It’s amazing, but the fact is that a lot of businesses really do underestimate how much the tone of what they’re saying and doing matters – the fact is that what you say really is important, but how you say it is what makes people want to trust you and take you seriously. So how can you make your business sound more confident? Keep reading to find out.
Be Clear, Not Vague
If you’re uncertain about your business and what it and you can do, people are going to notice it because you’ll probably use quite vague language – you’ll say things like ‘we might’ or ‘we hope’ or ‘we trying’, and so on. But that’s just going to make your business sound unsure of itself, so you need to be clearer.
We’re not saying you’ve got to overpromise and say things you don’t mean, but it’s definitely going to help to be direct about what you do and what you can deliver.
Use Simple, Direct Language
People usually sound more confident when they’re using simple language because long sentences and confusing jargon can just mean the message gets lost or misunderstood, and then not only don’t you sound confident anymore, but customers or clients are going to lose confidence as well. Plus, it can make you seem untrustworthy, as though you’re deliberately trying to confuse people, even when you’re not.
If you want people to trust you, and if you want to come across as confident in what you do, just explain things simply and without any unnecessary complexity. In the end, shorter sentences and straightforward wording usually feels much more decisive.
Talk About Benefits
When you’re talking about your products or services, it’s best to focus on outcomes rather than features – we mean you should explain what people can expect and why that’s important, and that’s going to sound confident because it’s all about value.
For example, explaining how a benefit programme can help an employee save money or make their lives simpler is a lot better than just listing a load of technical details. So you might mention working with a provider like The Electric Car Scheme as part of the benefits you offer, and let them know what it would mean in terms of the team and the business.
Be Consistent Across Channels
You’ll be able to build your confidence a lot when you’ve got your message consistent on all the channels you’re using. What channels? We mean your website, social media, emails, and even the conversations you have with customers and clients – they’ve all got to reflect the same tone and values, otherwise you could end up with a problem.
That’s because if one channel sounds formal and another sounds casual, it’s going to get confusing, and customers might think you don’t really have confidence in the business because you can’t settle on how it should sound.
Final Thoughts
Sounding confident in business isn’t as hard as you might think, and since it’s vital, it’s worth getting it right before you go too far. Remember, you don’t have to know everything, and you don’t always have to get things right, but if you can get comfortable with your message and how you say it, you’ll go a long way.