7 Tips to Improve Your Business by Improving Your CommunicationBy Richard Weinberger, PhD, CPA | In Communication, Keeping Your Staf Happy, Leadership, Management | January 14, 2015Merriam-Webster dictionary defnes communication as The act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else; a message that is given to someone: a letter, telephone call, etc. This sounds so simple, yet can be very complex in a business environment.t might be said that communication is more of an art than a science. The easy part is simply exchanging information, spea!ing our thoughts to someone else. The art of communication, however, is !nowing not only how to verbali"e our ideas, but also how to listen, empathi"e, encourage, or in#uence. These actions are not automatic but ta!e forethought and training to ensure messages are delivered to elicit a desired response.$or! on these seven techni%ues to improve your communication and improve your business:1. Be positive&ommunication can be positive or negative ' your choice. This is through both verbal communication and body language. (isteners sense negative thoughts and feelings. $hen badvibes are received and antennas go up, the intended result of any communication is lost. Thin! before you spea!. )e conscious of your obvious body language. *ositive intentions can be turned into negative outcomes with such little effort.2. Be excited+nthusiasm comes through when someone is really excited about what they are tal!ing about. ,ou cannot win over someone else to your thoughts and ideas when you are not even excited about the thoughts yourself. +xcite your listener with your own excitement. -ot excited. Thenfgure out how to get excited/ There0s a lot of competition around. The bigger rewards go to those who are most excited about what they do.3. Dont be condescending1o you li!e to be tal!ed down to. *robably not; others don0t either. -o one wants to be around someone who is arrogant and feels superior to others. $hen this happens in business, the other side simply goes away ' employees, customers, associates. 2ost businesses cannot survive without all of these groups.4. Listen,ou cannot communicate effectively if you do not listen to what the other person has to say. ,ou might be right, the other person might be right, or you both might be wrong. f you are not listening to the other side, you0ll never !now who0s right or wrong 3 or both right or both wrong.5. Be open-mindedThere is usually more than one opinion on any sub4ect. &ertainly, you will have your own opinion, but effective communication also allows others to be heard and considered. 2aybe there is room for compromise or a better solution to a problem. )eing open5minded does not mean that you lose; it simply means that you were loo!ing for and considering the best option towhatever you are discussing.6. Say the magic o!ds&hildren are taught to be polite and say, *lease, than! you, and you0re welcome. 6omehow over the years adults forget that these same magic words apply in business. t ta!es such little time and effort to utter such words, but they can have such a profound effect.". Be tho#ght$#%,ou probably li!e to be treated in a certain way. +mployees and customers want the same thing. $hen there is a mad dash in business to get something accomplished, people often forget the feelings of others. 7 little thoughtfulness goes a long way in ma!ing great progress.&ommunication 8 easy or diffcult, effective or ineffective 8 it0s up to you. $hen dealing with customers, communication is important. They want to !now about the products or services they are purchasing. They want follow5up and customer service. +mployees also need communication. They want open5door policies and to !now that their voices are heard.+ffective communication can improve your business. 6aying it the right way, a reply email, or a %uic! phone call. t does not always come easy, but the end result of improving your communication s!ills is well worth the effort. )e conscious of how you communicate and see the results.