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