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Whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee, good communication skills will help you achieve your massage business goals.

From booking an appointment with that potential client, to asking for a raise, to negotiating for that prime office space you really want, good communication will help you get the results you desire.

It will assist you in bringing your goals to fruition, move your vision forward and support you in becoming more effective in your business relationships—whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee.   

More than words

As you may know, communication occurs on many levels such as hand gestures, tone of voice, actual words and body posture. How you say something is as important as what you say.

If your physical communication delivery isn’t congruent with your words, you send mixed signals to your listeners. In addition, people tend to “listen” more to non-verbal conversational clues rather than words themselves.

Let’s start with body language. What is your current communication style? Get to know yourself: Stand in front of a mirror and give a short introduction about yourself and your work, or take a video of yourself while you talk.

After observing your introduction, think about it. Did you come across as confident, timid or perhaps aggressive? Does your current communication style send the message you want it to?

In order to get better at presenting yourself, practice techniques that will allow you to be seen and heard in the best possible light.

The 7 Simple Secrets of Successful Communicators:

Secret #1 Notice how you stand.

Stand in a balanced posture with your back straight and head up. Feel your weight evenly in both feet—this will help you feel centered.

Secret #2: Relax!

Do you fidget or look down, or stand with your arms crossed? Crossing your arms sends a message that you are closed off and not receptive, nor will you appear approachable.

Keep your arms and hands loose, shoulders down and a bit back, so that your gestures are fluid and natural.

Secret #3: Always make eye contact with others.

Secret #4: Smile—if smiling is appropriate.

Often people will frown while speaking, out of habit or perhaps because they are thinking, not because they actually intend to frown at someone—but the person listening may only register the frown and therefore receive a non-verbal clue that does not match what is said. Make sure that your facial expression matches your message.

Secret #5: Be clear.

Your tone, volume and speed of speaking are all important. When you engage in important communication, such as a negotiation with a landlord or vendor, or speaking to get that contract with a business for chair massage, you also want your words to be clear. Speaking in front of a group, dealing with a challenging situation, or delivering that presentation can be scary. Nervousness can cause your voice to sound shaky, or cause you to mumble or rush through what you say. The tempo of your delivery is important. Take the time to articulate each word so that you are clearly heard; but don’t speak too slowly, either. Tempo is easy to practice—just record yourself! The more you practice, the better your chance of being heard and getting your message across clearly.

Secret #6: Being yourself.

Be authentic with your passion, and be respectful.

Secret #7: Listen as well to others as you wish them to listen to you.

Make a choice to clearly hear the other person and to clarify if you are unsure of what they are saying.

Reflective listening, a technique in which you re-state back to the person what you heard them say to ensure you got their message, can be helpful. This is a great technique to use in interviewing clients, hearing what your employer is saying or when engaging in a difficult conversation; it shows you are present for the communication you are involved with.

All too often in conversation, people are just waiting for the other person to finish talking so they can speak what is on their own mind.

Practice makes perfect

Take every opportunity to practice good communication skills so that you become more and more effective at it. It will help you get the results you want!

 

Shelene TaylorShelene Taylor (www.iambiz.com) turned her struggling massage therapy career into a multi-million dollar, multi-location success. She now shows other massage practice owners how to create purposeful and profitable businesses. Through IAMBIZ she shares the timesaving, proven and practical tools and strategies she uses in her own company. 

 

 

Download the graphic below as a pdf: 7 Simple Secrets of Successful Communicators

7 Simple Secrets of Successful Communicators