Face-to-Face Communication

Last night was Philadelphia Public Relations Association's Careers 101. Attendees learned great tips from local professionals, won prizes, and had the opportunity to try our their networking skills. One tip that stuck with me from the panel discussion was the importance of being able to communicate well on an interview and on the job. I know that so much of my time in my classes is spent talking about being a social media guru and a great writer, but rarely do we talk about the importance of face-to-face communication.

The following are some tips from Ragan.com (one of my favorite websites to read) about face-to-face communication:

-"Start small. If your organization is new at using face-to-face, don’t jump into the deep end. Start with informal opportunities such as walkarounds or small-group dialogues."
-"Ease into it. Especially in an organization that has never offered a face-to-face session, employees might be reluctant to ask questions. Give participants a chance to submit questions in writing before and during the meeting."
-"Provide training if necessary. One of the primary concerns business leaders have about face-to-face communication is that they feel inadequately skilled or prepared for it. Even the most seasoned executives can use a refresher on presentation skills and how to handle difficult questions."

*All information taken "7 ways to use face-to-face communication" on Ragan.com.

Do you have other tips for effective face-to-face communication? Let us know!