Introduction
Communication is a very essential tool for the success of all business types. Success in this perspective can be identified by the achievements of the business which depend on the relationship between the management and the employees. It is also important to maintain high-quality relations with customers for the business to prosper. In addition, communication enables a company to address its market availability in identifying and analyzing its competitive position in the market. It is only through communication that a business can establish its performance from which it can realize and determine new and effective marketing strategies. The business is able to know whether it is a market leader, market challenger or a small market holder.
The most common communication methods on marketing are promotions and advertisement. Business communication can be very difficult at times but with the proper cooperation of models, the process gets simpler. Marketing communication models should consist of the sender, the message to be delivered, the medium through which the message will be delivered, the recipients as well as feedback.
In this essay, I will present the basis of communication, the steps involved in achieving efficient business communication skills as well as some examples. I will also look at some of the factors that are to be put into consideration when choosing a communication method. Finally, I will look at direct marketing as the most effective form of business communication, sales promotion and the use of the media in advertising.
Rationale for communication
With good marketing communication, a company or business is in a position to determine and improve its market share in the business world. Communication helps in evaluating a company’s operations from which it gets views from the public and knows how its products are ranked. The company will be able to employ better tactics in order to increase the market share as well as ensure customer satisfaction. Negative feedback concerning a certain product helps the company in identifying its weak areas in order to improve the quality of its product. All this is aimed at ensuring that the business gets returns as profits.
By working with other businesses, I have learned that the main purpose of communication in business is to inform customers of the existence of certain products or services so that they can buy them. Through marketing, the business is able to persuade its consumers to buy its product, and as a result, it benefits by registering sales increases which ensure maximum profits. Good communication attracts many people to a company’s products who in turn market the product by informing their friends and relatives. A business communication strategy that works best at earning customers’ confidence in the media. From my experience, I have learned that it is always good to appreciate companies and businesses that extra hard to maintain the customers’ satisfaction.
With the highly increasing competition in the business world, it takes communication to provide the necessary information to the consumers to help them compare different products. There is, therefore, the need for companies to do enough research when deciding on strategies to be used in marketing that would create the biggest impact on its clients.
Steps in achieving successful business communication
The first step in achieving successful communication is to identify any barrier in the business. This can be through sharing of ideas to classify challenges that are facing. Such challenges can be obtained by reviewing the daily activities that are carried out. A list of questionnaires may be necessary to give guidance to the review process. Some questions that may be included are: Have the employees been provided with good working conditions? Are they happy with what they are doing? Has the business been able to satisfy all its clients? Is proper information provided to all stakeholders? Is there a good flow of conversations?
While I was working in You – the Spa, one of my areas of concern was employee motivation. I made sure that employees were given incentives not only by paying them fairly but also by allowing them to air their views and trying to help them when faced with difficult situations. In addition, I went to the extent of organizing employees’ come-together parties where we celebrated any specific achievement made; we also had birthday parties for each and every employee. I tried to help them set goals, not only for the Spa but also for their own benefit. My main aim was to make sure that all employees were happy working for my organization because I knew this would be reflected in our customer service.
After reviewing the above issues, then the business has to address these challenges and prioritize those with the most adverse effects to the business. For instance, I once had a case of unsatisfied customers and after handling it, they got contented and left happy. By addressing the challenges faced, not only in businesses but also in other social organizations, the relationship is generally strengthened. It is, therefore, necessary to develop proactive and constructive communication skills in order to tackle these challenges early enough before they turn to the crisis. Once a challenge has been identified, its possible causes should be addressed systematically.
During my work experience, I have learned that communication is more than just giving out messages; it involves speaking, listening, sending and receiving messages. In communication, listening is the key element to make it a success although, without action, the information sent across will be less useful. For business communication to be effective, therefore, listening has to be proficient. When a company is faced with challenges, for instance, it is important to allow those who are aware of the problem to give their ideas concerning the subject. Though it may not always be easy to hold back and let others give their opinion, the practice is necessary for efficient communication in businesses.
After listening to different views on solutions to the problem at hand, a business then moves forward and defines what it intends to accomplish. This is a very critical stage and one has to be proactive in order to achieve success. For instance, one of the suggested solutions may be to improve the business’s relationship with its clients. Strategies to achieve this includes but are not limited to: answering calls in a polite manner, addressing all customers’ concerns, listening and responding to complaints, providing information and thanking customers for their loyalty. This helps in earning consumers’ confidence.
