Effective Communication

Overview
Why is communication so important?
What are different types of communication?
Good and bad communication examples
Tips and Tricks

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Effective Communication

Why is communication so important?

Communication is a process whereby meaning is defined and
shared between living organisms. Communication requires a sender,
a message and an intended recipient.

Sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication

Without communication we would not be able to do our jobs as we

do today
Communication itself needs to be clear and understood by all
involved
Communication is a reflection on you as a professional. You want to
leave a good lasting impression, that wants the client to keep
coming back
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What are different types of communication?

Communication comes in many forms and they fit into 4 categories;
Non verbal communication
Visual communication
Oral communication
Written communication

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Non verbal
Non verbal communication describes the process of conveying
meaning in the form of non-word messages through;
Gesture
Body language or posture
Facial expression
Eye contact

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Visual Communication
Visual communication is the conveyance of ideas and information
through creation of visual representations. Primarily associated with
two dimensional images, it includes;
Signs
Drawings / Illustrations
Graphic Design
Colours
Electronic resources, video and TV
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Oral Communication
Oral communication, while primarily referring to spoken verbal
communication, typically relies on both words, visual aids and nonverbal elements to support the conveyance of the meaning.
Oral communication includes;
Discussion (Phone and face to face)
Speeches
Presentations

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Oral Communication: Greeting clients

Greeting clients in person is very important. Here are some simple
easy steps to greeting a client in person
When introducing yourself, shake hands with the client with a
smile
Hold eye contact with the client, this shows respect and
confidence
Show them through to the meeting room to begin your meeting
Dress and appearance is also important when meeting with clients.
You can refer to our Dress Code policy within HowNow
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Oral Communication: Phone Etiquette

Do
Smile when answering the
phone (the person on the
other end will know)

Be polite - you want them to

call back

Always say please, your

welcome and thank you - the
customer does like to hear
common courtesy

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Do
Not

Answer the phone whilst

chewing gum or eating - no
matter how well you think
you can hide it you can not
and it is VERY RUDE

Make up an answer to get

the customer off the phone.
Make an effort to find
someone that can help if you
can not.

Use slang or profanity this is

very unprofessional

Oral Communication: Phone scripts

Acceptable

Unacceptable

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Hello, thank you for calling (company name), (name)

speaking, how may I help you? - VERY FORMAL
Good Morning / Afternoon (name) speaking, how may I
help you? - GOOD TO USE IF YOU HAVE A
RECEPTIONIST AND YOU ARE THE 2ND POINT OF
CALL

Hi, hows it going?

Yea?
What do ya want?
Hello?

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Oral Communication: Voicemail

Voicemail is also important. If you are away from your desk and
unable to answer your phone it is good for the client to be able to
leave a message for you.
When creating your message it is good to be clear and concise. The
scripts for your voicemail can be found in the Lawler Partners Style
guide located in HowNow.

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Written Communication
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium
Written communication is relied on a lot within our organisation and
it is important that the client receives the intended message. The 2
most commonly used styles of written communication used are
Letters and Email
The template for the layout of a letter is in HowNow.

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Written Communication: Emails

Emails are intended for a short and concise form of written communication. A
good idea is not to make them to long otherwise people will not want to read
them
The structure of your email should be as follows;
Subject line: Should tell the reader what the email is about
Addressing the email: Dear <Name> or Good Morning / Afternoon
<Name>
Body of the email addressing the point
If you have any questions or comment please do not hesitate to contact
Signing off on the email with Regards or Kind regards

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Summary
Be reader focused ensure they get the message that was intended
Dont use slang Yep, lol, CUL8R, u, r
Dont use emoticons J L or xoxo
Have another person read your letter
Ensure you use spell check but remember it is not always fool proof.
Ensure you double check your work
Read it out aloud, if you run out of breathe your sentence is too long
DO NOT USE CAPITAL LETTERS This can be translated as ANGRY
If you do wish to emphasise a point bold is a good way but dont
over do it
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