Communication In Business
You probably know by now that everything that is effective has a ‘strong message’?
If a message cannot be translated easily to a potential customer or to another then it may well fail.
And this is whether we are in business or in a personal relationship – we all need to get across our messages in order to be heard and to survive.
So, it is no different in the small business area – in fact it is probably the most important thing if owning a small operation in your local area to be seen and heard as you have to appeal to your locals, and those around you so you fit in to the community.
(Hey btw, don’t worry – the guy in my story is nothing like Sweeny Todd!)
Business communication essentially encompasses the topics such as marketing, brand management, customer relations, consumer behavior, advertising, public relations, corporate communication, community engagement, reputation management, interpersonal communication, employee engagement, and event management. In this post I will be talking about the communication between you and your customer and how to best improve your engagement through various simple processes.
We are exchanging our communication in order to demonstrate profits and grow them further. We are sharing and presenting our message and so our goal is to promote our business message, reach our goals, objectives, aims, and do so through specific measured activities, in the best ways we can, in order to increase revenue within the business through these types of specific communication.
No matter what type of resources you need for your Small business when starting – you need to start with knowing your message – and having absolute clarity around that. This needs to be researched and developed in the right way ‘or’ you will quickly be panicking about how to stay afloat.
From knowing your core message and who you will serve, you can start to build from there.
I don’t know what stage you are at right now in your Small business but, I a sure that this will show you something you can improve upon from today.
So I hope that this story helps you to improve what you do and increase your revenue.
The Cut Throat importance of Business Communication Share on X
I have shared before how I am ‘not’ that into deeply techy things, in fact I HATE ALOT OF IT, but once upon a time I had to push through to get it, and I had to do it ‘all’ as I had no money to outsource. Today I don’t waste my energy levels on certain areas as I spend my time on my people meaning my team and customers, so I always suggest that you know your role and others in building a strong customer base, and in building a long term growth strategy – as this is what will build on from the foundation of your core message.
What I did was focus on my strengths which were and are in this area of communication in business and in building relationships whilst sharing ideas to form greater businesses.
I am all about helping my clients to live the lives they can be happier about and more successful in, as they are looking after their customers.
So, I love helping them to turn ideas into actual sustainable small business models and to create solid connections with their customer base through the right channels.
But, what I have noticed when coaching clients is that a great deal of my clients THINK they know their message, as it comes from them, but they fail to realize that they have to see things from the customer’s perspective and not just their own. They often fail to see beyond their idea; thinking that it will be enough to become wildly successful.
BUT IT AIN’T!
This is a huge part of business failure. And only if/when it is right does it form a huge part of business success.
You have an idea and then you place a sign up like that. Is it going to work for you?
What would you do? Buy a Car there or drive past this place?
I would personally drive past that sign in the image as it already tells me that the owners don’t care about their business and have no pride in what they do. And if they have no pride in what they do they are unlikely to care about you either! So, we must ensure that each and every element is right and correct. I visit a great deal of businesses who are struggling and there are many let me tell you, but it is often just a few simple areas which they have overlooked; such as branding, design, customer focus, and customer experience. If I am not treated like a million dollars where ever I go, I won’t go back, it’s that simple. And I am likely to give an average review on Google, when it could have been avoided. So, don’t make that mistake and be shoddy, be EXCEPTIONAL.
Many ideas people often fail to see that an idea is great, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is an idea which deliver s message and speaks to the customer directly.
You wouldn’t believe how many ideas I hear every day, and I can bet that the ideas person ‘believes’ that their idea is simply the best. And better than all the rest! Sorry, I am not a Tina Turner fan so I am not sure why I did that!
The message within the idea is what I get them to work on, as it might be an invention, an innovation, or something which is pretty radical to say the least, but it needs to be translated to the end user. So, think of ideas and we are giving out through our communication in our business and how we are sharing this with a clear vision and message to fulfill that need.
I was in a local Turkish Barber’s the other day as I love the cut throat shave and a freshen up. It makes me feel invigorated.
Whilst I was chatting to my barber Aydin (the cut throat shave guy) he was asking me more about ‘what I do’ as I write books and courses and he found some of them.
So, I shared the idea in this post, which is about Communication in business and other areas. He looked puzzled (unless that’s just his normal expression), but yet he was intrigued. So, I was sharing how I earn with my clients and how I help people to do what they love to be successful.
As I was explaining to him ‘what I do’ he was becoming more and more curious (if you can imagine the look from puzzled to curious?).
He couldn’t work out how I created an income by just talking to people and creating plans.
And he couldn’t see why clients would pay me for advice even though he knew I knew a few things.
So, I said “how are things in your business at the moment?” to which he replied “Ah well, not bad, I am getting by just about but it is so stressful!”
So I asked “Why is it so stressful though?”
He replied “I am barely breaking even here so, if this doesn’t work within 6 months I will lose everything and have to drive vans again!”
So I said “look, let’s take a look at your business and Ill ask you about how your business works and see what happens yeah?”
He was still looking kind of curious and puzzled, but now he was looking fearful for some reason.
