(Say What You Mean and Get What You Want!)



Great business communication skills requires learning to say exactly what you

mean and saying it in a way to get a desired outcome that is beneficial for both

the business contact and your home based business. Many times we send cross

signals in our communications because we ourselves are not completely sure how

to convey our thoughts properly. We know what we want to say but are unable to

get the correct wording in order to get the your point across.

Enhancing our business communication skills has numerous advantages in all

aspects of our home based business from negotiations to routine business

conversations. Your bottom line will increase more by getting the desired

outcome that you want. Whether it is better pricing from a manufacturer or

handling a disgruntled customer you will notice that the results will be more

favorable for your home based business.

* Tips for Effective Communication:

* Have a Main Objective

* Be Prepared for Objections

* Consider the Benefits for All Parties

* Emphasize the other Party's Benefits

* Keep if Friendly

* Be Prepared to Walk Away

Know Your Main Objective

What is the ultimate result you would like to achieve from the conversation,

negotiation or advertising? What I have found to be very helpful is to get as

many facts as possible. Information gathering is essential for creating your

main objective as well as gaining better business communication skills. Once you

have the main objective in mind, create a mental picture of it or write it down

so that you can stay focused.

If you have a disgruntled customer, find out exactly what the problem is. Keep

asking questions until you know for sure that you completely understand the

situation. Then you can figure out what solutions would work best for the

customer and for your home based business.

When you know what your objective is for all situations you will have a clear

direction to follow in order to achieve your ultimate goal. The goal may be to

create a satisfied customer expectations of repeat sales, negotiating a lower

product price with a manufacturer, or creating an advertising campaign. As you

can see effective business communication skills will increase your home based

business bottom line.

Prepare for Objections

 

Whether it is customer service or negotiating with a manufacturer etc., you will

need to expect objections. When you are prepared for them even if they never

arise, it will open your mind to all the aspects of the situation and will give

you a clearer perspective. When you can see all the sides of a situation, you

will make wiser decisions and be able to point out the advantages for the other

party.

What are the Benefits for All Parties?

Knowing what the benefits are for all parties concerned will help you explain

them more effectively. In advertising you would list the benefits of your

product or service in the advertisement. In customer service you would list the

benefits of the solution to your customer, bearing in mind what would be the

best outcome for both parties.

Emphasize the Benefits

Armed with a list of benefits, you will be able to explain the best benefits and

advantages for the other party. With all the information on the table your

business contact will be able to see the advantages of the subject matter and

how they can benefit from your proposal. You will then be able to conclude the

conversation easily since you have achieved your main objective with all parties

satisfied.

Keep if Friendly

 

There will be times when no matter how good your business communication skills

are, the other party just does not recognize the possibilities or want to work

with you. That is fine, there will be customers who you cannot satisfy,

negotiations that cannot be made and business contacts that will not be able to

see your point of view.

If you keep it friendly you will increase the chances that they will listen to

you in the future. This will leave the option of further contact open, whether

it is a call, coming back to the negotiating table or for other business

opportunities.

Be Prepared to Walk Away

Great business communication skills also entail knowing and realizing that

situations will arise that the other party may not be receptive to any part of

your main objective. In those rare instances it is better to end the

conversation politely and move on. Sometimes the other party may be having a bad

day or is distracted and what ever you say will fall on deaf ears. This happens

to all of us. Realizing and recognizing that the other parties' business

communication skills are off that day will help you to end the conversation

quickly and renew it on anther day when it is more appropriate.

Effective communication will help you in your home based business by creating an

atmosphere of understanding and cooperation. Another aspect of business

communication skills includes learning to listen better. In my article; "What

did You Say?" I discuss ways to become a better listener.

Tips for effective communication are a quick guideline which you can follow to

stay on course in all your business dealings. Each day there will be numerous

opportunities to use effective communication skills. Your home based business

depends on your business communication skills for growth, development and

advancement in your chosen field.