In 2006, I Completed the Incubator Seminar in Front Desk, System Development, and Compensation Plan for Employees, administered by Strategies Advanced Business Education Company from where I learned about the preparation of a communication plan. This is a plan that is prepared after a business defines what it wants to achieve. Things to be included in the plan include: taking employees to seminars that cover topics such as customer care, organizing get-together parties between employers and employees, rewarding employees, holding regular meetings, including major stakeholders in business decision making, and assurance to personal service among others. This plan does not concentrate on solving past problems but on laying down a good foundation that guarantees the future success of the business. A communication plan should take into consideration the availability of resources as well as the objective of the business; whether it is a long time or short time.
Once a communication plan has been prepared, the business now focuses on implementing it effectively. The expected outcome should be kept in mind and the main constituent of the plan reviewed to make sure they are in line with the expected result. The implementation process should involve all business stakeholders but with one member in charge of the process. Once the implementation process is comprehensively in place, the business should reflect on the process to check if it has met the objective of the plan.
The final step towards successful business communication is the evaluation of the results. The business should look back on the initial objectives and compare them with the results achieved to see if the expectations have been met. Once the business is satisfied with the results, it should thank all the parties involved in the process.
Factors to consider when choosing a form of communication
Customers’ needs and demands have changed with time especially with the various products to choose from. The big question today is, with the many competitive products in the market, what will the consumers choose? And how will marketers reach these clients? The media has expanded and new technologies have emerged. For a business to prosper, businessmen should take time to identify and familiarize themselves with customers’ needs. In order to serve clients better; whether old or new ones, businessmen have to first understand them well because different customers have different needs and preferences and they respond differently to different circumstances. Customer service management should be provided in every business organization. Through work and experience, I have realized that all staff members should be provided with sufficient education on customer care provision. Identifying consumers and forming a good relationships with them is the first and key step towards success in any business establishment. This can be achieved through the creation of an atmosphere where the client will feel free to ask for anything. Welcoming and greeting them, calling by their names, showing interest in some events in their lives among others constitute them from moving to other competitors for similar services. For instance, in you-The Spa, I made use of this idea to ensure clients were not kept in the waiting room for more than fifteen minutes, but rather provided with other services such as manicures or quick massages as they waited to be served. This ensures that they don’t feel like their time is being wasted which would otherwise annoy them and may push them away.
Often customers are concerned about the cost as well as the time they spend in obtaining a certain product. Businessmen should therefore adjust these two elements to suit the consumers’ needs as well as their own benefits. For instance, if the goods are made available within the customers’ reach, they will not need to drive far in order to acquire those goods but will buy those within their reach. Today, many products and services have become very competitive which has made some businessmen provide quick delivery methods in order to attract more customers. After identifying and obtaining potential clients, the supplier needs to improve service delivery methods that will ensure that ordered goods are delivered within the shortest time possible. Regular operations should be maintained including opening and closing periods of the business premises, methods of payment and provision of other services such as credit facilities.
External business communication
External business communication involves the use of brochures as well as different forms of advertisement, telephone calls and the use of the internet. The internet has become a very popular mode of communication not only in our social lives but also in business operations. Many businesses are using the internet to carry out their normal operations. This is because the internet is cheap and fast in the delivery of messages. With the changing times, many people are getting access to the internet and becoming more and more dependent on it for their daily activities. In external business communication, the most important thing is the image of the organization that is portrayed to the public. The logo should give a clear representation, the business letterhead should be intended to market self-explanatory and the telephone messages should give a reflection of the professional ability of the business.
Direct marketing
Direct marketing involves one on one approach between the buyer and the seller where marketers meet their targeted customers directly with the products to be sold. It’s a form of direct communication between the producers and the consumers. Direct marketing can be through telephone calls, emails, or the use of catalogs where producers send information on certain products or services directly to potential customers. For this method to be effective, the producer needs to have the contact information of the potential clients such as email addresses, telephone numbers, and mailing addresses. This method is the most cost-effective marketing strategy compared to the other methods but it requires cautious execution.
Direct marketing has been widely used over the years. With the improved technology, businessmen can keep customers’ mailing lists into punched cards and store information on magnetic tapes that are more secure. Computers are also advantageous to businessmen since they reduce the number of documents that have to be stored thus creating more space in the workplace. This way, marketing became easier and potential customers can access any information within seconds.
Businessmen are now keeping stock records and making accounts on computers making direct marketing even easier especially in supplies management. Today, almost every business organization relies partly or wholly on direct marketers to advertise its products and services. However, direct marketing requires more than just advertising. Clear objectives have to be laid down with more emphasis on a good relationship between the business and the customer. With the increased global competition, creativity has to be applied in order to make direct marketing successful.
