Businessetiquettearticles.com – Etiquette and communication are considered “soft” skills, but they are critical to the successful conduct of business. The right behavior will build trust among business contacts, and a good communication flow will increase the efficiency of any company. Both of these results can add significantly to business profits.

First impression

When you deal with contacts outside your organization, etiquette and communication skills contribute to projecting a good first impression. If you’re trying to make a sale or close a deal, this is important. People you come into contact with will judge you based on the way you dress, your personal appearance, your body language, your handshake, and the fluency of your communication skills. All this together adds to your professional image.

Colleague

Communicating with coworkers is an important but often overlooked skill. Any credible organization must have good formal communication channels, so that information can be disseminated efficiently and duplication of effort can be minimized. If you are responsible for a team of employees, you should try to communicate in an open and approachable manner. The way you interact with your workers, especially your listening skills, helps them feel valued and engaged. Likewise, if you are an entry-level employee, your communication skills expertise contributes significantly to the speed of your promotion.

Overseas

Proper business and communication etiquette varies from culture to culture. If you are on a business trip abroad, first learn the business etiquette that applies in your destination country. This may involve modifying the way you dress, the way you greet people, and the appropriate topics to bring up in business meetings.

Training

The importance of soft skills such as ethics and communication has led to an increase in the number of training courses and consultants specializing in these areas. Additionally, many Master of Business Administration programs include etiquette and communication modules, often as part of orientation for students to master these skills early on.