Learning to Communicate Effectively with Your Customers


Whether you're trying to sell finished jewelry or wholesale beading supplies, communication is everything in entrepreneurship. You might know how to talk to your distributors, employees and other industry experts, but have you thought about how you communicate with your customers?

Not all entrepreneurs are conversation-savvy, especially those who have not worked closely with consumers in the past. If you think you could brush up a bit on your communication skills, there's no better time to start than now. The quicker you fine-tune your conversational tactics, the better you will be able to translate your overall intentions and message to consumers. In the end, customers will appreciate you more for putting in the effort, and you will see the results in more patrons and a boost in sales.

Offer face-to-face speaking opportunities

As an entrepreneur operating an independent business, you have the opportunity to build brand loyalty and your own reputation in the industry. Why not take advantage of the chance by offering good customer service?

One way to easily do this is to personally address consumers who might want to speak to you, regardless of their intentions. More often than not, you will likely hear from customers who have something to complain about. However, it's important that you don't shy away from the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with the client at hand, according to ExpertBusinessAdvice.com. Speaking to an individual face-to-face can let him or her know that you truly care about what he or she has to say.

When it comes to holding an in-person conversation with a client, TechRepublic.com reports that it's important to avoid interrupting him or her as the individual speaks. Doing so can make customers feel like you aren't truly listening to what they have to say. Instead, politely nod, smile and take what the person is saying into consideration. In the end, you might learn something from what your consumers discuss with you, and this knowledge can be used to improve your beading company over time.

Take advantage of the Internet

American Express Open Forum reports that the Internet is one big hub of information that can help you along the way as an entrepreneur, especially when it comes to communicating with your customers on a deeper level. Instead of avoiding websites such as Twitter and Facebook, use them to your advantage. Create a profile to represent your company and communicate with patrons who use these sites, even if you haven't used these sites previously.

The American-Statesman reports that even though it's easy to send messages and reply to your customers, it's important to keep in mind that every conversation you have is an indicator of your overall company message and mission. Take the time to craft your messages carefully online and make sure they are actually helpful to your readers.

Avoid technical language in customer conversations

TechRepublic.com states that even though you are undoubtedly an expert in your field, it's important to remember that your customers may not be. This means it's important to steer clear of terms and vocabulary that may throw a client off while you are speaking to him or her.

Not only can this complicate a conversation, but it can make customers feel like you are speaking down to them. This can be a big turn-off, hurt your beading company's reputation and let customers know that they can't turn to you for help in the future.

If you intend on bringing technical knowledge into a conversation with good reason, ExpertBusinessAdvice.com reports that you might want to consider having information on hand to show your clients that you mean well. This may come in the form of pamphlets, brochures and other media that they can take with them after the conversation is over.

Turn your negative phrases into positive ones

One of the easiest slip-ups that you can make in any conversation with a client is phrasing something incorrectly. This means saying a sentence that gives off a negative connotation and provides little help to the client.

Regardless of what you're trying to say, it's important to think about how you are going to phrase it prior to expressing yourself out loud. For example, don't tell a customer, "I can't help you at the moment, I'm busy." Instead, say to the individual, "I can help you and provide you with further assistance if you are willing to stay on the line."

Although these are all habits that can take patience and effort to adopt, they can go a long way when it comes to entrepreneurship. In the end, you will be benefiting your beading company and improving upon its reputation.