Effective communication is essential for any busy entrepreneur. You need to enhance these skills to continue to offer your clients the best possible experience.
Building authentic relationships with your audience and peers boosts your brand and helps people engage with you on a genuine, honest, and trustworthy level.
‘How you speak to people, body language, behaviours, and the written word are all creating an impression of the person you are.’ – Mel Stanley, First Woman. You can read Mel’s guest post Mind Your Language to find out more.
Developing your communication skills is crucial, but where do you begin?
Listening skills
Do you truly listen to your clients, or are you missing vital elements of your B2B or B2C engagement? Listening involves understanding the motivation and circumstances behind a client’s request and not just grasping the basic content level. Hearing what your client is saying (the physical process) is not the same as listening on a deeper, more focused level. That’s when the magic happens.
Excellent listening skills enhance all your positive relationships. Having the ability to appreciate the language used, the tone of voice, and the accompanying body language will guide you to make better decisions and offer an outstanding service.
Research from Adler, R. et al. 2001* shows that adults spend an average of 45% listening compared to 30% speaking. It’s in your best interest to take extra time to ensure you are listening effectively.
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen R. Covey
How can you enhance your listening skills?
- Pay attention to what your client is saying by giving them your undivided attention. Look directly at them, and don’t tune in to any other conversations going on in the background. Have you ever been talking to someone and seen them glance across at something else? Annoying, isn’t it?
- Respond effectively with questions or summaries of what they are saying, demonstrating that you are truly listening and have understood.
- Use your own body language to show you are engaged with what they are saying. Smile, nod, and include verbal actions such as ‘yes’. Simple actions, but giving these signals really shows that you’re taking it all in and engaging.
Public speaking and presenting skills
Improving your communication skills is essential for your personal and professional development, and one sure way to do this is through public speaking.
Standing up to speak at events can boost your confidence, raise your profile, and provide many business and personal growth opportunities.
I have extensive experience with public speaking and regularly speak at events throughout the UK. Talking about my business journey and experiences allows me to help other women in business navigate various growth topics.
However, I fully understand how nerve-wracking it can be to stand in front of a large audience. A fear of public speaking is known as glossophobia, and it’s estimated that 75% of people suffer from the various stages of this phobia. That’s why I work closely with the ladies in the Woman Who Achieves Academy and on the Achieve Visibility Programme to help them overcome their fear and confidently share their story in front of an audience.
If you would like to learn how to share your story as part of your Woman Who journey, I can show you how with our Woman Who public speaker training. The Woman Who Achieves Academy is the perfect place to learn these skills, receive valuable mentoring and support in a safe environment.
Written skills
Communication isn’t always verbal. Your story can be shared using the written word, and here at Woman Who, we encourage our Academy members to tell their story in our books. The latest in the series of I Am a Woman Who contains thirty-one unique stories from inspirational women in business role models.
Whether you choose to write engaging social media posts, blogs or be part of a book collaboration, your words have the power to enhance your profile and promote you as a leader in your field.
“Remember, you can be anything you want to be. Sometimes you just need to stop and take a look at what you have achieved so far. Life is not a rehearsal, so don’t be afraid to take every opportunity that comes your way. You may not get another chance.” – Sandra Garlick MBE, Founder of Woman Who
What next?
If you’re looking for a community that helps you enhance your communication skills, power up your brand, and provides opportunities to boost your business’s visibility, then the Woman Who Achieves Academy is for you.
It’s the place to go to Learn, Grow, and receive mentoring Support to ACHIEVE.
- There are no monthly fees (unless you wish to spread your one-off subscription payment).
- You are free to engage at your own pace.
- It’s a way for me to share my knowledge through group mentoring.
- There are no renewals or annual fees. Once you’ve paid your one-off subscription, you’re in for life!
LEARN: Access the learning units in the Academy, structured to complete entirely at your leisure to enable you to up-skill.
SUPPORT: You receive group mentoring and support from Woman Who Founder Sandra Garlick MBE on business growth topics, ensuring you achieve your goals. There is also plenty of support from other group members, leading to collaborations and growing your own network.
GROW: Grow yourself and grow your business. Grow into the confident business person you really ought to be, and your business will follow the same growth pattern as a result.
ACHIEVE: That’s the ultimate aim of the Academy. To help you achieve in all areas, both personally and professionally. We help you set your goals and visualise those outcomes.
Join the Woman Who Achieves Academy today and give your goal-setting journey the best possible start.
“Since becoming a member of the Woman Who Achieves Academy, I’ve built some fabulous relationships and gained valuable business knowledge and skills through attending the weekly and monthly networking events.
I’ve got the opportunity to share my story in the next Woman Who book and became a finalist in the Solopreneur awards.
None of this would have happened had I not made a decision to invest in my personal development.
I can highly recommend the membership, which is a one-off lifetime investment that allows you to grow, develop, and achieve business success with like-minded women and learn from Sandra’s personal experience, which is incredible.” Claire Cahill, Confidence & Leadership Coach. Read Claire’s guest post, Top 3 Tips for Communicating with Different Personality Types.
*Source: http://www.ijres.org/papers/v1-i6/F0163540.pdf