The Top 10 Communication Skills for Business

In order to run a successful business, you need to have a variety of business communications skills. Being able to communicate effectively with others will help you to build important relationships, sell your products and services, retain talented employees and valuable customers, secure investment and negotiate the best deals. In this article, we give our top ten communication skills for business.

Conversing

Although it is one of the most basic forms of communication, the power of simple conversation should not be underestimated. Taking the time to start friendly conversations with employees and colleagues can help to build trust and rapport, which promotes a better working environment and this is conducive to productivity. The art of conversation is also vital in sales and customer service roles. The ability to converse in a friendly and approachable way is a skill that can be applied in almost any situation.

Writing

Writing is a really important skill in business, whether it’s in the form of a letter, email or text message, you need to be able to communicate effectively in this form. It’s not necessary to be a perfect writer, but it is important to check your grammar and spelling and ensure that you are writing in a clear and concise way. Nobody wants to read unnecessarily long-winded emails, for example, and bad grammar and lack of clarity can lead to misinterpretation.

Body Language

Body language forms a key part of non-verbal communication, whether or not we are always aware of it. Being able to master your body language is an important skill in business that will help you to create the right impression. Be aware of your posture, keep your hands out of your pockets and always give people eye contact. These are a few basic tips, but it’s a good idea to do some further research and this will also help you to read other people’s body language so you can find out what they are really thinking!

Presenting

Presentation skills are really important in business but, unfortunately, this is one of those skills that many people struggle with more than the others. That’s why it’s so important to research good presentation skills and practice thoroughly, if you think this is an area that requires improvement. Well-delivered presentations will win you admiration, investment and sales – so it’s important to get it right! The key points to consider are confidence, clarity, poise and conciseness – make sure that you engage well with your audience.

Listening

It’s one thing being able to covey your own thoughts and ideas in a variety of forms, but being able to listen to others is equally – if not more – important. Active listening is a skill that will enhance all of other communication skills, whether you are conversing, debating, negotiating, mediating or leading. It also demonstrates that you are empathetic and thoughtful and that you care about the views of the people around you. Being able to listen is also a skill that will gain you vital knowledge in business, and in life.

Negotiating

Negotiation is a skill that is likely to impact heavily on the success of your business. Being able to negotiate effectively will help you to secure investment, close sales, get discounts with suppliers, agree reasonable terms in a variety of instances and so on. To negotiate effectively, you will need to have knowledge, confidence and good listening and conversing skills. It also helps if you approach people in a friendly and likeable manner.

Leading

To run a successful business, you need to demonstrate good leadership skills. As a leader, your responsibilities will be multiple and varied. Above all, you need to have the ability to instil trust, confidence and motivation in your employees and those that you work closely with. All of your other communication skills will come into play in your role as a leader – from conversing and writing to body language, listening, presenting, negotiating, debating and mediating.

Debating

Having good debating skills means that you are able to present your ideas and arguments clearly and respectfully, whilst also listening and understand the views of others. This is a skill that is closely linked to negotiation, in the sense that it will help you to win support and get what you want. However, being able to debate ideas and opinions rationally in a variety of settings will also enable you to learn from others and this can help you to succeed in business over time.

Mediating

Mediating is a skill that is, perhaps, needed less often than others. However, there will be times when it is necessary to manage and resolve disputes. Whether this is between employees, clients or other parties, you will need to be able to listen to all sides, understand different perspectives and help people to work through their differences and reach a compromise. This may require patience and empathy as well as good listening, negotiating and conversing skills.

Cross-platform communications

In modern life, we depend on technology to a greater extent than ever before to facilitate our communication. That’s why the right business communications are so important. You need to have a variety of platforms to communicate with others and be able to use all of them effectively. Voice calls, emails, instant messages, texts and video conferencing are all common platforms in business these days. Not only do you need to implement the technology within your business and be able to use it effectively, but you also need to know which ones are appropriate for different applications.

 

At Midland Networks, we can provide you will the technology you need to communicate effectively. We offer fully-integrated solutions inclusive of everything from data cabling and phone systems to business mobiles, broadband, cloud services and more.