Why Communication is Key

Clear Communication is paramount to meaningful business relationships. If you cannot clearly communicate with the other person you will never be able to serve them in a way they feel positively about and they won’t come back to you for help. Whether you are a boss with an employee, a service provider with a customer, a sales rep with a client, or building your brand online, you must communicate clearly.

I hear you asking, “what does that even mean Sean?” Look. It’s more than just not mumbling or being articulate. The key to clear communication is making the other person feel listened to, valued, and understood. When you can do that it makes the other person feel important and special which deepens the relationship and allows you the opportunity to also be understood. Remember...seek first to understand in order to be understood.

Clear communication also sets the expectation for the interaction. When you can set an expectation, an outcome, or a desired result only then can you truly exceed the expectation. You will never exceed an expectation you do not set and in the absence of setting an expectation for the other person, they will set their own. You will never exceed that one. So set it for them AFTER you have heard what they need.

Do this:

1. Ask questions to learn what the best outcome for the other person is. Maybe they just need you to listen. Maybe they want options and alternatives. Maybe they need to buy the solution to their problem you are selling. Regardless, you need to ask questions to determine how to best serve. When you do that you show you care, you really connect with them (deepening the relationship), and you learn how to close the opportunity to benefit them at the highest level.

2. Set an expectation for what you will do next to serve them. You can promise to follow up and check in, provide a service, paint a picture of how you will execute and solve their problem, or explain what they can expect from you next. Clearly communicating in this way allows you to show you get it, understand their needs, and that you have been listening. It also tells the other person what to expect next and gives them a way to see you over delivering for them.

If you do those two things well inside the business relationships you have you will enjoy rich connections with the people around you and will be rewarded handsomely for your efforts. The one who exceeds expectations regularly is the one who receives the biggest rewards.