What he didn’t really know until I walked in was that he needed me. I know that sounds incredibly self interested and ego driven but I mean it in the best of ways. His business wasn’t going to last long, and so call it divine intervention or something else. it doesn’t matter, what matters is that the timing was everything.
In fact, he was on the verge of closure – and it was very sad as he was struggling to make ends meet. Why? – Simple! He was not getting his message out there clearly enough or getting enough people going through his door. Sure – he had his locals and repeat custom but he needed more.
As Aydin wiped the shave foam from my neck (an area which I always find a bit scary!) and I sat looking at my fresh looking self in the mirror, he asked if I wanted a coffee… So I said ‘sure why not’!
He wanted to pick my brains and so we sat and chatted and I enjoyed talking and listening to this passionate and intense guy and discovering more about what he was saying to me about what he does.
I explained that being half Italian I have a strong connection with both cultures and I have helped many business owners who were from the UK but also Italians in barbers and other areas and also global clients to increase their margins.
The Cut Throat importance of Business Communication Share on X
His eyes lit up when I mentioned INCREASE!
So I explained what I do and what my prices were, but also what we would do ‘should’ he decide to work with me.
Together we start a plan as he was in. He could see that the these ideas I came up with made total sense in order to create more effective Communication In his Business for his Barber shop so he could make more sales from current customers but also increase his numbers.
After 2 hours I basically had had a couple of coffees and I was a little wired I must say.
But, I explained to him what ‘I thought’ he might want to do more of and he was very excited to see the bigger picture. We went through a ‘simple plan’ to look at increasing his revenue but also to add income streams to his shop. So the goal was to create a target to aim for and strategy to move him forward.
We also talked about a mini-makeover of his shop as it was needed. Remember the used car sales sign? Yeah well, that kind of thing.
So, a few days later I called him and he was taking action on what we talked about. Things were starting to go very well…. he told me that he had built some new relationships and communicated with team colleagues to change a few things and get a ‘new look’ outside and inside his shop.
He was naturally worried about money so we agreed he should start by asking himself some important questions. I asked him to think about how he could communicate with people more without spending much more, and so he set about connecting more with those in his community and his current clients and also some new faces. This cost him some time but very little money.
I got him to do some research about ‘what they really wanted’ as there was quite a bit of competition on the road that he was on, so we needed to ensure he stood out from a sea of similar businesses.
When he was able to focus more on tweaking just a few things guess what happened?
Yepp, he simply got more business steadily and actually doubled his income just 3 months later.
3 MONTHS!
It continued to grow as well until after 6 months he had made an extra £23,600 gross in that period.
Small Business Model Owner ‘Cheeky’ In Tenerife
What the people really wanted there was to feel more special.
And you and I know that we all want great experiences right? Of course we do.
So, he changed the design of the place, added coffee machines, refined his brand, offered massages and in the waiting area offered entertainment such as video games and comfortable massage chairs.
Essentially he out performed others.
Just like this guy in the image you see known as ‘cheeky’ by locals in Tenerife, who has a fabulous long running family business with excellent food, drink and customer service. ‘Cheeky’ put in the attention to detail and this matters.
So, our Turkish friend had to spend some money and it was on tech, furniture and on décor, but it was far less than he had imagined. And in fact – what he imagined it would cost before WAS STOPING HIM SPENDING MONEY on it. So, his own fears were driving his decisions which nearly led to his demise.
The point is – he asked BETTER questions about what his customers may want more of or less of.
Sometimes we just have to move with the times a little and learn to adapt in business or we get left behind.
He created a place which had that all important Turkish traditional aspects but with some modern twists here and there.
We knew that his message needed some tweaking but is was essentially there, as many loved the experience already, it was just about increasing exposure and having a face lift, and then getting more people involved.
So he did a few parties with food and drinks to invite guests to see his new place and he got the local newspapers over to give him some more exposure. With this, he also added a shop online whereby customers could buy branded merchandise such as mugs, shave products, and other products and services which were all tested.
He ensured that he was in good communications with all areas of his business and strategy.
Those who supplied him were able to offer discounts in bulk which we negotiated and set up better accounts, a solid team of 5 and more sophisticated sales processes. Now this all may seem a bit expensive and a lot of work for a humble barber, but by the end of the second year from when we planned he was set to start a franchise.
The Cut Throat importance of Business Communication Share on X
He now has 5 of these barbers as they were easily duplicated and had an established brand name.
Communication in business is about all connections
Remember that just in communication in business this is as much about the customer as every other aspect to your connections. It’s the whole message that you are giving out and creating.
So, was it worth him investing a little time and money into his business? You tell me!
Well, Aykin was in a whole new place as time passed, even though his prices were still competitive. After we had tweaked a few things he had built an empire.
He was now on his way to becoming a wealthy guy.
it was honestly a great experience for me also to help him, as it was my first cut throat barbershop client, so I was keen to get this right.
Today, he knows the true power of understanding Communication In Business and so it is going very well for him.
What was the key take away from this? Communication in business has to be clear and effective. And we need to know how to make the most out of ‘what we already have’. He really was passionate when he could see the possibilities of connecting with more people in the area, and as he had grown and nurtured his message, so the customers came.
