In days gone by, your only options when it came to communicating with clients would be to either meet them in person, phone them or send them a letter. The internet has changed all that, giving a myriad of different means of communication which you can utilise. With so many different options, you need to make sure you are choosing the right one to convey each piece of information to your clients in the best way possible. Here, we will talk about some of the most popular communication methods and how to use them better.
Emailing is by far and away the most popular method of communication these days. The great thing about email is that you can convey a great deal of information in a way that is digestible and easy to understand. Many people have to sift through hundreds of emails a day, so try to make your messages short with important content placed in the first sentence and a clear subject line that makes it clear what it is about. Be careful with your tone of voice in email, as it is easy for miscommunication to occur. But when you want to have a record of exactly what you have said, this is a very effective way of giving this.
Phone
Many companies now look to integrate all their phone systems together, so check out where to get a free telecoms audit. When you need to work through some finer details with a client, the phone is your natural way of doing this. So, if you need to discuss some more complex points, it is always going to be easiest on the phone when you can go backwards and forwards with as little hassle as possible. Try to project enthusiasm through your voice and practice active listening skills when you are on the phone.
Social Media
A lot more businesses are now interacting with their clients via social media, and this is generally a more informal setting that allows backwards and forwards between the two of you. Of course, you need to be more careful when you are using something like this as it is visible to everyone so you don’t want to find yourself getting into trouble. If you want to convey something confidentially, you could always go for the private messaging option.
‘Snail Mail’
Don’t dismiss the good, old-fashioned letter straight away. In a world of instant communication, this is what can help you stand out from the crowd when you are speaking to clients. Many companies also still prefer this as a way of sending important documents etc.
Skype
The beauty of Skype is that it allows for face to face communication remotely and for free. So, when you feel like there is something that you really have to say to your client’s face, this is the method that you should choose.
This is just an overview of five of the most popular communication methods to speak to your clients, situations in which you can use them, and ways that you can operate them more effectively.
