"Oh no. I see Rebecca heading this way. She talks 90 miles and hour without stopping, and I never understand what she is babbling about. She tells me one idea 10 different ways; I wish she could just get to the point and keep it brief.”

The paragraph above is focused on verbal communication but some of these tips can help in any communication medium including your marketing messages and company information. With the ever-evolving information sources, being brief can actually be your biggest asset. So the next time you're engaged in a business conversation keep these tips in mind:

Try to ask questions that are relevant to the whole group and not yourself.

If you are in a business meeting, instead of saying, "How long will it be before we finish?” Try, "What is the current timeframe for this meeting?”

Make sure to answer Yes or No questions with either a yes or a no.

I can't tell you how many times people have answered questions based on what they want to say and not based on the actual question that was asked.. Make sure to listen to questions carefully, especially in business. Answer appropriately not based on what you thought the questions was. If you're unclear ask them to clarify.

Don't get bogged down with irrelevant details.

"Last week I went to get my oil changed, or was it this week, I think it was the week before last…” The person you're speaking to is thinking, "I wish she/he would get to the point.”

Eliminate jokes or smart cracks.

This is horrible if you tell jokes badly or tell bad jokes—how do you know? Keep the jokes out of the business environment.

Voice your thoughts in a pace that everyone can hear and understand.

This takes some practice; but if people ask you to slow down or seem impatient when you're speaking, change your pace up a little.

Take out extra words.

We are taught to edit words that we write; you can also try editing your verbal words. We tend to over explain and over speak at times. Like I mentioned earlier, give relevant answers without all the fluff, we get enough fluff in Marketing. (o;

If you're just joining a discussion, take a moment to listen.

Find out what the discussion is about before you interrupt. You don't want to blurt out anything that no one is interested in.

Listen to your gut.

If your gut is telling you to shut up, it's probably right.

Remember, getting straight to the point and keeping it brief gives more credibility than not. This is what most people want anyway. It's great to have robust conversations and good laughs in business situations but sometimes you need to cut to the chase - the key is to know when.

© 2003-2006 Effició, Inc. Sherese Johnson