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One of the most important skills to possess as a professional is the ability to communicate effectively.

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You have to know what to say, how to say it, when and where to say it, and perhaps when it's best to say nothing at all.

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All communication is not the same, especially in a digital world.

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Speaking in person with someone is not the same as speaking to them over the phone or video chat,

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just as those are different from Emails and text messages.

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Deciding which medium to use depends upon the importance and scope of the message

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as well as the expectations and availability of everyone involved.

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You may be communicating with an internal client like colleagues or a manager or external contacts like clients and partners,

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but what you might say to a fellow designer or developer is not what you'd say to your client.

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So, be careful about what you include in a message or what you forward from an Email chain.

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Relationships with any external contact including contractors, sponsors, corporate partners, and more can be very fragile,

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so they should be handled with care.

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At some point, you might be asked to provide detail and explain your work or strategy,

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and what you provide could be the difference between getting a job or losing an opportunity,

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so it's got to be good.

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If you're relying on the written word, you must check for mistakes.

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Nothing can sink the impact of your message like an embarrassing typo.

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Effectively communicating also means translating what you know

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or what you're doing into a language that others can understand.

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Realize that not everyone has been trained as a designer or a developer

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and you've got expertise many of your clients and colleagues may never have.

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Keep in mind that when it comes to projects and proposals, people want to know that you understand what they want,

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that you can speak their language, and as a result, you'll be able to work together.

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Don't try to impress people with important sounding buzz words or concepts

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that are just too difficult for them to wrap their head around.

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Get to the point and help them understand how you can help them.

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Being professional also means projecting a serious tone.

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Everyone is different and has their own personality, and you want to let that shine through.

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There's no problem injecting some humor if it makes sense, but if you're pitching a potential client

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or introducing yourself to a higher up at your company, you want to make sure that you come off us a professional

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and someone that they'd be willing to talk to in the future.

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Positive or negative,

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their first impression of you might also affect their impression of your group, your boss, or your company as well,

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so while it might not be your intention, be a great representative for whatever group or company you're with.

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In addition, you can never be sure of who will ultimately see or read any messages you sent.

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Project proposals and messages may get forwarded along. Anything you post online could get seen by anyone.

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You can't guarantee that decisions like hiring you will be in the hands of the person that you expect.

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So, ensure that whatever you do send is professional, focused, and relevant, and ready to be seen by anyone.

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So, how does effective communication benefit you?

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Well, people will communicate with you if you know how to communicate with them.

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If you're seeking a job, asking for help, or pitching clients,

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you have less of a chance of hearing back unless you know what to say and how to say it.