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Effective Communications in Business (Lifestyle Therapy)
Susan Leigh is a long established, South Manchester based Counsellor and Hypnotherapist. She provides tailor made support to businesses -training courses and lectures, or one to one counselling. See Corporate Services on www.lifestyletherapy.net for more information.
Effective Communications in Business.
Communicating is something that we are all doing constantly, both verbally and non-verbally. Scientists have, in fact, calculated that something like 85% of communication is done non-verbally, through body language, manner, attitude. We have all, no doubt, met someone to whom we take an instant like or dislike. Why does this happen and what can we do to improve our relationships ? In business it is important to maximise our opportunities for successful interaction. Here are a few hints to improve our opportunities for success.
Good communications are about building rapport with the other person so here are some pointers.
- Establish how you can help the other person. Find out what ther need, what they are looking for from the relationship. Demonstrate that this is of importance to you too. Mean what you say. This establishes a genuine connection.
- Be interested in what they have to say. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Perhaps even reflect the answers back to demonstrate that you have been listening in a positive, constructive way. Remember what you have been told. It can be useful to make notes after a meeting -childrens names, hobbies, points of particular interest. That way you can refer back to your notes prior to a meeting or phone call. It helps build a relationship with the person.
- Stay on point. It can be very easy to get distracted away from the reason for the meeting and chatter about secondary matters. This can be fine if both parties are interested and have the time to spare. However if it goes on for too long it can distract away from the business in hand and appear frivolrous and unprofessional.
- Disagreements and misunderstandings sometimes occur in business, and can occur if things have gone wrong, or if one person feels slighted or disrespected. It can be useful to firstly allow the complainant to vent their displeasure and then, after they have had their (uninterrupted) say, get out a notepad and start to list each negative point in turn. It's interesting how often, by staying calm and non-confrontational, how by this stage in the meeting, the original gripes have calmed down and become far less angry and damaging.
Successful business is about establishing a win/win situation for both parties. By building good relationships with existing and potential future clients you can ensure that you remain a valued, trusted and respected contact in your particular field. The relationship is the key and can ensure that clients stay loyal, whatever competitors are promising to entice them away.
- Don't be afraid of not selling. One of my clients, who regularly was the top sales person in the company, was quite happy to say to a client ' I can't help you today. What you have is better than what I am here to promote' . That way the potential client really trusted the judgement and advice being given and it built up confidence for future meetings.
For further information:
Motivation - Effective Communications in Business
Lifestyle Therapy
3 Alstone Drive
Oldfield Brow
Altrincham
Cheshire
WA14 4LD
United Kingdom
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