Passion is another part and if this is not there then interest and energy start to waiver, so we must be in 110%.
His customers wanted to come back again which is vital to a local business.
He even started to offer various new deals and discounts and as he did so, he gathered new clients and even more ‘brits’ were coming in (as some had never experienced the Authentic Turkish shave or the delicious coffee).
With these few new tweaks the clients were loving the whole experience.
What was just a simple shave led to saving a business from failure and creating a great new experience for customers.
All this meant was ‘Communication In Business’ is vital. And this means the follow up processes to ensure that customer relations are at the forefront of the experience. Thus, he was able to further develop relationships and make more sales online.
So the moral of my story is – never ever underestimate the way in which you develop your Communication In Business through your message so you can create better connections and grow your revenue.
This is just as important as the products which you promote because, if you cannot CONNECT in the first place then it doesn’t matter how good your stuff is. Buyers have to feel as though ‘you want them to have the best time and experience’ and also get great value for money in the deal.
When you get this stuff right you will grow.
If you have an amazing product already then ensure you package it in such a way that you connect directly with the emotion of your ultimate customer/consumer by first establishing the value of the experience. gather solid reviews and testimonials and become the ‘go-to’ person in your niche. But you also have to communicate with your team in order to get them working in their ultimate roles through your vision so that you can depend upon them playing their part.
The Cut Throat importance of Business Communication Share on X
As you develop and sell in your business more, ensure you are conscious of the consistent need to maintain good communication in business and you will naturally see greater grow.
This is the case with all sales processes, as by doing this you are creating a connection which becomes loyalty.
This is about building simple systems and processes whereby you start to deliver in the best ways to grow through CARE.
You want them to associate YOU with a high priority product or service in their lives.
So, no matter if you are a freelancer, a small online business owner, a more traditional businessperson or you are a coach or consultant, the system just needs to work. And this can be two fold in that – you may be face to face with your people mostly and you build that rapport – BUT you can also have them sign to your list online where you will give them tons of value through further connection and ultimate sales.
For me – having a list is essential to growing an online business model or models and I have honest relationships and connections with my subscribers. I only share what ‘I do’ and what ‘I use’ to make better income decisions and grow, so even when I am not doing anything I am getting buyers and interested parties looking at my stuff.
What our friend needed was to impress more people than just his son!
I am sure you can see from the story above that we all need to ‘get to know’ our buyers/customers by using effective Communication In Business
Communication is in all areas as it can be as little as conversation or messages through brands and email to new offers, customer service and through relationship building. So we cannot miss out anything.
You need to ensure you are doing all that you can to give customers what they love and get them buying from you over and over again.
This is no matter what business you own, or want to own and run successfully as you need to establish strong relationships because they are just as important as any other factor.
We are all different!
I found that ‘I really needed to know what type of businessperson’ and entrepreneur I was in order to be fully effective in what I did and to be able to focus all of my energy in the right areas whilst leaving other areas for my team. That was about having communication with myself first and then with my team and how we all communicated together the message.
We all need to know where we can be most effective in what we do and then we need to share that in the best ways possible.
I am a ‘visionary’ type of entrepreneur and I never really finish anything that I start when It comes to ideas as I am so busy helping others that I have to outsource a great deal of my ideas, but just knowing this has helped me no end!
And, I recommend you do this exercise also.
In knowing what and who we are and what we can bring to the table we know where to place our time and energy.
Each type of Entrepreneur has it’s pro’s and con’s – so it is a case of finding and working with your greatest strengths and passions.
Once I knew ‘who I was’ going into business I could maintain my actions in specific ways, whilst I increases my focus and this meant that I wasn’t wasting my time it trying to figure out where I should be spending my time.
We need to know WHO we are going into any venture and we need to know WHERE we are right now and what we need to get the greatest returns from that venture.
The Cut Throat importance of Business Communication Share on X
It’s always best to know where
you are coming from before you
know where you are going.
What is your core message and why is it so important anyway.
Because if you don’t know what you stand for then how will anyone else?
In doing your research in order to to gather how to use Communication In Business in the best ways you will connect the pieces and you will beat your nearest competition.
Finally – if you haven’t done so already be sure to sign up and grab your free small business book to the right as I share the essentials to getting your small business running the right way from your passions and also in using Communication In Business right from the very beginning.
Even if you have been in business for some time, I guarantee you that you will find many golden nuggets in their which will increase your revenue and no matter what type of Small business you run you will see that the most successful of those will have maximized revenue sources whilst at the same time ensure that communication is of paramount importance.
You may also find this useful:
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE? – MAYBE YOU NEED HELP WITH STARTING OUT?
WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OR PASSION FOR A SMALL BUSINESS?
HOW TO INCREASE REVENUE IN YOUR BUSINESS
MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME ROBERT G ALLEN
REVENUE MAXIMISATION – ECONOMICS ONLINE
As per usual good luck to you and your Communication In Business strategies!
Greg
WORK WITH ME HERE ON YOUR PLAN TO START THE RIGHT WAY
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Communication In Business
-- Download Communication In Business: A Close Shave At The Turkish Cut Throat Barbers as PDF --
