Business communication skills and techniques

Having good listening skills makes you a better communicator.

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Communication is one of the most important aspects of the business world. Professional men and women use communication for getting ahead, resolving interpersonal conflicts and working collaboratively with others to achieve unified goals. Since communication is such a necessary business component, business people must familiarize themselves with communication techniques that will be most effective for them and their professional counterparts.

Be Clear and Concise

The business world is fast paced; to keep up you must communicate in a way that is clear and concise. According to Mind Tools, a successful communicator is someone who can relay information to others in an unambiguous way. When speaking to your audience, or composing email messages, know exactly what you want to say and what kind of outcome you hope to elicit. Make your objective and purpose clear. If your audience does not understand what you are trying to convey, chances are you will not get the response or outcome you seek.

Know Your Audience

Always ask yourself who your main audience is. Knowing your audience is the key to communicating effectively, because it determines your style of communication. It is important to tailor your tone and the language you use to a level that your audience will comprehend. If you are giving a presentation to customers, avoid using jargon words that are often thrown around in your line of business, since customers are not likely to understand their meaning. On the other hand, if you are giving a presentation to colleagues or your company’s board of directors, you should not take the time to spell everything out, as the audience already knows how to decipher the language.

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Persuasive Communication

If you want others to listen to you, come up with a way to make your point or argument meaningful to others. When other people share an interest, or feel “on board” with an idea, they are more willing to give you the outcomes you are after. This communication technique is called persuasive communication. Brown University states that persuasive communication is meant to be influential, and is achieved by generating your audience’s interest and encouraging everyone's engagement in your cause.