Handling Clients’ Queries – How to Nail Business Communication

Knowing how to talk to clients is a must skill – let’s dive into the world of proper business communication

If someone asks you to go several years back in time and remember what your expectations of entrepreneurship were, perhaps you’d mention lots of work, attending events, taking business trips, and managing your team’s tasks and duties.

But there’s a quick reminder: entrepreneurship has also a lot to do with communicating with clients as well.

Regardless of your business niche, if you offer products and services, by all means, clients would want to connect with you and have some more information about the company, the work approach, the team, the deadlines, specifics around your products, etc. I doubt that I need to stress how important it is for you to have impeccable people skills. But the truth is, you’ll also need to implement some business communication skills as well.

When we refer to business communication, what exactly do we mean?

Business communication is essential for any company or entrepreneur. Why? Well, simply put, it allows you to talk to employees, coworkers, managers, or clients in a way that greatly benefits the company in general.

In this article, I’d like to address business communication in the sense of talking to clients, but in reality, it has to do with communicating with employees and coworkers as well. In a nutshell, this aspect of business communication allows you to clearly and understandably express opinions, and suggestions, discuss various business matters, come up with business plans, discuss schedules, etc. It’s a no-brainer – being able to openly communicate is the key to creating successful business relationships both in the company and outside of it.

The key aspects and characteristics of business communication include: knowing in great detail the products’ and services’ specifics, being aware of the company’s policies and legal terms, being able to adequately represent the company and its goal, and aiming at finding the best possible solution for the company’s future business. In your daily business communication, you would often need to settle agreements, write business proposals, conduct meetings, present new products or services and convince others of their strengths, etc.

As you can see, it turns out having a brilliant business mindset is simply not enough if you can’t express verbally and in writing all your ideas, plans, suggestions, points of view, and opinions.

What does client business communication represent and why it’s such an important asset?

If you engage with the role of a manager or a leader in your company’s hierarchy, it’s safe to say that oftentimes you’ll be needing to communicate with clients too, not only with fellow coworkers.

And here’s where the magic of business communication takes place.

In a nutshell, your job would be to convince your clients that working with you will be the best decision they could ever make. Business communication goes to incredible lengths. You have to be both a great marketer and a profound speaker.

Remember that any client would want to know your company in great detail before deciding to sign a contract. Usually, this “getting-to-know-scenario” goes along the lines of the client speaking with a company representative. This person’s job is to create a dazzling first impression. Because, seriously, ask yourself – would you be willing to invest money and trust in a company that doesn’t completely relate to your issues, needs, or desire for development and growth? Of course not! Our time is precious and nobody would want to be misled in any way.

So imagine being approached by a client who would like to get to know your company more. If you wonder what are you supposed to say or do, keep on reading.

Dos and don’ts of business communication

How to create a great first impression

• set a meeting live, over the phone, or via Zoom – your client’s query may start with an email in your inbox, but a good practice would be for you to conduct a way more personal approach to communication
• be punctual – try your best to be on time when the meeting is about to start since no one likes their time being wasted
• be polite and easy-going – start the conversation on a positive note and engage in some small talk – you don’t need to submerge the client in business matters from the very first minute
• let the client make their request – listen carefully and take notes to ask questions after the client has finished talking
• be sure you are well-prepared for any questions that may arise – there’s nothing worse than a representative of a company having no idea what are they talking about
• make sure you explain matters in an easily understandable way – look, you are an expert, we know that, but the client is not. You won’t do your company or business any good if you explain matters in a complex overly-professional way and risk the other person not getting anything out of the discussion
• present your company by using testimonials and portfolio – sure, praise your business but mostly allow other clients to speak for itself
• explain in great detail to the client what the next steps would be – the majority of people love to feel in control of their projects so make sure you give many details and answer all questions

What to avoid:

• avoid boasting – people can decide for themselves whether or not your company is in the right business direction for them
• be on point and avoid letting your mind go places – as I’ve mentioned above, people’s time is way too precious
• do not answer questions and give information that you are not certain about – instead, offer to reach back at them with further info
• don’t give deadlines you are not certain you’ll fit into
• don’t overuse complex business terminology if the client is not familiar with the business field in particular

To wrap things up

The way you communicate business is way more important than you might think. Always prepare for business discussions and express eagerness to constantly develop and upgrade your public speaking skills. My advice is to stick to personal communication rather than using emails. By using the above-mentioned tips I’m sure you’ll nail your next conversation with clients and ensure a great business relationship in the long run.