Get My Meaning?
No one tries to communicate badly. Yet it happens all the time. Miscommunications in business settings waste time, cost money, and damage relationships. Here are five ways to make sure you’re on the same page as your clients and other real estate professionals.
Know your goal
Define your desired outcome before an interaction to stay on message and accomplish your objective. Once you know why you are communicating, it’s easier to avoid confusing tangents.
Keep it simple
Addressing only one topic at a time—especially in texts and emails—is often more effective than trying to tackle multiple topics at once.
Don’t assume others know what you know
Surely your client will meet you at the property and not your office, right? Don’t chance it. One helpful strategy when speaking or writing is to imagine you are the other person; what information would you want?
Ask questions
Periodically check with the other party to find out if what you said or wrote was understood. Also, repeat what you think the other person told you and ask if you got the correct message.
Check for cues
When in person—or even on a video call—look at gestures, body language, and facial expressions. On a phone call, listen to tone of voice. If you notice nonverbal cues that contradict the other person’s words, take the time to explore why there is a mismatch.