Brevity key to effective communication

Published on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008

We frequently find ourselves in the company of people who not only talk for too long, but also insist on repeating every point ad nauseum. The same goes for their written output too.
Well, most of us are guilty to this vice and tend to go on and on. Chances are that you are already shaking your head in an instant negation; arguments of denial must have already sprung to your lips. And if that isn’t proof enough, just imagine having to sit through your own long-winded discourse or having to read your own copious reports and you will have your answer.We cannot help but marvel at the sheer volume of endless blubber all around us.
Everyone is talking, rambling discussions, prolonged meetings and elaborate presentations that are still missing the point, it can be said for prodigious memos, emails, reviews and blogs.
The problem lies in the fact that most people think that the number of words used better conveys a message. What they conveniently overlook is that content is what really matters.
In fact, good content often gets lost in effusive repetitions delivered at breakneck speed, hindering both decision-making and action.
So, brevity is the key to effective communication – both verbal and written. Plain and concise dialogue can be clearly heard/read and understood. Observing economy of words with a specific and goal-oriented approach not only saves time (which is of precious value in any organisation) but also leads to clearer views, wise decisions and immediate end-results. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do!”

How to qualify your use
Before speaking or writing anything, assess the needs of your audience and the extent to which they are acquainted with the subject. Think over what you want to write/say and try to paraphrase yourself immediately. There is no need for a long-winded repetition; people will get the message on the first hearing/reading especially if they are familiar with the topic.
Communication experts exhort the adoption of a minimalist style by combing for unnecessary words, phrases or sentences that can be reworded, restructured or even omitted entirely. Tightening yourself will ensure that the focus is on the significant points, making your argument clearer and more compelling than a complicated rambling.Do not write or say the same things again. Avoid flowery phrases or analogies in favour of a direct approach. Steer clear of vague expressions that actually hint at your nervousness or uncertainty. In short, speak to express, not to impress! But, do ensure that you do not sacrifice content at the altar of brevity.
Simply present the points or questions on hand and try to get opinions and answers. Never should you ignore what others have to say in the rush to present your piece. Make note of people’s views and objections as only when you are a good listener who pays heed to others’ words, will you win respect and attention for yours. Once you start making concerted efforts to qualify yourself with economy of words at all times – be it corporate gatherings, one-on-one or on paper, conciseness will start coming to you spontaneously!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Step up your work attitude, go beyond negativity

Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008

With fly-by-night jobs and transient employment becoming the norm, the ground is forever shifting beneath us. No longer able to take a job for granted or count on our allegiance to the employer to pull us through, we end up feeling victimised and helpless – completely unhappy with our life and situation.
Yet, in these perilous times, we still nonchalantly go with the flow, keeping ourselves at the mercy of the management.
I shudder to think Why? Will things change on their own? Is it right to depend on others to bail you out from the sinking quagmire of circumstances?
Sorry to shatter your hopes but the bitter truth is that there is no guardian angel or knight-in-shining-armour rallying round you. You are in the driver’s seat and have to steer your own life, that too under your own steam. As the quote by John Rohn goes, ‘You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”
It’s all about “Me, Inc.” and shifting to a commitment to yourself alone will enable you to control your own destiny. There is no place for ambivalence anymore, you have to take charge, be responsible and action-oriented.
The new manifesto for ‘holding yourself responsible’ includes essential building blocks like:
Goodbye to the ‘not my fault’ syndrome – It is easy to sit back and criticise or complain incessantly. But will the blame game get you anywhere? Instead, eliminate the excuses and stop dodging the personal responsibility of your choices and actions. Assume ownership of the problem – be it unfinished tasks, missed deadlines or unmet goals. Once you realise that you can and should control your circumstances, you will transform from a finger-pointer to a problem solver.
No more wallowing – On a similar note, cynicism is no longer an option. You cannot hide behind lame defences like, ‘the boss is unfair’, ‘the company is responsible for keeping you contented’, ‘the manager is lax’ or ‘colleagues do not pull their weight’. You are in charge of your own morale and have to step up your work attitude by getting beyond the negativity.
Wing it - Get over your need for structure and certainty to be able to take on projects that are laced with ambiguity. You cannot even afford to completely depend on the manager to frame the situation and clarify things. Strive to make constant attempts, learn from your failures, improvise and move on.
Take in your stride – Education, accomplishments and track record take a back seat to adaptability. You have to be flexible, mobile and able to adjust to new situations quickly.
No free lunch – Your loyalty, tenure and good intentions are dispensable. Sticking to the same mode of doing things, waiting for others to call the shots and simply following direction will never augment your value. Instead, contribute more than your share by seeking to cut costs, improve productivity and innovate on your own.
The big picture – Simply aligning your objectives with the manager’s or department’s goals will not get you far. Look beyond to concentrate on the right things and their outcomes.
Lifelong learning – You cannot get by on experience alone. Keep your education relevant with constant courses and workshops that provide personal development.
Take personal responsibility for improvement and seek to grow. Continuous learning and retooling will increase your knowledge base and skills, thus keeping you competitive.
Role models – Study successful people and analyse their approach, attitude, work habits and skills. Benchmark yourself against their potential, achievements and how they operate to be able to get better and better.
Spend purposeful time on visualising a mental picture of your goals and what you want to be. This will fire you to turn them into reality Les Brown puts it best with “If you take responsibility for yourself you will develop a hunger to accomplish your dreams.” This is not to say that you don’t have to work effectively on the job, aspire to achieve organisational goals and contribute to its development. But, do it without losing sight of your commitment to yourself.
Needless to say, the going will not be easy; numerous potholes and detours will line your journey, detracting you from achieving career success. Stay focussed on commitment and accountability to yourself. Then and only then can you emerge as a flexible, dynamic and vital asset to yourself. As you will become valuable to have around, organisations will seek you out instead of the other way around!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Shrewdly turn sales-breakers into sales-makers

