6 Tips to Improve Your Business Communication Skills

When running a business, employers have to deal with multiple sides, from staff and customers to suppliers and shareholders.

Being able to express and convey ideas effectively without causing misunderstanding and frustration is undoubtedly a vital skill required to run a successful business. In short, it is business communication skills that matter.

Let’s go through some helpful tips to help you communicate more effectively in different business settings.

3 main types of business communication

There are 3 main types of communication in business environments.

Verbal communication

We use verbal language to express our personal opinions, discuss matters, find solutions, and even persuade listeners.

Some situations that require business communication skills include discussions, meetings, calls, presentations, etc.

As a leader, you should maintain a positive attitude and use the appropriate words to create a comfortable atmosphere during conversations.

Non-verbal

Non-verbal cues significantly affect the message you send to the other side of your conversation.

An upright posture shows confidence. A confident leader gives more of a trustworthy vibe to employees.

Small hand gestures such as waving and giving a thumbs up express friendliness. Using hands while speaking is also a good way to engage people.

Maintain eye contact when your employee presents their opinions. Smile and nod to express attention. Focus on the person instead of sticking your eyes on your phone or papers.

However, you shouldn’t use too many non-verbal gestures, as it can be awkward and annoying.

Written

The most common forms of written communication are emails and messages.

When it comes to written communication, adjust your tone, length, and formality depending on who your audience is.

Emails require managers to be careful when crafting, and they need to be proofread afterward. Make sure you don’t leave spelling mistakes, send materials to the wrong people, or even worse, forget to send the emails.

Communicating via messages is more comfortable and informal, but you should still keep a professional manner.

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Communication tips for different business settings

Different enterprises need different types of communication methods.

One-on-one

Employers have to have one-on-one conversations with employees, customers, clients, and suppliers daily.

It’s important to maintain an attentive and focused manner in these situations.

Show that you are listening to the other person. Make eye contact, smile, nod, ask questions, and respond appropriately to show that you actually listen and care.

If you’re talking directly to an employee, a safe and comfortable atmosphere will encourage your employee to share more.

You can make conversations less serious and intense by carrying them out in outside-of-office places such as a coffee shop or going for a walk.

Meetings

Meetings today aren’t always face-to-face. They can also be held via calls or video calls. Wherever the meetings take place, you need to keep a professional and serious manner.

You should set a clear agenda for each meeting and notify the relevant participants in advance. Don’t drag the meeting, discuss what’s relevant and then recap the points at the end of the meeting.

Training

When training new hires, don’t just throw them a bunch of information about their new jobs. You need to show the communication culture of your business, too. Is it friendly and informal? Lots of laughs? Is it formal and professional?

You can encourage new staff to share what they know. If the training sessions and knowledge are repetitive, consider making training videos. This can be time-consuming at first but will save you time in the long run.

Presentations

Make sure you look your best when presenting something to your staff. Depending on your business style, you can wear formal or informal clothes, as long as you don’t look too sloppy.

People often get lost in long and tedious presentations. You should speak clearly and get straight to the point. Interact with your staff by asking questions. Some light jokes to stir up the atmosphere are recommended. Use visuals to catch your audience’s attention.

6 tips for effective business communication

It is so good that you have come this far. This means you have a strong willingness to develop your business communication skills within the workplace. Here are some small tips for you.

1. Be confident and prepared

A confident manager is more likely to gain employees’ trust. By showing that you know what you’re talking about, employees believe that their leaders are leading them right.

However fluent and articulate you are, be well-prepared for different business settings. This can boost your confidence if you’re a nervous person.

You can plan ahead the main points you’re going to discuss, apply tips on how to maintain conversations and practice coherently presenting your ideas.

2. Control your body language

Try to avoid mistakes such as fiddling with your pens, crossing your arms, clasping hands, or fidgeting. These gestures can send the wrong message, and people do notice them.

You can employ some simple caring gestures such as smiling or patting someone on the back lightly to show support and friendliness.

3. Be articulate when speaking

One important goal of communication is to convey your ideas coherently. Don’t mumble or speak too fast. Be articulate when speaking and talking so that the other person can fully understand what you mean.

4. Be open-minded and show respect

People have different opinions, and you aren’t always right. Being able to receive constructive feedback, contradictory responses, and new ideas will allow you to look at issues from different perspectives.

Even when a raised opinion doesn’t match your expectations or viewpoint, you should be respectful. Don’t bash the idea, or make snap assumptions and judgments.

5. Use appropriate tone of voice and attitude

Using an appropriate tone and attitude depending on each circumstance shows that you respect the other side of the conversation.

Some managers try to prove their power by applying a stricter tone of voice and harsher attitude. The employees may be terrified, but it doesn’t mean they’ll actually believe and listen to these bosses.

6. Be a good listener

Communication requires the contribution of both sides. It can’t be all about you. Don’t do all the talking. Listen attentively to other people. Ask them questions and provoke questions from them. This will make sure that both sides can put forth the best ideas out of the conversation.

Conclusion

Effective business communication skills aren’t something employers can acquire instantly. It’s a long process of noticing and making changes to the smallest aspects of communication.

You can follow the tips above to refine your business communication skills. Give your best and we’re sure you can express, inform, and persuade more successfully.