With technology forever evolving the digital age is only set to continually introduce new platforms for communication. This makes the emphasis on communication more important both online and offline to allow you to reach your full potential. In an article for Just Entrepreneurs, Simon shares his Six steps to help you master communication in the digital age.
Step 1: Embrace change
The pace of change in the digital age is undoubtedly unprecedented therefore, in business today, you do need to be proactive and consistently embrace change otherwise you will be left behind. You need to put time into researching new online trends and platforms, this will ensure you have the time to adapt to the new ways of communication required before the social media platform reaches mainstream. If you struggle personally with technology do not be afraid to ask for help from someone more tech-savvy or you could even consider hiring someone to look after this side of the business as this will reap dividends in the long run as we are now living in a technology dependent society.
Step 2: Don’t lose sight of offline communication
Of course you should have a strong focus on online communication such as acquiring the right tone and including the correct information in any email or social media communication, however crucially this does not mean you should be neglecting offline communication, such as face to face or communicating over the telephone. The key to unlock your business voice in today’s climate is to be an expert in both online and offline communication. If you lose sight of real life interaction there may be a large gap in your business model as many customers today do appreciate the “personal” touch over an automated style of communication. Mastering both types of communication will help your business achieve a USP in the oversaturated business market.
Step 3: Get organised!
As there are now numerous ways to communicate in business it is unfortunately easy to lose track on what has been said to who and on what platform. This is why you need to be organised with online communication – spreadsheets will be your saviour! Recording who you have replied to and when, as well as on which online platform will help considerably with keeping on track with communication. This will also help your colleagues as they can see whether a person has been contacted, when they were contacted and through which platform, preventing any duplication or miscommunication.
To find out the rest of Simon’s tips to help you master communication in the digital age please read here!