Published on Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Every salesperson worth his salt will have a repertoire of instances where he tracks down prospects, approaches them, launches his sales call - only to have them start spewing objections on anything from the product, service, solution or even say, the delivery schedule.
Needless to say, it’s a nightmare come true as the customer lashes out with, ‘The price is too high’, ‘Product quality is not up to the mark’, ‘Company reputation is not good enough’. Even diversionary tactics like, ‘I am satisfied with another service’, ‘Send me more information’, ‘Call me after two months’ or simply, ‘I am not interested’ surface.
Discomfited and dejected, sales personnel often turn away in the face of such hostile rejection.
Well, sales opposition is uncomfortable and confusing, but as a frontline salesman, you have to realise that resistance is quite normal. After all, no matter how compelling the need, how good your product, how perfect your presentation or how persuasive your sales spiel is, prospects always have and always will reject and have objections. They may misunderstand your description, be sceptical of the product, stall (for maybe a better deal) or basically be sales-adverse.
While the objections are obstacles, you can still counter them effectually. Yes, all is not lost; you can still close the sale.The trick is to shrewdly turn the sales-breakers into sales-makers. In fact, top marketing experts actually welcome objections as the stepping stones to sales success. Not only does it open the door to further communication and clarification, but also presents an opportunity to establish the much-needed buyer-seller rapport.

When on the grill
Take the heat – Some emotional preparation is in order as customers will definitely upset you with their objections. Accept the nauseating remarks as a natural part of the sales process and do not take them personally. Keep your sense of balance and perspective by making a determined effort to maintain your composure despite the provocation.
In your stride – Recognise that the prospect’s needs are important and allow him to express his objections freely. Do not dismiss them as dumb protests with standard ‘objection handlers’ like, ‘You are wrong’ or ‘You don’t understand’. Pay attention to what he has to say and understand his problem instead of talking around the issue.
Line your ducks in a row - When faced with a valid objection, you cannot afford to shoot from the hip or just ad lib a response. It is advisable to learn everything about the product before you venture out to sell it. This way not only will you sound confident and knowledgeable, but can also fine-tune your message to meet specific needs. Again, it turns handy for reselling a product or shedding light on new advantages to overcome an objection. You can even go to the extent of arming yourself with prepared responses to all actual and anticipated objections.
Do not refute an objection - The resistance has face value and you have to keep what the prospect has said in mind when framing a suitable answer. Imagine yourself in the prospect’s shoes to be able to determine the cause and analyse it as a reasonable objection.
When responding, question the objection without offering any judgement on its validity. Try sounding them out with, “If we were to do this (for correcting the objection), then what?” This will help you to probe into the actual needs and discover the real hot buttons, as at times people tend to forestall with price or budget objections to cover their real ones.
Make it a point to address every objection with a plausible response; the best sales people are those who do not let any objection go unanswered. At times, you can yourself draw attention to potential objections even before they are raised, by say, emphasising other merits or presenting a logical rationalisation. You can go to the extent of ‘putting words in the prospect’s mouth’ or breaking ground with a radical perspective like in the case of Heinz: ‘When customers complained that Heinz super-thick tomato ketchup was difficult to pour, company leadership took a revolutionary stance by asking, “What if we did nothing?” Rather than getting worried about the complaints, Heinz simply turned this feature into a benefit. The resulting advertising campaign sent a clear message: If it comes out of the bottle too easily, then it must be low-quality ketchup!’
So, do not take a blow-off like - ‘I am too busy’ or ‘I don’t have the budget’ - lying down, but convert it into an opportunity to make a point with a mini sales message. But, whatever you say or do, remember that arguing with a prospect, lying or trying to degrade the competition is completely forbidden.
Also, while you should definitely not take ‘No’ for an answer, some objections will be insurmountable and some prospects totally unyielding. It is advisable to let them be; you don’t have to sell to every person you come in contact with. Give your best shot to mastering the opposition of the more likely ones and you will be in business pronto!

PAYAL CHANANIA