6 Methods for Improving Your External and Internal Communication
MHC Marketing December 15th, 2020
Today, we rely more on communication in business. 50% of the workplace is remote, leading to increased emphasis on communication¹ . Businesses need to improve their external and internal communications. Improving internal communications will make a business run more efficiently. You’ll convey information better and employee collaboration will improve.
Excellent customer service will improve your brand’s public perception. Your customers will be more knowledgeable about your products and services. This will lead to confident buyers.
IMPROVING INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Great internal communications will strengthen the workplace. Here are a couple of methods to improve your internal communications.
1. SEND REGULAR NEWSLETTERS
Employee newsletters are more than a way to keep employees “in the loop.” Email newsletters create a community by stimulating internal communication. They enhance visibility and offer a way for staff members to approach you.
But employee newsletters can still be bland. Instead, spice them up. Use GIFs, memes, interactive documents, and other fun factors to make newsletters fun. You can also offer a way for employees to create newsletters.
Does spicing up your newsletters mean that your content should lack important details? Always explain the why’s and what’s in your business. Include the latest information in the organization and how it affects them.
2. USE SOCIAL MEDIA
While email is effective, the average office worker receives 121 emails a day. Since your employees’ inboxes get flooded on a daily basis, there’s a chance your email efforts will fail.
Have an alternative employee communication method, such as social media. Social media groups will keep your staff members in one digital bubble.
If nothing else, social media groups are a way to keep discussions flowing to keep your staff members connected.
You can also use social media as a news outlet. Inform your staff of anything new occurring in the organization. Most social media groups allow you to send notifications to staff members, ensuring everyone receives updates.
What if social media is not a suitable option for your organization? In this case, you can turn to different project management platforms, CRMs, and business messaging apps that offer similar benefits but are developed for enterprises.
In addition to striving to keep staff members in the loop, you shouldn’t forget about your customers and the general public. Improving external communications will keep both prospects and leads engaged, resulting in a better-educated audience that will likely make a sale.
3. ESTABLISH A BRANDED TONE
Branding extends beyond your imagery. By giving your external communications a branded tone, you will ensure customers know what to expect when contacting your business. Your audience will identify your narrative, connecting with your business better.
How do you create a branded tone? Think of ways you want your audience to engage and remember your brand? Maybe it’s the way you want your customers to talk about your brand with others?
From there, you can create a unique personality. Don’t fixate on industry trends and what your competitors are doing, but rather use them as guidelines. Make your voice and style unique. This will make your brand more authentic, attracting a larger audience.
4. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
However, a great branded voice won’t work if you don’t know your audience. Audience insights are integral to great external communications.
First, identify their demographics. Know where they’re located and even specifics such as the language they speak. But audience demographics may also include how they consume information, what interests them, and even what they want from you.
This is important to know what to say and how to draw them in. You’ll also know the basics of how they consume information; for example, does your audience prefer phone calls or will they first look for an online help center?
How do you gather this data? Other than extracting information directly from customers, request customer surveys, read reviews, see how customers respond to ads, website comments, and any customer feedback and questions that you receive.
You can also use customer experience software to see where your customers are on the journey map.
Keep in mind, external communications extend beyond customers. You’ll have to know these same insights on your partners, investors, and other external individuals.
Find out more about the Benefits of Using Customer Journey Mapping Software
5. FOCUS ON VALUE, NOT ADVERTISING
The average customer wants to connect with brands. They respond to personalized communication approaches rather than wide advertising campaigns. This is why your external communications should focus on value. Focus less on making a sale and make helping your audience your priority.
Create a strong customer service plan. Your customer communication manager should train your customer service professionals on putting the customer first. Use CCM software to deliver personalized service across all channels.
STREAMLINE BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
To ensure the success of your organization, you have to aim to improve both internal and external communications. Using a specialized platform will help you maximize your efforts.
6. CHOOSE THE RIGHT COMMUNICATION PLATFORM
Your strategies will come from your own techniques, but your efforts will be more successful when you implement the right technology.
Customer communication management software will optimize your business for omnichannel communication, so you can see results in both internal and external communication. Your efforts will be more personalized and interactive, resulting in a more engaged audience as well as more involved employees.
With a CCM platform in place, your workflow will be more organized, and reaching certain documents and forms necessary for excellent customer service will be a seamless process.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT COMMUNICATION SOFTWARE
Business communication is more important than you think. External and internal communication will help you gain more sales and engage your staff.
But the technology you choose greatly enhances your communication efforts.
Our software allows businesses to streamline digital interactions so you can engage with your audience in different ways. We aim to improve the customer experience and make internal and external communications more efficient, all while using the latest technology.
Try our software for free today.