Guide to External Business Communication

Have you noticed a shift in your market and industry over the last few decades? Those outside your company want to know more about you, your products, and your brand, and they have access to tools that can make this happen. However, if you aren’t using them to improve your communication with your audience, you may experience some customer acquisition and retention challenges. These are things you should know about your company’s external communications.

What Is External Business Communication?

Suppose you want to build strong relationships with those outside your company, including customers, vendors, investors, the media, and the general public. In that case, you need a strong external communications strategy. External business communication examples may include sharing sales information with your vendors so they can plan their inventory properly or explaining your sustainability plan with the media and your customers.

Types of External Communication in Business

Your company’s external communication will inform, educate, or entertain your audience. For example, you can let the general public know about company achievements, teach your customers how to use your products effectively, or provide some form of entertainment, such as fun videos or social media posts, that provide entertainment. The goal of your strategy should include encouraging two-way communication and engagement from external stakeholders.

Benefits of Business External Communication

External strategic communications keep the world informed about your business. You can use this type of communication to learn more about your target audience. As you increase your communication with those outside your business, you can expect the following:

• Increased brand identity, recognition, and loyalty

• An external network that supports you

• Strong relationships with key external stakeholders

• More effective customer service and marketing efforts

This type of communication is valuable because it leverages and shares information with those who can benefit your company. You may see internal changes, such as greater in-house and remote employee engagement and communication and a more positive work environment.

Common Challenges of External Communication in Business

Communicating externally can have its challenges, however. First, it takes time to communicate effectively with the outside world, and inconsistent communication can damage the process and your reputation. Also, you may not have the cultural or language knowledge to share information with all your external stakeholders.

Unclear messages may assume the audience already has critical information. Email overload may encourage potential customers to unsubscribe. Some customers may need the right tools to access all your content. Also, misunderstanding your audience can impact their reception of your communications. Finally, building trust takes effort and time.

Tools To Consider for Your Business

Technological advancements over the last few decades have given businesses like yours significant tools to promote open, transparent communication inside and outside your organization. Your strategy may include the following:

• Emails, advertising, social media, newsletters, presentations and blog posts to your clients

• Press releases, blog posts, white papers, and social media for the general public and media

• Live chats with your external stakeholder audience

• Video hosting for audience members

Your customer service strategy, services, and website play critical roles in your external communications process.

Best Practices

You must develop a plan aligning with your internal communications strategy and goals for effective external business communication. However, you should also get to know your target audience very well. Then, consider the following:

• Provide content that they find valuable and can relate to.

• Choose platforms or channels they use frequently.

• Listen to their feedback and respond with solutions or ideas

• Share your personality in your communications.

• Stay honest and open.

Remember that your communication should be consistent.

Although it takes time and effort, you can improve your communication with external stakeholders. Build a plan and research all the strategies you can use to experience all the benefits of a solid external communications strategy.