Communications Resolutions for 2015

Happy New Year! Welcome to Tricks of the Trade – a quick source for tips and tools to make your professional communications smarter and boost your bottom line.

It is that time of the year where we organize, prioritize and strategize. It is the season for Resolutions.

Regardless of whether we are communicating with our coworkers, bosses, suppliers, clients or customers – taking advantage of every connection can pay off with big dividends. Consider these Communications Resolutions in your New Year’s planning.

Be Strategic. Without a clear roadmap of where you want to go and measurable milestones along the way, you can put in extra hours and effort to your projects and wonder why there is so little payoff. A smart plan will ELEVATE your work to the next level. Your time and money are investments – make sure you are spending both deliberately.

Be Transparent. Instead of hoarding information – use it to EMPOWER those around you. Openness and honesty builds trust and invites others to treat you in the same manner. Live your values and develop a corporate culture that inspires and motivates.

Be open to mixing up the medium. Use the appropriate medium to communicate your messages and remember that everyone has different preferences for consuming information. Use in-person, print, electronic and social media platforms to reach and ENGAGE your various audiences.

Be Thankful. Showing gratitude and recognizing the support that others give us is meaningful to them and strengthens relationships. Lead by example and ENCOURAGE those around you to celebrate each other’s successes. We don’t accomplish things alone and to build a great team – we need to spend time appreciating the contributions of others.

Wishing you great success in the coming year, Rebecca

Rebecca Wyhof is the President of Blue Roof Strategies, a boutique communications firm for companies and nonprofit organizations. For more about Blue Roof Strategies and to learn how they can help you achieve your goals in 2015, visit: www.blueroofstrategies.com.

To subscribe to Tricks of the Trade, email: rebecca@blueroofstrategies.com.