Most people in business don’t realize how important communication skills are to their success. But they actually impact your success in three ways. 1) Communication skills are vital to working efficiently and productively with partners and co-workers. 2) Communication skills are key to turning prospects into clients and growing your business. 3) Communication skills are at the heart of being able to satisfy your clients so they’ll hire you again and refer you to others to further boost your business.

Here are seven ways to dial up those communication skills.

Never forget the overall goal.

Instead of thinking about what you want to say, consider what you want the other person to hear. That actually is the goal of any communication!

Actively listen

It’s important to know what the other person needs, be they prospects, clients, or co-workers. That means you have to actively listen to them. Instead of speeding the conversation along based on assumptions which may not be true, slow down. Listen closely to what the other person is saying, repeat back what you’ve heard to make sure you’re both on the same page, and then respond.

Don’t beat around the bush

Whether you’re making a proposal or just throwing out an idea, always speak confidently and decisively. Be sure you’re making the most of the opportunity.

Listen to what isn’t being said

A lot can be left out of conversations for a host of reasons. People frequently feel you don’t have to know something. Sometimes they think that if they tell you something, it will make them look bad. Often, people just forget details. Go over in your mind whether people have told you all you need to know. If they haven’t, tactfully ask about the things they may have left out.

Improve your powers of persuasion

Being persuasive is being able to influence others to do what’s in their best interest—and yours! Persuasive people aren’t pushy—they’re masters at coming up with “win-win” situations. Here’s more on persuasion, including a short video.

Fine tune your emotional intelligence

This is popularly called your EQ and it’s simply your ability to know and be able to manage your own feelings as well as the emotions of others. To communicate well, you need to stay in control of your emotions and accurately gauge what others are feeling. Some additional benefits of raising your EQ include relieving stress, resolving conflicts, and overcoming challenges. Here are more tips on how to improve your EQ.

Don’t let rejection get you down

An important communication skill to develop is your response when things don’t exactly go your way. When what you’re proposing isn’t bought by other people, don’t take it personally. Keep things positive. Thank them for listening. Most of all, take some time to consider what you’ve learned from this rejection. You’ll wind up getting fewer of them in the future.