Today’s Quote: The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. – George Bernard Shaw
I love this quote because communication is two way between two people who probably both think that they are being clear. But it’s not always the case.
Welcome to the second episode of the podcast that teaches you to become a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today we are going to talk about communication. When you work virtually, being brilliant at business communication is absolutely essential.
In this episode we will talk about Brilliant Business Communication for Virtual Assistants.
Click the play button above to tune in, or choose your favourite podcast player below:
Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
In virtual work, communication is essential to get right, and it can take practice.
We do not usually have the luxury of having conversations all day long like in an office setting, so we need to use the methods that we have to facilitate communication.
Bad communication can make or break relationships and in business this is even moreso. It can result in wasted time, unnecessary back and forth, misunderstandings, crunch deadlines, use up retainer time unnecessarily, frustration by one or both parties, and confusion.
Good communication helps you save time – there is not so much back and forth. You are more organized, everything is clearer, expectations that are set are met, you manage the client’s retainer better, and you increase productivity. When yours go up, so does your client’s.
So how to be brilliant at business communication?
- Create a communication system and stick to it, set boundaries. What works for you? Show your clients how to use it.
- Production calls, project management system, emails. I never used instant messenger because it is too brief and convenient, and insisted that all communication went through my systems. It worked. A production call is a brief regular scheduled phone call that is a high level overview meeting with your client.
- Learn how to be brief and clear with your words. Be direct and to the point. Convey what you want in simple terms. That can take practice.
- Draft your communication, then come back and edit. Particularly if there is some kind of conflict or confusion. Always proofread!
- Take emotions out of business communication, state facts for clarity. Keep things professional. This usually also helps with brevity and keeping things really streamlined.
- One message per email. When you put a lot of different subjects in the same email it can make it difficult for the client or you to find what you are looking for. And be sure that your subject line conveys the message included in the particular email. Search functions work but scanning an inbox or online folder makes everyone feel more organized.
- Ask questions, and let the other party know what you want them to do next. This goes back to eliminating the back and forth that we talked about earlier. When asking questions, be clear.
- Be kind and friendly but don’t take paragraphs to explain things. Bringing your personality and your relationship that you build with your client is fine, but make sure you don’t bring emotion into your communication. Brevity is still best.
- Be sure you understand the client request. Repeat back what the request is until you are clear. This creates good communication habits too the more you do it.
- Don’t waste anyone’s time. Be clear and concise.
If things do go off the rails, don’t wait to address any issues. Open and clear communication is best for all. Quick discussions can help. We need to teach them how to communicate better with us, especially if they are not good at it.
Practical example:
One of the things that clients get anxious about (and maybe micromanage) is when they don’t know the status of their tasks.
Your client requests work or a task. You should acknowledge receipt of request when you see it (‘I got it!’). Don’t leave them wondering. In your reply, tell the client when you can turn it around for them or when you will work on it. Communicate your progress along the way and confirm delivery of the task. That’s brilliant communication!
Brilliant communication is not hard to do when you practice these tips. I hope you got some tips that you can implement right now to achieve brilliant business communication in your VA business!
What You Need to Do Next:
If I can help you get better at business communication, reach out to me at tracey@yourvamentor.com. I’ve helped hundreds of VAs through their challenges and got them on their way to the next thing. I’d love to do the same for you. I do private coaching, and registration for my new mastermind group The Virtual Circle is open now. Maybe one of those is right for you!
That’s all I’ve got for you this week, thanks for tuning in to learn to become a ridiculously good Virtual Assistant.