Personal and professional communications predict our outcomes. Therefore, it is vital to pay strict attention and revise our words when needed. Otherwise, the results will be dismal; misunderstandings will likely arise. Worse, it is embarrassing to have people walk away. For business, it can be devastating to lose clients due to an incorrect selection of words.

Two Vacation Stories to Heed

In short form, the first story is mind-boggling, particularly in today’s environment, while the other had me gasping!

#1 Horrific Word Choice

Mary shared that she once stayed in an elegant hotel overseas. With her camera in hand, she began walking down the staircase. Hearing the conversation behind her, she noticed that a Prime Minister from another country was about to walk down the same staircase. Cringe:

Mary looked up to the government official and said, ‘Please stand still for a minute, as I can get the perfect shot!’

You can guess that security guards immediately surrounded her. In today’s environment, she might have been killed. Mary explained that she was referring to taking a picture of the Prime Minister. They accepted the explanation to back off and walk away. She now knows to select her verbiage carefully!

#2 Horrific Word Choice

Cheryl could not be with us on vacation due to contracting a bad episode of COVID. We were all hopeful that she would join us for the last few days. I gasped when I heard her husband say,

‘Sadly, she isn’t going to make it!’

Thankfully, he clarified the meaning, not that she would no longer be among the living, but that she needed more time to heal before getting on an airplane.

Communications Practice

Every communication technique requires practice until it becomes seamless and appears naturally. Communication improvement draws people in and can dramatically improve sales and business growth.

Simple storytelling about good and poor experiences draws the attention of others up front, followed by compassion, and encourages building relationships between those involved. Moreover, prospective clients enjoy the surprise experience of our sharing by showing empathy to realize the motivation and share their related experiences. Almost magically, a connection is made. Making this a repeat event is a magic formula for building business loyalty and referrals.

All endeavors require us to choose our words wisely to prevent misunderstandings. Think back to previous times when another mistook what you said. It could have led to an argument or an incorrect approach to something new. For business, that’s the last thing anyone needs. Upon hearing words you don’t understand, ask, ‘Why?’ The one-word question is like a magic wand, turning the conversation into a courteous back-and-forth with a desirable outcome most of the time.

For insights, Watch 'The Sweet Sounds of Success' Podcast, host, Sue Wilhite and myself: https://youtu.be/lZl3PBk73aU 

In Conclusion:

The worst result is to state something after which people walk away believing integrity is non-existent. Before ending any conversation, it’s always best to ask again, ‘Do you have any questions?’ followed by, ‘How would you like to proceed?’

The bonus of hearing everyone out and exercising caution in the words we choose typically encompasses extra business or solid friendships.

For more Insights, Visit Elinor’s Amazon Author Page

Communicate to Attract Interest

Be A Story-Teller

“Believe, Become, Empower”

Related Blog Stories:

How to Improve Meetings for Desired Results:
https://smoothsale.net/how-to-improve-meetings-for-desired-results/

Ask Questions for Clarity and Sell Your Persepctive:

https://smoothsale.net/ask-questions-for-clarity-and-sell-your-perspective/

Enhance Business Growth:

https://smoothsale.net/enhance-business-growth/

Sales Tips: Improve Your Verbiage for Better Business Results

1.   To begin a serious conversation, it’s best to ask, ‘Why?’

2.   Leave assumptions out of the conversation to remain on a sound footing.

3.   Upon realizing you are stating a double-entendre, clarify it immediately.

4.   After sharing insights about how you uniquely approach a business, asking questions to ensure that everything is understood is a good practice.

5.   Focus on clarity for yourself and those who you encounter.

6.   Replay conversations at home to realize if you need clarification.

7.   Results improve when conversations are professionally friendly.

8.   Commit to learning from errors.

9.   Learn to laugh at errors you make to then improve upon them.

10.                 Today’s insights are provided to help you achieve the Smooth Sale!