I will say this only once
The key to good, effective communication is listening
People spend nearly 70 percent of their waking hours communicating, whether it’s by speaking, listening, reading, writing, or via Facebook. So it makes sense that in a work context, one of the worst barriers to effective group performance is bad communication.
The key to good, effective communication is listening of course. But by listening I mean attentive listening, not half-listening or selective listening. It is so important that in a working environment you give people your full attention – it is amazing what mistakes can be made through misunderstandings or not hearing (or listening to) the full story.
In fact a number of aeroplane disasters over the years have been largely attributed to problems in communication. For example in 1997 a Garuda Airlines jetliner crashed just 20 miles from Medan Airport on the island of Sumatra after the pilot and the air traffic controller confused the words left and right as the plane was descending under poor visibility conditions. All 234 aboard were killed.
Okay, I accept that a couple of words may not always mean the difference between life and death, but bad communication can certainly have disastrous consequences for your business. When it comes to copywriting, effective listening without a doubt helps you deliver the right message as well as gain the confidence of your clients. Whatever great ideas we as copywriters may have, ultimately it is not what the copywriter thinks, but what the client wants. How could we possibly know this without listening carefully to our clients?
Don’t force your clients to repeat themselves. Communication is the key when it comes to a good working relationship – don’t get the wrong message!
