by constructaquote - 28 July 2016
Improving the way in which you communicate in business can have notable effects on your working relationships with others. If a clear, well structured email or letter could mean the difference between closing a deal or losing a sale then its certainly worth investing your time to learn more about effective communication for business.
Here are our 10 top tips for communicating effectively:
1. Write the way in which you speak.
It’s important that when writing emails, letters or memos that you attempt to write in a normal, conversational tone as this is more likely to help your readers understand what you are trying to convey better.
2. Try and be positive in your message.
It’s important to put yourself into the position of your intended reader. If you receive a negative email/letter then you are likely to become blocked on an emotional level and therefore it is difficult to absorb the entire message. Consequently this can lead to misunderstandings and a certain amount of resentment on the part of the recipient.
3. Write at the level of the reader.
You should remember that despite the fact that you may have a high-level of education the majority of your readers probably won’t. Therefore you should try and keep your writing clear, simple and to the point as you may end up confusing your readers.
4. Try to avoid sending a business communication when angry.
Unfortunately it happens – people “shoot from the hip” and don’t think about the consequences. Communications written in an angry frame of mind tend to be condemning or accusatory in manner.
Minor things could slip into your writing that would not normally allow which, in turn, can put emotional walls up between you and your reader, fostering ill will. It is important to allow yourself time to calm down before sending off your message and choose your words carefully.
5. Anticipate readers’ questions.
It is important to cover all bases if possible – so try and anticipate any questions the reader may have and answer them up-front. This will not only result in your reader being better informed up-front but can also save time on additional correspondence to answer more questions.
6. Watch the jargon.
Jargon such as acronyms and phrases within your industry may seem like everyday language to you. However, it’s important to remember that when communicating with readers outside the industry or if you’re unsure as to their level of understanding then you should write in clear terms to ensure anyone can understand it.
7. Tighten up your message.
If you can convey what you want in a few paragraphs then why write more Extra text does not necessarily enhance the message and sometimes it could simply bury the basics of the message and bore the reader. Every sentence should convey something meaningful.
8. Proofread.
Sometimes it’s worth drafting a message and then proofreading it the next day before sending it out. Doing this allows you to spot spelling and grammatical errors before sending it out. You could also ask a trusted friend or colleague to proofread it for you – they might spot other issues with the writing that you might not have noticed.
9. Presentation.
When drafting a letter or email try and lay your writing out in a clear, readable style. It’s important to remember to use paragraphs when writing as this will allow you to convey information in easily readable portions to your intended reader.
Keep your text font style and size consistent. For example, if you are writing in font style “Calibri” at font size 12 then try not to switch font styles and sizes as it appears inconsistent and unprofessional. It’s also very important to remember to keep your font style simple as you could end up making it unreadable. For example, using a font like mistral as a signature is not advisable. Font style standard fonts for most businesses are styles such as Calibri, Arial or Times New Roman.
10. Personalisation.
Where possible try and personalise the letter or email. If you are sending out business correspondence to a number of people then use mail-merge to incorporate personal information into each individual letter or email you send out. You are more likely to get a better response than you would from sending out a generic letter or email to everyone.
by Charlotte Houghton - 7 October 2020
by constructaquote - 6 October 2020
by Charlotte Houghton - 29 September 2020
by Charlotte Houghton - 24 September 2020
