| When we pause and reflect on the significance of | | | | or other factors pertinent to your product or service. |
| communication, we realize that effective | | | | The challenge is to make your message inspiring or |
| communication impacts our business and personal | | | | motivational enough to evoke a response without |
| success more than any other factor. Communication, in | | | | exaggerated and unbelievable claims. Be sure you |
| one form or another, permeates all that we do. | | | | communicate the true differentiation between what |
| Whether it's internal to employees or external to | | | | you are offering and the offers of your competitors. |
| customers/prospects, our ability to communicate | | | | Remember most purchasers see your product or |
| effectively determines the results. Words, actions and | | | | service as a commodity. In other words, from their |
| body language have a powerful impact, good or bad, | | | | perspective, they can get the same product or service |
| on those with whom we communicate.If we look back | | | | from your competitors for less money. For most of us |
| in history and examine the characteristics of great | | | | offering the lowest price (unless you are Wal-Mart) is |
| world leaders, we find one common trait among | | | | not going to create a successful business. It is essential |
| all...effective communicators. You may not want to be | | | | to your success that you clearly differentiate your |
| among the worlds' great leaders but you can greatly | | | | offering from the field of price cutters. You can't win |
| enhance your success by becoming an effective | | | | that battle.Messagee - I know. This is not in the |
| communicator. All it takes is a focus on honing your | | | | dictionary and it drives spell check crazy. However, it |
| communication skills. With the right mindset you can | | | | aptly describes the person to whom you are targeting |
| acquire the skills by a commitment to working on | | | | your message. You must first know who the |
| developing the necessary skills. As a beginning, let's | | | | decision-maker is for your specific product or service. |
| explore the foundational elements that will have an | | | | Next, you decide what response you want to evoke. |
| immediate impact on your success.The 3C's of | | | | Are you looking for an immediate purchase? Are you |
| Effective CommunicationWhether you are | | | | seeking an in-person appointment to determine their |
| communicating by the spoken or written word, keep | | | | needs and explore ways you may be able to meet |
| these three essential elements in mind:Clear - Insure | | | | their needs? Then, knowing their responsibilities within |
| that what you are saying or writing is clear to the | | | | their company, you must determine what message is |
| intended listener/reader by thinking through the | | | | going to motivate them to respond favorably to your |
| message and the response you expect to evoke. | | | | request. Example, if the Chief Financial Officer is the |
| Clarity is essential to effective communication, | | | | decision maker for your product or service, your |
| especially in your written communication. The reader | | | | offering better save or make their company |
| will not have the option to question your meaning or | | | | money.Messenger - The messenger is the medium |
| ask for clarity. If your message is unclear it leaves the | | | | you select to deliver your carefully crafted message |
| interpretation solely in their mind which may not be the | | | | to the appropriate messengee. When you have a |
| message you intended to communicate. Are we clear | | | | clear profile of your best customer/prospect, selection |
| on this?Concise - In this fast-paced world we live in | | | | of the targeted medium is much easier. Each media |
| today, brevity is cherished. Quality time is a scarce | | | | has its targeted reader, listener, viewer, etc. |
| commodity. Think about what you are saying or writing | | | | Independent research data is available that will help |
| in the context of fewer words while retaining clarity of | | | | you match your customers' profile to that specific |
| message. Email has opened up a whole new world of | | | | mediums' targeted profile. Over my forty years in |
| communication. It is the extreme example of being | | | | media advertising and consulting I have seen many |
| concise. I'm sure English teachers are going ballistic | | | | misdirected dollars wasted on ineffective |
| over the sentence structure (or lack thereof) in most | | | | advertising.Your precious resources of time and |
| email messages. The balance for effective | | | | money need to be targeted, focused, efficient and |
| communication lies somewhere between voluminous, | | | | effective Be sure you incorporate the 3C's and 3M's |
| unnecessary words and the choppy words and | | | | into your communication. We would be committing a |
| incomplete sentences of the email world.Consistent - | | | | felonious crime, punishable by hanging, if we failed to |
| Once you have developed a clear and concise | | | | mention one of the most significant elements of |
| message that you are satisfied conveys the reasons | | | | effective communication...effective listening. We all |
| people will want to do business with you and your | | | | could fill the remaining pages of this publication with |
| company, consistency is essential. We are constantly | | | | examples of horror stories created by others and by |
| bombarded with a deluge of information. It takes time | | | | us when they, or we, fail to listen carefully to the other |
| for any message to get through. When you have lived | | | | person. Our tendency is to jump in, make snap |
| with your message day in and day out and are tiring | | | | judgment, provide solutions, make incorrect |
| of it, your target listeners are probably beginning to "get | | | | assumptions and fast forward the others' story |
| it".The 3M's of Effective CommunicationThree key | | | | without focusing on what they are saying and then |
| elements are essential to effective | | | | responding appropriately. Silence can be golden.I hope |
| communication:Message - Using the 3C's above, | | | | this article has been clear, concise and consistent |
| carefully craft your message incorporating the reasons | | | | enough to inspire you to work on your communication |
| why a customer or prospect should consider, from | | | | skills. There are many resources of books, tapes and |
| their perspective, doing business with you and your | | | | seminars available to help you become an effective |
| company.Develop an honest and credible message | | | | communicator. Just do it. May you attain the success |
| that may, depending on your type of product or | | | | you earn."Coach Bud" shares 40+ years experience to |
| service, involve features, general benefits, company | | | | help his clients Create, Develop and Grow a |
| principles and values, innovative ideas, user testimonials | | | | Successful Entrepreneurial Business. |