We may not always be aware of it, but the way in which leaders communicate can significantly impact success in business conversations including interviews, meetings, and presentations and while networking with peers. Even small changes in word choices can make a difference in whether or not others see us as a leader and affects how we sell ourselves, our products and services. In this article, we explore how to use effective language in business communication.
The Importance of Professional Communication in Business
Ineffective communication skills cost both individuals and companies time and money. An article by Capitalism.com on business communication notes that “companies with as little as 100 employees, spend, on average, around 17 hours a week clarifying previous communication, which, when translated into dollar signs, equals, approximately $525,000.” This highlights the fact that developing professional conversation skills in speaking, writing, and presenting are all very important in business.
What Creates Good Communication?
There are several factors that we need to be aware of which help us to use effective language in business communication:
● Do the Research: Include all necessary information and be precise in your message to avoid having to go back-and-forth with communication.
● While making your message complete, also make it as concise as possible. Start out by summarizing and then you can provide details if needed.
● Make sure that you are being as clear in your message as possible. For example, articulating your value proposition statements when networking and interviewing.
● Check to see that all of the information in your message is correct and that there are no spelling mistakes. Whenever it can be helpful, use images and numbers to explain your points.
Be sure to double-check for the above mentioned elements in your conversations before sending to help you to build effective communication skills.
Using Precision in Business Communication
In a Fast Company article, Bud Bilanich discusses how language precision can make business communication more effective. He gives an example of how vague messages can lead to confusion and unnecessary back-and-forth communication: A sales person told him that she will meet with him “roughly around 4:00.” He did not know exactly what she meant by “roughly” because that word made the time ambiguous. This caused back-and-forth communication between them to clarify the time. This example shows the importance of using precise rather than vague word choices in our communications.
Using Effective Phrases in Language
One of the strategies for improving how you use effective language in business communication is to have professional phrases ready to use for various business situations. These will help you to avoid getting stuck about what to say in interviews, meetings, presentations, and more. They will also help you to avoid using phrases that can cause ambiguity and confusion. An article by Fluentu.com offers 56 phrases that you can use for business communication.
Knowing how to use effective language in business communication affects your success on the job, as well as your chances for advancement and for finding a new role.
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