Promotional Tools for Your Tool Box Part Lima

Living on the island of Bali has been quite an experience for us this month. Talking to the natives of this beautiful corner of the globe reminds us of the importance of one aspect of life which encompasses all 63 of the promotional tools we’ve recently posted.

Any tool you use to improve your business or any relationship, for that matter, is built on—drum roll please—communication. Where would we be in this world without communication?

Robyn tries to communicate with our driver, a Bali native, who
drove us, a couple from Moscow and a couple from Singapore
to a day of white-water rafting near Ubud Aug. 6. He spoke
almost no English.

Attempting to talk to someone who speaks a foreign language makes you realize how critical and challenging communication is. We sometimes have to be creative in trying to get one of the Balinese we encounter to understand what we are saying. Speaking slowly and using hand gestures brings scenes from old funny movies to mind.

In part lima (five) of our posts on promotional tools, we are examining communication. If you want to have a successful small business, or if you want to have a good marriage or be a successful politician or just about anything else you can think of, you have to be a good communicator.

The word “communication” comes from a Latin word meaning “common” and means to transmit or exchange information, thought or feeling through common symbols, signs or behaviors so that it is satisfactorily received or understood.

Successful communication requires three things: someone to communicate or transmit, finding shared or common ground, and someone to receive, watch or listen. Our tip for entrepreneurs today is: determine what you want to communicate and what is your desired outcome, and then choose several of the 63 Promotional Tools we've shared to accomplish those outcomes.

Communication is vitally important because people are curious and need to understand. Uninformed customers, spouses, employees, members or volunteers are not happy, and a lack of communication leads to mistrust. And, of course, customers who don’t know why they could use your product will never buy it.

"Experts" say that 55 – 90 percent of all communication is non-verbal. So successful communication means you also must be mindful of your eyes, facial expressions, hands, body language, makeup and clothes you wear and a myriad of other things.

The bottom line is: successful communication is no accident.