Recently, I interviewed an executive of an organization. Although she was extremely knowledgeable about the organization, her responses overflowed with “ahs”, “ums” and “you knows”.  After our conversation, I began to wonder, “How many more people hired to communicate on behalf of the company, including business owners, have similar challenges?”

Communication is not just about speaking for the company; it is about the quality of writing as well as appearance. Things to ask as you conduct your new hire and on-going employee trainings:

• Do they have a polished look?
• How well do they speak?
• What is the quality of their writing?

If, after reflecting on these questions, you can think of just one employee who would not properly represent you due to poor communication skills, then there is work to do. Remember, corporate communication training is available to improve the writing, speaking and presentation skills of employees at all levels in the organization.

Again, I have to ask: Is everyone who works for your company – including you and services people – qualified to communicate on behalf of your company?

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People are writing more than ever in this digital age, but the quality of communication, particularly writing, is declining. Unfortunately, corporations are feeling the impact of this decline through lost time, money and productivity. Intervention is needed NOW! Take our Corporate Communication Checkup to determine if communication in your company needs immediate attention. Then, call us at (877) 570.5228 to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss the health and possible remedies.

We look forward to serving you!

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If you answered no, not sure or update needed, it’s time for a communications check. Contact us to develop or revamp  your business  communications strategy.

What is your biggest communications challenge for your business – writing, speaking or listening – or all of these?

This may sound really simple and obvious, but it isn’t. If it were, there would be more businesses with more clients.  Particularly, small businesses looking to grow.

I had a revelation on last week. I don’t have as many clients as I would like because I don’t ask for the business.  After having that thought, I received the following story from John Chow: How to Ask for What You Want by Asking for It the Right Way. The Universe always responds to your thoughts. Who knew it would be so fast?

As if that weren’t confirmation enough, I got the following message from Chris Brogan: Webinars are a Cost Effective Way to Hire Me. I thought this was great. Chris is touting his speaking accolades and saying, “If you cannot afford me this way, here’s another way to get me.” And, he highlights the differences between his in-person and virtual presentations. I thought this was absolutely genius.

So, going forward, I am going to ask for what I want, and I encourage you to do the same. Have you been asking for business? What has been your experience?

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Somewhere over the course of time, society has lost the basics of simple greetings and good manners.  Gone are the days when hello, please and thank you are common in every day conversation with individuals that are both familiar and unfamiliar to us.  Do you know that these three words can turn a stranger into a colleague and possibly a friend under certain circumstances?  Let’s explore these three polite words in more detail.

Hello

Say “hello” the next time you walk by someone.  Make sure to smile.  Even if the other person does not respond, you will feel better knowing that you tried to make someone’s day with a simple greeting and a smile.

Please

When making a request for something from someone, it’s okay to say “please.” What is really special about please is you can say it prior to or after making a request, and still come across as polite.  Thus, you really can’t go wrong if you say, “Please pass the salt,” or “Pass the salt please.”

Thank you

With the attitudes of entitlement manifested by people in all ages and stage of life these days, “thank you” seems to have dropped from the English language.  It is courteous to express your appreciation for something received to let the giver know that you are grateful for his or her kind gesture – no matter how small it is.

On the other hand, when you give someone something and they do not express gratitude, just say, “You’re welcome.”  They will still be rude, but you won’t.

If you do not feel like saying hello, please and thank you in English, here are the terms in other languages to enhance your level of manners and language skills.

Source: http://www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers/thankyou.htm