Business Communication Methods

• Effective communication involves the right people getting the right information at the right time.
• Communication can be internal, which is between members of the same organization.
• It can also be external, which is between the organization and other organizations or individuals.
• Methods used to send a message are considered mediums of communication.
• Sending a letter is a method of written communication.
• Holding a meeting is a method of verbal communication.
• One-way communication involves a message that does not require a response.
• Two-way communication occurs when the receiver gives a response to the message and there is discussion about it.
• When sending a message one should consider speed, cost, message details, leadership style, the receiver, importance of a written record and importance of feedback.

Verbal Communication Methods

• Includes one-to-one talks/meetings, telephone conversations, video conferencing/Skype, and meetings and team briefings.
• Advantages include information can be given out quickly, there is opportunity for two way communication and immediate feedback and the message is often reinforced with a speaker.
• Disadvantages include in a large meeting there is no way of telling if everyone is listening and it can take longer to use verbal methods when feedback occurs, and it is not effective when there is a need for accurate record keeping.

Written Communication

• Includes business letters, memos/memorandums, reports, notices, faxes, text messages, emails, tweets, and communication on social network sites.
• Advantages include evidence that can be referenced in the future, can be copied and sent to many people, and can be a quick and cheap way of communicating.
• Disadvantages include direct feedback is not always possible, hard to check whether message was received and acted upon, and the language may be difficult for some to understand.

Visual Communication

• Involves films, videos, PowerPoint, charts, diagrams, photographs, and cartoons.
• Advantages include that information can be presented in an appealing way that stimulate's people to pay attention and can make the written message clearer when accompanied by appropriate diagrams etc.
• Disadvantages include there is no feedback, charts and graphs may be difficult to interpret so further forms of communication are required to check if the message is understood.

Internal and External Communication

• Planned communication among people inside the organization includes emails, memos, conference calls, reports, presentations, and executive blogs.
• Planned communication with people external to the organization could be letters, instant messages, reports, speeches, news releases, advertising and websites.
• Casual communication with employees that don't follow the chain of command includes email, instant messaging, phone calls, face-to-face meetings and team blogs.
• Casual communication with outsiders includes emails, instant messaging, phone calls, face-to-face meetings and customer support blogs.

Barriers to Effective Communication

• Physical barriers include noise, physical separation, time, and distance.
• Language barriers include dialects, technical terminology, acronyms, semantic barriers, ambiguity, non-verbal communication, proxemics, kinesics, facial and eye behavior, and paralanguage.
• Socio-psychological barriers include status, gender differences, age differences, attitudes and values, cultural differences, and inference.