Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

Web 2.0 with its social media such as business blogs and Twitter, are known for being conversational mediums.

Eric Eggertson of Common Sense PR talks about the need to take the conversational medium into more traditionally formal areas of connecting with others. These include speeches and settings where speakers interact with the public face to face, such as town hall meetings.

He says

If your first instinct is to focus on what you need to tell the audience, not what your audience might want to know/hear, you’re already off target.

Ask not what you can tell your audience, but how you can communicate with them, and find out more about what they think and know.

This makes sense of so many levels. And it occurs to me that this is equally applicable to dealing with staff as well as with customers.

It's not about telling any more. Those days are gone. It's about genuine interactions and conversations. It's about listening and getting feedback.

It's also about being brave enough not just to allow feedback, but to actively encourage it, and to offer open channels of communication. And it's about letting customers and staff know that you value what they say, and will keep them posted on progress.

How many times have you been asked for feedback, but feel that the organization or company is just going through the motions, and that your opinion won't count anyway? If your customers or staff feel this way, it's counterproductive.

Customers and staff need to feel that their opionions will at least be listened to. Most realize that not every single suggestion can be implemented. Your staff and customers can be your best advocates.

• How do you encourage open communication in your business with customers and staff?