Effective Communication

Effective Communication

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Overview

Why is communication so important?

What are different types of communication?

Good and bad communication examples

Tips and Tricks

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Why is communication so important?

Communication is a process whereby meaning is defined and shared between living organisms. Communication requires a sender,

a message and an intended recipient. Sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication

Without communication we would not be able to do our jobs as we do today

Communication itself needs to be clear and understood by all involved

Communication is a reflection on you as a professional. You want to

leave a good lasting impression, that wants the client to keep

coming back

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What are different types of communication?

Communication comes in many forms and they fit into 4 categories;

Non verbal communication

Visual communication

Oral communication

Written communication

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Non verbal

Non verbal communication describes the process of conveying meaning in the form of non-word messages through;

Gesture

Body language or posture

Facial expression

Eye contact

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Visual Communication

Visual communication is the conveyance of ideas and information through creation of visual representations. Primarily associated with

two dimensional images, it includes;

Signs

Drawings / Illustrations

Graphic Design

Colours

Electronic resources, video and TV

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Oral Communication

Oral communication, while primarily referring to spoken verbal communication, typically relies on both words, visual aids and non-

verbal elements to support the conveyance of the meaning.

Oral communication includes;

Discussion (Phone and face to face)

Speeches

Presentations

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Oral Communication: Greeting clients

Greeting clients in person is very important. Here are some simple easy steps to greeting a client in person

When introducing yourself, shake hands with the client with a

smile

Hold eye contact with the client, this shows respect and

confidence

Show them through to the meeting room to begin your meeting Dress and appearance is also important when meeting with clients.

You can refer to our Dress Code policy within HowNow

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Oral Communication: Phone Etiquette

Do Smile when answering the phone (the person on the

other end will know)

Be polite - you want them to call back

Always say please, your welcome and thank you - the customer does like to hear

common courtesy

Do Not

Answer the phone whilst chewing gum or eating - no matter how well you think

you can hide it you can not and it is VERY RUDE

Make up an answer to get the customer off the phone.

Make an effort to find someone that can help if you

can not.

Use slang or profanity this is very unprofessional

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Oral Communication: Phone scripts

Hello, thank you for calling (company name), (name) speaking, how may I help you? - VERY FORMAL

Good Morning / Afternoon (name) speaking, how may I help you? - GOOD TO USE IF YOU HAVE A RECEPTIONIST AND YOU ARE THE 2ND POINT OF CALL

Acceptable

Hi, hows it going? Yea? What do ya want? Hello? Unacceptable

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Oral Communication: Voicemail

Voicemail is also important. If you are away from your desk and unable to answer your phone it is good for the client to be able to

leave a message for you.

When creating your message it is good to be clear and concise. The scripts for your voicemail can be found in the Lawler Partners Style

guide located in HowNow.

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Written Communication

Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium

Written communication is relied on a lot within our organisation and it is important that the client receives the intended message. The 2

most commonly used styles of written communication used are

Letters and Email

The template for the layout of a letter is in HowNow.

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Written Communication: Emails Emails are intended for a short and concise form of written communication. A

good idea is not to make them to long otherwise people will not want to read

them

The structure of your email should be as follows;

Subject line: Should tell the reader what the email is about

Addressing the email: Dear or Good Morning / Afternoon

Body of the email addressing the point

If you have any questions or comment please do not hesitate to contact

Signing off on the email with Regards or Kind regards

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Summary

Be reader focused ensure they get the message that was intended Dont use slang Yep, lol, CUL8R, u, r Dont use emoticons J L or xoxo

Have another person read your letter Ensure you use spell check but remember it is not always fool proof.

Ensure you double check your work

Read it out aloud, if you run out of breathe your sentence is too long DO NOT USE CAPITAL LETTERS This can be translated as ANGRY

If you do wish to emphasise a point bold is a good way but dont over do it