Mistakes People Make When Talking About Their Business
When networking or going to any other type of event, you are likely to meet someone who asks about your business. Networking is an important part of talking about your business and marketing to other people. When you talk about your business to someone else, you can earn free publicity from the customers who will first try the product or service and then tell their friends.
However, sometimes people can get emotional when talking about their business or communicating with disgruntled employees by a service. People can know their business both inside and out but will not always be good at articulating in a concise matter what their company does. There are ways to effectively communicate the value proposition of your business, but people make several mistakes that affect communication. Here are some of the common mistakes people make when talking about their business.
Using Jargon
Many people fall to this mistake of using jargon when speaking about their business. Jargon is the special words or expressions known to a profession or group, but it is difficult for other people to understand. For example, people in digital professionals may use certain acronyms that may not be familiar with the general audience. If you fail to use the correct words when communicating your business’s value proposition, you are likely to lose your audience.
Using content that contains too much jargon can be off-putting to read and sometimes incomprehensible. People can be intimidated by such language but can be afraid to admit that they don’t understand the message. In this regard, ensure you pause occasionally and ask your audience if they understand the message as intended.
Using simple language is always the best way to communicate anything regarding your business. It is important to remember that the audience you are speaking to might not have been proficient in understanding some of the jargon. Therefore, your communication should be clear and concise to make it easy to understand.
Information Overload
Similar to jargon, information overload can be one mistake when talking about your business to investors. Bombarding them constantly with complex information can take them too long to analyze and affect the intended message.
At the same time, you will need to carefully select your communication channels when discussing business to ensure the right information is shared. Sometimes using the wrong medium to speak about your business can overwhelm them or saturate the message.
Using outdated technology when talking about your business can also affect how much the audience understands your message. Using digital solutions can be the best method of speaking about your business if you do not talk one-on-one.
Too Much Verbatim
Using too much verbatim in your speech can be a distraction for communicating the right audience. You should learn how to engage and connect with the audience when talking about your business. When speaking to uniqueness seekers, ensure you offer something different that can attract your customers.
Also, avoid difficult conversations when talking about your business since nobody likes to have tough conversations. When dealing with angry customers, you must choose to manage your emotions and be patient. View a touch conversation with a customer as an opportunity to do business in a better way with the audience. You must practice having a better conversation when talking about your business.
A Sucky Attitude
The attitude you show about your own business also determines how well your audience will receive it. A person will know exactly how you regard your business based on how you speak about it. Some signs of a sucky attitude are when you don’t show enthusiasm when talking about the company. In other instances, the negative tone when talking about your business. The tone is reflected in how you phrase the message and the words you choose to use when communicating.
Attitude barriers can be caused by a lack of motivation or psychological barriers, such as being stressed by personal worries. For example, if you are preoccupied with personal concerns, you may not be motivated to talk about your business and convince users about your products. The barriers will prevent you from communicating effectively.
Hence, you need to develop the right attitude about your business and ensure you can convince someone to purchase your product. Also, watch your tone, especially when speaking using written communication where there are no facial expressions or body language. Words can carry a certain tone and show a negative attitude when there is no facial expression to convey intent.
Lack Of Goals And Objectives
Lacking clear goals and objectives before talking about your business can be a recipe for disaster. You must know what you want to achieve with the communication. Poorly-prepared presentations or reports can frustrate your audience and often damage your reputation.
This is why you need to prepare your communications carefully.
Instead, be well prepared and stick to the factors when trying to sell your products or services, and choose the right place to have the conversation. At the same time, maintain a calm and professional tone when speaking to customers and investors about your business while remaining assertive.
You also need to keep an open mind since being close-minded can negatively influence business communication and ruin your relationship with the customers. With an open mind, you will not spend more time listening and will not ignore opposing viewpoints.
Speaking More And Listening Less
Talking more than what is necessary can be a barrier when talking about your business. You need to balance between speaking and listening for effective communication.
Most people tend to fall in the trap of treating conversations where they speak all the time without giving the audience a chance to speak. In most cases, if you talk less, you get time to think before you speak and process what the other person is saying.
Another mistake is when you react instead of responding to your audience, especially when dealing with disappointed customers. When you react to a situation during the communication, you are not guided by logic and reasoning. This can be something you will regret later.
Therefore, practice being an active and engaged listener when speaking about your business. Challenge your thinking by having an open mind, where you can embrace different viewpoints and evaluate your options from another angle.
Bottom Line
Communication is an integral part of any business, allowing you to exchange information with interested parties. However, communication mistakes can have negative consequences for your business. When talking about your business. Most people make these mistakes subconsciously and, in the end, damage their reputation or lead to missed opportunities. When talking about your business, ensure you understand the art of communication and do it perfectly.