Other forms of businesses may choose to market their products directly to the final consumer. This is done by the use of sales representatives who personally deliver goods to the doorsteps of customers. This method is best applicable in small companies which are introducing their new products and searching for clients. Through experience, I have realized that this marketing strategy is not only cheap but also efficient. While working in the spa, I designed a plan for launching a personal cosmetic line, Lava Rache and I used direct marketing which turned out to be cost-effective in creating public awareness for these products. It proved to be much cheaper compared to advertising mediums and promotion methods since the sales representatives’ payments depend on the sales made. The company is guaranteed increased sales and the final consumers can as well give their feedback which enables the business to improve the quality of its products where necessary. Direct contact with customers eliminates the costs that would have otherwise been used on discounts or middlemen as payments.
Promotion
Almost all business organizations use promotion as a way of making their products or services known to the public. Promotion can be done through the media, such as the use of TV, radio, magazines, newspaper, or the internet. A promotion plan should be purposed on increasing sales and creation of the good corporate image. It can also be used to introduce new products.
Most promotion services involve discount offers which will affect the whole chain of transactions from the wholesalers down to final consumers. Since the discounts are offered for only a short period of time, all parties involved in the sales will purchase products in large quantities in order to enjoy the discount. In the end, consumers will get used to those products to the point of buying them even without the discount offer.
As the company becomes exposed, it realizes that it has a social responsibility to the community and all its stakeholders (the shareholders, customers, staff, society, government, etc). Through communication, companies are able to increase their sales which calls for increased profits and consequently, increased shareholders returns. It is the duty of the company to ensure that consumers get high-quality products as well as the provision of good working conditions. All these are best achieved through effective communication.
The media
The most commonly used mode of advertisement by businesses is the media. This is due to its easy accessibility unlike other modes of communication such as newspapers. Effective media communication requires the use of simple language that is easy for the targeted audience to understand. However, the message should be informative enough and it should reflect the business’s mission statement as well. A business’ participation in social activities can be an added advantage in attracting the intended customers. Lastly, sound bites should be obtained from people with authority or holding high positions in the business in order to demonstrate how the business is committed to success.
Sound Bites
Sound bites are brief statements that are obtained from interviews of highly respected people such as politicians and business managers. They clearly state the aim of a business and the nature of certain products. It is therefore the duty of those who are responsible for editing to ensure that they get only the most important points. The points taken are then included in the news broadcast. For sound bites to be effective, the language used should have a clear but brief description that can be easily repeated.
Slogans
These are impressive propositions that are widely accepted by their own merits. They are usually employed in business advertising to draw people’s attention towards particular features of a certain item. Like sound bites, slogans should give an impression of the benefits of a specific product. They too should be straight and concise, giving an incredible perception about the merchandise and making the consumer feel the need to have that particular product. The first step in designing a persuasive message is to identify the problem then find a fundamental assumption between the interests of both the business and the audience. The last step is to devise a message with a question statement at the end.
A slogan portrays the finest reflection of the product. It is always aimed at making the item appear as the best there is in the market. Examples of such slogans include: ‘Guinness is good for you’, Persil –‘washes whiter’. Some slogans used in water conservation include: ‘conserve water and conserve life’, ‘cut one tree plant two’, ‘rainwater tank, won’t break the bank’. The message in slogans is meant for a specific intention and for a particular audience. A good example of a slogan that has been productive is ‘keep that school girl completion’, Palmolive soap, ‘for survival obey your thirst spirit’. An example of a slogan meant for a specific audience is ‘choosy mother choose Jif peanuts butter’.
Conclusion
The success of any marketing activity in a business depends largely on the way in which the marketing message is sent and received by the targeted customers. Attention and respect are good values for marketers to show their customers in order to succeed in persuading them to buy their products. It is in the best interest of customers that they get all products under one roof to avoid moving from one store to another. Marketers should, therefore, ensure that all their products are easily accessible to customers at all times. The use of proper and polite language is an essential tool for marketers in persuading customers, especially for direct marketers since they interact with the customers instantly.
Success does not come easily especially in business where one needs to compete with the growing competitive world. In order to make business communication a success, companies should clearly identify the needs of their customers and develop good relationships between the customers and the employees as well. In the recent future, the direct marketing may replace most of the other conventional ways of advertisement because it is proving to be the most effective and most businessmen and marketers have been using it of late. The success of direct marketing has been greatly contributed by the use of the internet. Direct marketing is way better compared to a conventional advertisement which is very costly considering that the outcome cannot be predicted. The high competition in the markets requires skillful marketers in order to persuade customers to choose their products. It is therefore the duty of business managers to ensure that all their marketers receive the required training on proper marketing strategies in order to ensure maximum sales. It is very clear that marketing is the backbone of a successful business and it should therefore be taken seriously and handled professionally.