I hope you find my writing and business tips and observations useful. My business and blog are dedicated to helping businesses communicate clearly and reach their potential.
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Communicating with suppliers
In a business context, most people think of clear communications in terms of their customers. But it is also important to communicate well with your suppliers.
For instance, someone I know recently ended a project because his client gave him insufficient and contradictory information. This client had prepared a brief but work done to match that brief was rejected!
Obviously communication is a two-way thing but if you make your needs straight forward it is more likely a supplier will give you what you want.
1. specify anything mandatory – e.g the logo must always be on a white background or the newsletter must be ready by the 1st of each month
2. explain your ideas – a rough sketch is ok as long as it is labelled
3. avoid jargon unless you are sure the supplier understands it the same way you do – that includes using their jargon if you aren’t sure of it yourself!
4. write or talk as if they are a customer – clearly, concisely and politely.
Have you had client projects where poor communications made the project a dreaded chore instead of challenging and interesting?
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