You’ve reached the point at which you’re about to have that first meeting with your brilliant business contact. It’s a milestone in the relationship-building process and your communications skills will be tested to the limit.
Face-to-face meetings can result in awkward pauses and initial shyness for those who are not brimming with confidence. To help you over this hurdle, you can approach the meeting fully prepared and well armed if you have a look at the following factors.
In order to get your message across, think about what you are trying to achieve during the dialogue: Organise yourself beforehand. Jot down notes about your major points. Be positive and keep the message simple.
Clarity Is Paramount
What is communication? In short, it’s signalling. The transmission, by speaking, writing or gestures, of information which evokes understanding.
That’s simple enough, isn’t it? Straightforward in theory but in practice it’s fraught with dangers – particularly if you have high expectations from these important business connections.
Communication is not just speaking, writing or gesticulating. It’s more than the transmission of information. Something else has to occur for the communication to be complete. The other party in the communication process has to engage their brain and receive the message.
When dealing with business relationships, it’s quite complex. There are plenty of opportunities for misunderstanding and miscommunication.
The previous chapter dealt with the importance of making a good first impression – how appearance and body language can make or break the initial few seconds of an initial encounter, but what happens when you open your mouth?
If you manage to insert both feet with speed and agility, you will undo in an instant all the hard work that went before! If you’re nervous, don’t be surprised if words come out which you seemingly have no ability to control. A conversation can go seriously wrong before you’ve had time to sit down.
There are some points to remember when considering the various methods of communication and some hazards to be aware of when dealing with business relationships:
- Only 7% of the impact you make comes from the words you speak.
- The rest is visual – your appearance, the sound of your voice and your body language.
- You can break that 7% further down into sections.
If you want to make a favourable impression on your business contact, consider the words, ideas and structure of the message you wish to convey. Keep it simple if you possibly can. Always aim for clarity over ambiguity.
- Commonly-used words, in short direct sentences, have the greatest impact and allow the least margin for error or misinterpretation.
- Long words wrapped in complex sentences are confusing and best avoided. Don’t use jargon either.
- Positive statements are far more acceptable and will gain you greater advantage than negatively expressed remarks.
Voicing Your Thoughts
Pay attention to your voice. Tone, inflection, volume and pitch are all areas to consider. Most people don’t need to develop their speaking voice, but there are many who do not understand how to use it effectively.
The simplest way is to compare the voice to a piece of music – it is the voice that is the instrument of interpretation of the spoken word.
Those who have had some training in public speaking sometimes use mnemonics as memory joggers for optimum vocal effect. One simple example is R S V P P P:
- Rhythm
- Speed
- Voice
- Pitch
- Pause
- Projection.
Rhythm
Speaking without variety of tone can anaesthetise your listener. Try raising and lowering the voice to bring
vocal sound to life and keep your audience awake! Rhythm is directly linked with speed.