When it comes to sustaining your small business, there are a number of important elements to consider. In addition to obvious hurdles such as securing financing and building a customer base, you may encounter challenges such as mastering communication effectively among your staff. Clearly communicating expectations and important matters isn’t just a good skill, it’s a necessary one. There are a few key principles every member of your team should understand and apply for better communication.
In the past, professionals knew that their ability to express themselves clearly was essential, so why has this skill seemingly become a rarity? There are a few culprits we can likely blame, but the emergence of text talk and casual email slang are likely causes. No matter what we might attribute it to, you can combat it and elevate the quality of small business communication within your company by implementing a clear set of guidelines for written communication regarding company matters. Many people are simply unfamiliar with the conventions of professional writing, so a simple set of standards to refer to can be effective.
Remind your staff that their thought can be more clearly expressed in shorter and simpler sentences. Long, incomprehensible run-ons are often a problem, but you can change that by emphasizing the clarity shorter sentences provide. Small business communication also depends on conveying information in a way everybody who needs to understand can. This means that utilizing simple words is the best way to share your point. While sloppy communication may be a problem, overreaching may be, too, and it’s best to address both possibilities.
Other basics such as capitalization, proper use of apostrophes and correct choice of homonyms may be new to some members of your staff. If so, acquaint them with these concepts and remind them that maintaining clear communications on every front enables business to run smoothly. A handy grammar guide sheet may be necessary, but with consistent reminders, you can train staff to improve their writing skills.
Small business communication is important for a number of reasons. In addition to the need for clarity within the company, you need to keep a high level of quality for the communications you have with clients, suppliers and other professionals, too. Explaining this to your staff and impressing the importance of the matter can help encourage them to adopt better writing habits. In the meantime, it’s best to continue encouraging them to use short sentences, simple words and correct grammar.
Related Posts
One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly,...
If you’re new to investing, the new vocabulary and range of options can make it an intimidating game to play. You may already know what markets you’re most interested in, but you might still be figuring that out, too. One...
When it comes to investing in real estate, it can be important to understand where to look for the best opportunities. There are many different kinds of property that you will want to take into consideration, each with their own...