When you think about it, business is really a series of communications - from business plan to promotions, advertising to PR and sales presentation to follow-up. How are you and your business succeeding in these areas?
Today, there's no room for error or miscommunication. Business efficiency is at stake as well as your customer base. And there is no time like the present for retaining and attracting customers. Your competitive edge in a densely-populated field of competitors could be the quality and consistency of what you say and how you say it.
Here are some tips for keeping your organization "on the same page":
Always have a clearly-defined organizational identity and image. This planning establishes the format for all subsequent business decisions, including communications. Never overlook the value or importance of how brand should apply to every aspect of your business.
Adequately inform all staff about how this planning relates to their individual work responsibilities in order to ensure organization-wide compliance. Involving employees in building these parameters will increase buy-in and performance.
Continually reinforce organizational communications standards and strive for consistency in all areas of your business. Also, consider using a communications mission statement that is brief and easy for employees to remember. While language skills may vary, strategic communications techniques can be effectively maximized.
Take a serious look at the quality of your external business communications. Press releases, marketing content, advertising and other distributed communications should follow your brand features and speak well of you. Fractured English, erroneous grammar, inconsistent style and generally poor quality communications cast doubt on the quality of products and services. "Known by the company you keep" illustrates the relationship between business and communication.
When times are tough, look for every opportunity to distinguish yourself in the marketplace. Effective, quality communications could be your winning advantage.
And always know when to seek professional advice. An expert can fast-forward your communications objectives and help you achieve a competitive edge in a fast-moving marketplace. Whether your communications services are in-house or outsourced, adjunct consulting services can solve a variety of business communications needs. You can read more about these topics by touring the article links at the bottom of our Services page.