with his/her colleague, as if I didn't exist. I always want to ask if they weren't advised in training that customers really hate that!
So, if all you've got is the way you communicate, make this the thing you excel in.
Here are some tips that work for me.
1. Find some common ground - people like people like them.
2. Really listen to your customer/client - that can feel like a novel experience for some people.
3. Get some feedback - ask your clients what they like about what you do, and if there's anything else you could do to improve your service.
4. Use the feedback as a learning experience. If you've been told you're doing something wrong, it's a great opportunity to make some improvements.
5. See if you can find a measure to show how successful your communication is in your business.
Good luck!
Pam Stokes is a Business & Personal Development Coach. She also provides E-learning solutions for busy people, supervises newly qualified and trainee coaches, runs workshops in stress management, and a Diploma Course in NLP. Free downloads and blog http://www.pamstokesassociates.co.uk/coaching
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