« Small Biz Mentor - Named In Top 41 Blogs For Entrepreneurship & Small Business List | Main | Know More Media Reader Survey - We'd Love Your Feedback »

Jun12
Do You Encourage Open Channels Of Communication With Customers & Staff

Web 2.0 with its social media such as busmall_biz_reflections.pngsiness 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? 

 


1 Comments/Trackbacks




Of course, there are plenty of companies that are doing just fine churning out key messages to the media. The old approach to media relations hasn't disappeared, but it's not subtle enough to take into account the many ways organizations communicate every day.

submit a trackback

TrackBack URL for this entry:

post a comment

Name, Email Address, and URL are not required fields.





Comment Preview

« Small Biz Mentor - Named In Top 41 Blogs For Entrepreneurship & Small Business List | Main | Know More Media Reader Survey - We'd Love Your Feedback »

Advertise

Atlanta Locksmith - servicing small businesses in Atlanta.
Advertise Here

sponsored ads



subscribe


Prefer Email?
Subscribe below-

Enter your Email:


Powered by FeedBlitz What's this?

Current News

Support This Blog

Blognoggle

business social media

Use these fast growing business social media sites to promote your business, feature your products, spotlight your business leaders, create links, and drive traffic back to your company site, all for free!

BIZZlogos - Add your logo - free link to your site
BIZZphotos - Add photos of your products and people
BIZZprofiles - Submit your profile and build your online visibility
BIZZspotlight - Spotlight your business with free links
BIZZvideos - Videos about businesses, products and business people.
BIZZbites - "Digg" for Business - Submit your articles and posts

know more media network

View Network Map

Network Feed List (OPML)

Know More Media Network
Feed


we support unitus

PRWeb

Influencer



SmallBizMentor is a member of the Know More Media network of business related blogs.

Here are some current headlines from some of our business publications:

ProductivityGoal

CallCenterScript

AdHurl

TheBizofKnowledge

LandingTheDeal

CustomersAreAlways

HealthCareVox

BrainBasedBusiness

TheInsurancePolicy

MarketingBlurb