Internal and External Communication

Suppose you are working in an organization. Your boss asks you to suggest some ideas regarding a project. How will you do so? You can communicate your ideas, thoughts, beliefs to your boss. How do you want it to be? Also, suppose you went to another firm to pitch for your company.

How will you communicate there? Is the way of expressing your ideas the same in both situations? Is your way of talking to your friend and your boss the same? No!. In this section, we are going to make ourselves familiar with different types of communication.

Here we will learn the terms external and internal communication.

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Internal Communication

Internal communication is the transmission of information within an organization. Internal communication is a lifeline of a business. It occurs between an employer and an employee.

It is communication among employees. Internal communication is the sharing of the information, knowledge, ideas, and beliefs between the members of the company.

Internal communication can be formal or informal. It depends upon the persons to which we are communicating. We use informal or not so formal language with our colleagues. The language used while communicating the head of the company is formal.

Browse more Topics under Intro To Business Communication

• Concept and Features of Communication
• Importance of Communication
• Requirements for Effective Written Communication
• Effective Oral Communication
• Telephone Etiquette
• Visual Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Principles of Business Communication
• Guidelines to effective Business Communication
• Johari Window
• Barriers to Communication

Effective Internal Communication

Effective internal communication must have the following.

• The open and clear reason for communication.
• Understanding the need of the audience.
• Consistent and regular communication.
• Clear, jargon-free, to the point, and brief language.
• Two-way communication.
• Good use of vocabulary.

Importance of Internal Communication

One can easily find the importance of internal communication. some of them are

• It increases productivity.
• Effective and responsive customer service.
• Easy attainment of goals.
• Reduce day-to-day conflict between team members.
• Enable fast response.
• Enable fast decision making.
• Helps in motivating the employees.

 Common Internal Communication

• Group meetings.
• Company blogs.
• Employee training within an organization.
• Personal meetings.
• Telephonic conversation between employees.
• Inquiry of employee.
• E-mails within an organization.
• Staff communication.
• Company newsletter.

External Communication

External communication is the transmission of information between two organizations. It also occurs between a business and another person in the exterior to the company.

These persons can be clients, dealers, customers, government officials or authorities etc. A customer’s feedback is also external communication. An organization invests a lot of time and money to improve their image through external communication.

Effective External Communication

One can easily find the importance of external communication. Some of them are

• Clear ideas, thoughts, and statement or the reason for communication.
• It must be two-way communication.
• Clear, error-free, formal, jargon-free, and easy language.
• Understanding the need of the audience.
• Proper choice of words for communication.

Importance of External Communication

• It presents a favorable image of an organization.
• It provides information about products and services to customers.
• Advertise the organization.
• Promote an organization
• Reduces the risks of mistakes.

Common External Communication

• Advertisement of an organization.
• Response to a customer.
• Press conference.
• Annual reports and letters.
• Print media.
• Face to face meeting of two organization heads.
• Tender documents.
• Brochures.
• Feedbacks.
• Questionnaire.

Solved Example on Internal and External Communication

Problem: Which communication is known as ‘Employee Communication’?

Solution: Communication between employees of an organization is an ‘Employee Communication’. Internal communication is the ‘Employee Communication’.