I would like to compare communication with an institution
that has rules and structures developed to maintain order. For communication to
be effective within a business institution it needs to be structured and fall
within the guidelines that ensure effective communication. If you are going to
meet a client or a supplier or going for a press conference you need to
prepare. You need to have an idea of what is likely to be asked and how you are
expected to respond. The mood and emotions also need to be checked and this we
will look at in later articles in the series. So where do we start with this
business communication preparation?
How to prepare yourself for the meet
A lot goes into this you may need to consider your mental
and emotional state of mind before meeting with the client. Although this may
not apply in all situations it is still important to know where you are at and
in case you are not in the appropriate state you can see how to bring yourself
up to speed. People easily pick up on your moods and attitudes so try clearing
your mind and take heavy doses of good thoughts it helps calm the spirit.
Depending on who you are going to meet your dressing may help you improve the comfort levels or build walls between you and the client. A power suit speaks differently from casual wear the first will speak official/formal while the other goes informal and relaxed. So choose appropriately if you are meeting with official guys then pull out your suit if it’s with people who prefer relaxed then go casual.
Lastly make sure that you have an updated version of the
information that will be required under the topic of discussion. Master your
content, because people appreciate a knowledgeable and straight forward person.
How to prepare the venue for effective communication
It is proper to have a checklist at this stage because it is
important to know what is provided to avoid delays or disruptions in your
meeting.
Make sure that all documents are ready and are where they
are supposed to be.
Create a friendly and welcoming environment for your client
just like you would do for your visitor at home.
Accessibility of your venue is important. Consider people
using wheelchairs and other specialized devices and equipments for access.
Let people know where they can go to “help themselves” this
will reduce the number of interruptions especially if you offer refreshments J
It may be obvious but the client will rate you depending on
the surroundings so be sure to keep them clean and organized.
How to set the right mood and tone of the meet
Here we are not talking about dimming the lights J we basically are about
to meet the client or the person you have set to meet.
You will need to welcome them appropriately call them out by
their names but make sure you have the names right. It shows the level of
preparedness on your part.
Set off the conversation on a lighter note get everyone
comfortable. Sometimes whatever you are about to address may not be good but
this comfort will go a long way towards reception of the message and highly likely
issues will not be taken personally.
Offer the individual or people you meet a seat and may be a
glass of water or soft drink if it’s available.
Something that I have noticed is that some clients
appreciate it when you stand to meet and greet them before you both take your
seats. I translate this to a sign of respect and warmth.
The point above works a bit differently if you are a male
host meeting a female client, when taking your seats the host should let the
client take their seat first. Talk about chivalry in business J
Don’t take too long to introduce the topic or main aim of
the meet remember “time is money” and this goes both ways. If you sense that
the discussion has been a bit lengthy and your audience is getting fidgety and
uncomfortable you can ask for a break or set another meet. It is important to
assess your audience’s state of mind because when their concentration wanes
nothing you’ll be saying will get through.
Don’t forget to offer an opportunity for questions and
clarifications. This will gives you an opportunity to gauge the reception of
your message and builds a discussion around some of the points.
It is also important to offer a summary of all that has been
discussed by revisiting the important points of the conversation. This helps
people to remember what was addressed in case you revisit the topic at a later
date or time. So you should learn to repackage the information and readily
offer a short version.
How to deal with interruptions
Ask your audience to at least keep their cell phones on
silent. In case your client’s phone rings give them an opportunity to react
don’t jump into conclusions.
If a hand shoots up or a question is posed in the middle of
the conversation. Don’t shut the person down offer an answer and ask your
audience to note down their questions because there is a dedicated session for
that and move on.
Let me pose a
question back to you. What should you
do when your client picks the phone and the conversation is taking quite a
while?
Please give me your comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment