Communication doesn’t just mean salesmanship i.e., trying to sell what you’re making to other people. It means listening to what people have to say, understanding their needs and trying to help them to fulfill those needs. At heart, communication is less about talking to people and more about helping them, a fact which is not commonly advertised.
So if you’ve been beating yourself up about not being more chatty with people, you can stop right now. As long as your aim has been to help people in some way, that’s what counts.
Remember That You Can Help People in Small Ways
Some people might think that it’s not really within their means to help others. Maybe you don’t make that much money and you can’t afford to give to charity. And, after all, not everyone can be like Mother Teresa or Gandhi. We can’t devote our life simply to helping others. So we don’t even try. However, there are smaller ways in which you can help people.
You Can Help People with Your Product or Service
Does your product or service help people in some way? If you stop to think about it, most products or services are purchased because they help people. Think about it from your own point of view. You buy clothes because you think they help you look good. You buy coffee or tea because it helps you to feel good and helps you concentrate at work. You buy a gym membership because it helps you to stay healthy and look attractive.
Similarly, think about what you’re making or what service you’re selling. Does that product or service help people to do something? If it does, then you’re already communicating in a significant way with your target market.
Communicating with Customers, Associates and Employees
Remember that it’s not just enough to make a product or provide a service. You also have to let people know that you’re doing so. This is where marketing and sales come into the picture. The core of marketing and sales is communication i.e., letting people know what you’ve made and why that thing is likely to help them in their lives.
Similarly, you also need to communicate with business associates and let them know how doing business with you is likely to help them. And you need to communicate with employees and make sure that working for you is helping them in some way. Sure, there are going to be some drawbacks at every job. However, if your employees feel that the advantages of working at your company outweigh the disadvantages, then you’re definitely doing something right.
