Connecting With Your Customer: Speaking Their Language

Have you ever seen a college professor give a lecture? Some of them are riveting, but many others turn out to be dry and boring. The professor is probably highly qualified. They wouldn’t be lecturing otherwise. They’re probably passionate about the subject matter, too. Yet despite your best intentions, you end up tuning them out. A chance to gain knowledge from an expert in his or her field turns into an exercise in trying to stay awake. 

Why? Maybe it’s not the message, but how it’s being delivered. Business is ultimately about communication and how effectively you communicate will go a long way in determining how effective your business is. The most basic communication model looks like this:

Sender > Medium > Receiver

That communication model also clearly states that it is always the duty of the sender to make sure their message is being understood. That task is a lot easier when you speak the listener’s language. So how do you do that? In the last part of our series on connecting with your customer, we’ll look at how to keep them coming back for more.

Drop the technical jargon. You may know the industry acronyms and key buzz words inside and out, but chances are your audience doesn’t. If they had your technical expertise then they wouldn’t need you to solve their problem for them. The more your speech or email goes over their heads, the less certain they become that you’re the one to help them. They can’t relate to you, so they tune you out. 

Watch your pronouns. Yes, the heart of your message is that you’re the one to help them with their problems, but it’s about them, not about how brilliant you are. Instead of using words like “I, me or mine’ try using words like “you and your.’ You want to convince your audience that you care about them and that you’re here to help, not stroke your own ego.

Be conversational. When we’re writing something, we have a tendency to think it has to be formal. That may be true if you’re addressing royalty, but for most other types of communication, the less stuffy you can be, the better. Instead of being stiff and wordy, try to be as relaxed and casual as your medium will allow you to be. Speak to the audience the way you would a friend.

Take the time to listen. Some people call it ‘knowing your audience’ or ‘reading the room’, but it amounts to the same thing. Pay attention to how your audience speaks to each other. What images and metaphors do they use to get their points across? What words turn them off, and what words stir them to action? You want to communicate in terms your audience can relate to. The more you can find in common with them, the more they’ll respond to your message. 

Speaking to your customers doesn’t have to be a chore. Learn to speak their language and never worry about putting them to sleep again.