1.

Business Communication
Business communication is the transmission of information among people within
an organization for the organization’s commercial benefit. Business
communication also involves the ways; a company uses to share information for
the promotion of its services or products to their consumers.

Communication is a process whereby a message is successfully conveyed to the

receiver. The message may include information, ideas, perceptions and symbols
which are sent either with or without intention. It doesn’t have to be via spoken or
written words only. A successful communication can have effect even by means of
signs and gestures. The traffic lights or the sign boards that we see on the roads are
also means of communication where the traffic authorities intend to instruct us
using these signs to ensure safety.

The Communication Process

The process of communication goes through the following steps:

 Sender- The person who initiates the communication process

 Encoding- The sender gathers all the information that they intend to convey
 Message- The information gathered by the sender takes the form of a
message
 Channel- The medium the sender chooses to convey his/her message
 Receiver- The message is then delivered to the receiver
 Decoding- The receiver then interprets the message and responds
accordingly on which the communication process comes to an end.

Applications

Business communication involves the standard process of communication

involving the aforementioned steps. It basically means the type of communication
that aims at promotion of products and services and increasing sales and profits for
a business, where the message can be conveyed through various channels of mass
media or even personally.

1
7 Cs of business communication

Business etiquettes and skills play a major role in effective communication which
requires what are known as the 7 Cs of business communication. An effective
communication can be achieved only when the message is:

 Complete
 Correct
 Concise
 Concrete
 Considerable
 Courteous
 Clear

Types of Business Communication

An organization can employ business communication in 2 ways:

 Internal communication
 External communication

Internal Communication

The communication taking place within the organization is called internal

communication. For an instance, the interaction between an employee and the boss
regarding the business strategies or product development schemes etc. Internal
communication can either be upward, downward or horizontal. These types are
determined by the system of hierarchy. The communication from the director of a
company with their subordinates is downward and the vice versa of it would be
upward. The interaction which takes place between the personnel of the same
designation within an organization is referred to as horizontal internal
communication.

External communication

External communication is all about the interaction of a business with the outside
world i.e. other businesses, the buyers, public at large etc. This can be done by
means of advertisement, promotions, offers with or without personal interaction. In
external communication, the organizations are more particular about the
communication formalities and skills because they can be overlooked within the

2
four corners of the organization to some extent but outside they have to be duly
regarded.

External communication meets another factor called competition where the

communication skills of one organization if supersede those of the other can make
the former win the battle. For an instance, markets are overloaded with
advertisements and the most effective and influential ad attracts the most
stakeholders.

2. Barriers of business communication

5 barriers to communications are:

1. Work environment.
2. People’s attitudes and emotional state.
3. Time zone and geography.
4. Distractions and other priorities.
5. Cultures and languages.

1.The environment in which the communication takes place is one of the

barriers to communication.
Work environment such as noise and temperature might affect communications in
certain circumstances. The project manager, therefore, must ensure that the work
environment is comfortable to everyone and that it will not be a barrier to effective
communication. For example, the project manager might ensure that all personal
conversations in the team take place outside the working area to avoid the noise
distracting other team members. The same applies to group work-related
conversations where such conversations should take place in a meeting room and
not around the work desks where others might be impacted by the noise.
 

2. People’s attitudes and emotional state

This is another barrier to communication. When people are under pressure because
of personal problems or work-related issues their receptiveness to messages may
be adversely affected, and they are less likely to be influenced. The project
manager must understand the person who will receive the information, show
emotional intelligence and empathies with their needs to overcome this barrier to
communication.

3
 

3. Time zone and geography

This is a barrier to communication when the work spreads around the world. For
example in an international company the work and the services provided can be
done in different countries by different specialists to meet clients’ needs. The time
zone and the geographical barriers in this situation can be overcome by organizing
a conference call at a time when everybody can attend.
 

4. Distractions and other priorities

This is another one of the barriers to communication. People in the organization
might have other priorities and therefore too much project communication can
become distracting. The project manager must ensure that the responsibilities are
well distributed between the team members and the communication time is well
organized to avoid such distraction.
 

5. Culture and language

Another barrier to communication as different cultures has different ways of doing
things. Language also can be a barrier when dealing with multiple nationalities
with different languages. The project manager must ensure that communications
are delivered in simple language to avoid any misunderstanding.

3. Basic principles of business communication

Swift, clear and precise communication is the foundation of any business
operation. Quick, effective communication improves productivity, increases
efficiency, and reduces redundancies. Whether you are emailing a colleague,
pitching a client, or preparing for a job interview, strong communication skills will
help you sell more, get more done, and land your dream job.

4
7 Pillars of Business Communication

1. Clarity

Clarity is the number one rule all business communication must follow. A message
that leaves the reader scratching his head is a failed message. Clarity springs from
a knowledge of the message (what you want to say), the method (how you want to
say it), and the medium (what format do you want to say it in). A lack of insight in
any one of these components is going to affect the effectiveness of your message.

2. Conciseness

Business communication is founded on the principles of brevity. There is little

room for lyrical prose or academic loquaciousness. This applies to not just the
length of your message, but also its contents. Try to use short sentences and short
words. Avoid jargon and words that send the reader to the dictionary (unless you
sell dictionaries!). Adopt this principle for intra-team as well as client focused
communication.

3. Objectivity

Business communication must always have a purpose. This purpose must be

apparent to any who glances through your message. Before you put a single word
to paper, ask yourself: “what am I trying to achieve with this message?”. This will
help you stay on course through the message creation process and effect a
remarkable improvement in the message efficacy.

4. Consistency

Imagine that you’re reading a book that starts out as a serious medieval romance,
turns into a supernatural screwball comedy around the half-way mark, before
finally finishing as an avant-garde, high-brow literary exegesis. Without a doubt,
such a book will leave you confused and even angry.

This is the reason why all business communication must have consistency of tone,
voice and content. A humorous satire on one page, a serious explanation on
another will alienate your readers. Although you can stray from the set tone from
time to time – a few humorous jokes can help lighten the mood – the overall theme
must remain consistent.

5
5. Completeness

Each message must have a clear and logical conclusion. The reader shouldn’t be
left wondering if there is more to come. The message must be self-sufficient, that
is, it must hold good on its own without support from other messages. This is
particularly apt for blog posts which often end abruptly and leave the reader
scratching his head.

6. Relevancy

Every message you send out must be contextually cohesive with previous/future
messages. The message must also be relevant to your primary offering. A blog post
about Kobe Bryant’s free-throw record followed by a webinar on inbound
marketing will only leave your readers confused. So make sure that everything you
write in a business setting is contextually related and relevant.

7. Audience Knowledge

Lastly, your message must have a thorough understanding of your primary

audience. Everything else – clarity, completeness, objectivity – results from your
knowledge of your audience. Always know who you are writing for as it will
influence the tone, voice and quality of your message. You can’t write to a
company’s SVP the same way you would write to your colleague in the next
cubicle, and you can’t write to a client the same way you would write to a SVP.

Your message must reflect the age, education level, aims and objective of your
audience. This is possible only if you thoroughly research your readers and can see
things from their perspective

Conclusion

Business communication is dramatically different from casual or literary

communication. It has its own principles, objectives, language patterns. Mastering
business communication will make you a more effective leader, increase your
sphere of influence, and help improve workplace efficiency.