The success of any business depends on how effectively it communicates with its customers and potential customers. Communication takes many forms — from signs on your lawn to phone conversations. In every case, put yourself in your customer's place: Ask yourself what kind of information you need to receive, how best to receive it, and what will either encourage or discourage you from buying the goods and services.

For example, if you're a small tour operator, you should have a Web site that prospective clients can visit before they call you. You can describe each of the tours you offer and provide price listings and booking information — all of which can cut down on the time you need to spend on the phone with each client.

If you're a plumber, on the other hand, your communication issues might be that your customers need to reach you quickly in an emergency. Consider a pager or answering service so that your customer doesn't hear your sleep-blurred voice when you answer a late-night call, but they still get a call back from you right away.

Which communication method you use will depend partially on how important the information is. Important communications with legal implications should go by mail in all cases (particularly because you can request that the recipient sign for the mail, thus proving that they've received it). Daily back-and-forth communication that isn't sensitive or confidential can go by e-mail, while matters that need an immediate answer or that involve some delicate personal discussion, might be better done by phone.

The Written Word

Whether you're producing flyers, brochures, letters, or a Web site for your business, you need to make sure that they are well written. Remember — they may be the first impression that someone receives about you. If your written communications are misspelled, poorly worded, or confusing, your customers will get the impression that your work could also be substandard, even if you're a carpenter and your work has nothing to do with the written word.

If writing isn't your strength, you have two options: Learn tips and techniques to improve it or hire a professional to either write the material to your specifications or edit the material that you've written. Community colleges and other continuing education programs offer plenty of business writing courses that will give you a head start, and computer word processing software can also help (through templates and spelling/grammar checks). To find writers, check with local writers' associations or with other business people for recommendations.

E-Mail

E-mail may well be the most frequently used method of correspondence for your business, and although it's seen as informal, you shouldn't treat it that way. Instead, give it the same weight and importance that you would a formal letter. Use a greeting and a signature line (so that people know who is contacting them) and ensure that you include your contact information below the name in your signature line. Also ensure that you spell-check the e-mail before you send it.

Although you can find plenty of fancy graphics to use in e-mails, resist the temptation: these may not display effectively on all computers, so it's best to stick with a clean, easy-to-read, text-based message. And never send pictures or other attachments with your e-mail unless the recipient is expecting them: Many attachments these days include viruses, so people may delete the e-mails unread if they arrive with attachments.

Speaking of virus protection, ensure that yours is always on and up-to-date. If you end up with a virus on your computer because you've opened the wrong e-mail attachment, it may take you days to have the system fixed. Even worse, you could inadvertently send it to everyone on your address list — not the best way to impress your clients.

If you're using e-mail regularly for business, you should be checking it regularly: at least two to three times daily. People tend to expect virtually instantaneous responses to e-mail. While this might be unreasonable, you should be responding as quickly as possible — at least within twenty-four hours — particularly to inquiries about your products or services.

Phone

One of the quickest ways to be taken seriously as a business is to develop a phone manner in keeping with the nature of your business. Try to answer the phone in a way that will immediately let the caller know that they've reached the correct number. It's fine to shorten the name of your business if it's a long one, but potential customers should never have to ask if they've called the right place. Adding a simple “May I help you?” in a friendly, confident tone invites the customer to tell you what they need.

To help cultivate a telephone voice that will foster good customer relations, ask a friend to give you feedback about your phone voice. Have the friend make a typical customer call — perhaps at an unexpected time — and ask you typical questions. Ask the friend to tell you about your phone voice. Is it friendly? Do you sound pleased to hear from the caller? Do you sound as if you're welcoming their business? Do you speak clearly?

These may seem like obvious elements of a good phone manner, but experience with businesses of all sizes shows that all too often, these elements are lacking. In fact, if you're having rough day, or you're in the middle of a project, it might be better to let the phone go to voice mail (and, of course, reply to it as soon as possible) rather than picking it up brusquely — as you might if you were committing one of the following phone faux pas.

The Surly Busy Bee

Overstressed and busy with something else, the owner answers the phone with a one-word “Yeah?” — as if to say to the caller, “This had better be worth my time, pal, ‘cause I've got bigger fish to fry.” When the caller hangs up in disgust, this owner may have just lost a huge contract.

The Mumbler

Not completely comfortable talking to others, the proprietor answers with an unintelligible “Heluh, this mmph…henrimph, can im oss grmpp?” forcing the caller to ask, “Is this Henry's Upholstery?” If you're going to have a phone, don't make the customer work hard to use it. Speak clearly. This goes for any of your employees too.

The Shouter

After an initial greeting, the owner says, “Hold on, would you?” and then shouts to coworkers or kids or barking dogs, “Hey, keep it down there! I'm on the phone, for crying out loud!” The customer, eardrum now ringing, is embarrassed for the owner and loses confidence in him as a businessperson.

Your voice communicates a lot more information than simply the words that you use, even over the phone — it also says a lot about your mood. Try saying the same sentence twice, once while frowning and once while smiling. Hear the difference? So will your customers.

The Challenge

Often practiced by auto parts counter help and other “technical” business owners. Every phone call or approaching customer is viewed as an opportunity to show off how much more they know about the product. If you're in the know, the service is fine. But woe to the customer who doesn't yet understand the intricacies of the product. Humiliation is the only way out. Don't make your customer pay homage to your superior knowledge just to get courteous service.

The Cynic

“We can't fix that, nobody can fix that. Within two weeks, are you kidding? Can't be done. You're wasting my time.” Yes, sometimes customers ask for what seems to be the impossible, but remember that you're trying to develop a relationship with people who need your product or service. Look at this as an opportunity to talk the customer into something more realistic. “Well, my schedule is busy within that time frame — what if I were able to get it to you by Friday the nineteenth?” Be helpful, and your customer will respond positively.

The Invisible Man

A frequent technique of various contractors. They're out on the job all day, don't get back until it's too late to return phone calls and somehow forget to call back. During boom times, they have enough business to get away with this, but it's bad policy for the long term. Even if you're too busy to take more business, make a point of calling back prospective customers and letting each of them know you appreciate his call and would love his business at another time. Help him out with the name of a colleague if you can. This simple courtesy will keep you going even when economic times are tough.

The Chatty Cathy

You wonder how they ever make any profit, since they spend all day talking. There's nothing wrong with taking an interest in a customer and making polite small talk — you'll even make some great friends from your customers this way — but bring it back to business in a timely fashion and wrap up the conversation so that you can get back to work…which is ultimately what the customer wants, too.

In Person

Even if you're not a retail operation, you'll need to meet with customers, vendors, and other people occasionally. Remember that as the business owner, you are the image of your business. Presenting yourself in a professional manner — matching your clothes to the business, and ensuring that you're well groomed — helps you to build other people's trust in you and the business. This applies even to businesses such as landscape design or contractors. Sure, you're going to get dirty during the course of the day, but at least start out with a clean T-shirt that has your business name and logo on it, and you'll send a much better message than if you show up in a ripped T-shirt that needs washing. When you meet with customers, try to project confidence and self-assurance. If customers sense that you know what you're doing, they'll have more confidence in you and will feel better about spending their money with you. Look the customer in the eye and smile. Use a firm handshake and be personable.