What is the Best Method of Communicating?

Communicating the way our people prefer means we must become fluent in THEIR preferred method, not just our favorite.

In person, over the phone, or over video chat; these are immediate forms of communication and are really the best way to make sure we are connecting with our people and that they understand us. The back and forth is quick and clear and fun, but sometimes “less ideal” communication is unfortunately needed to first get that person into the conversation.

Back in the day people sent handwritten written letters to coordinate getting together. Aren’t you glad we have so many better choices these days?

As professionals, our goal is to have real conversations with real people. Which means we need to be able to connect with them in a way that they will respond so we can schedule our real conversation.

Let’s break down our options and see the pros and cons with each. It is a good idea to think through how you deal with each of these in your business. Both as the sender and the receiver.

Voicemail

Pro –

Voicemail is nice because it is unobtrusive and you can check it when you want.
It is also nice because you can start with the goal of a live conversation and if that doesn’t work out voicemail is an automatic backup option.
Another thing you can do with voicemail is to set the expectation with those who call you and let them know what your preferred method of communication is. Personally, I have set my voicemail message to let people know that they will get a faster response if they text me.

Con –

Not everyone has their voicemail set up and not everyone checks their voicemail. This is becoming more and more common, but voicemail is not dead yet.

Recommendation –

Make sure your voicemail is set up and available for people to leave a message or let them know that you don’t check it. It is extremely frustrating for potential clients to get the “the voicemail inbox is full” message. Wouldn’t you rather get a message that says “how” you should communicate with them?
Also when you do get to a voicemail, leave a message, don’t just hang up.

Here is a handy worksheet to help you set standards and establish a professional greeting for your voicemail.

Texting

Pro –

Texting is quick and mostly unobtrusive. Most people have it and know the basics of how to use it. Also, texting is a really quick and easy way to communicate.

Con –

You can’t really organize texts very well so it is not a good place to save the important information received in the communication. Texts can get lost or missed. And because texts should be short and to the point they can be interpreted as brusque or terse.

Recommendation –

Take advantage of the efficiency of texting, but if a text session starts to turn into an actual conversation it is a good idea to call.
And know that even if a text sounds mean or abrupt to you, it is rarely meant that way. Give your people grace.

Email

Pro –

Email is unobtrusive and most people have it and know the basics of using it. It can also be organized in a way that makes it easy to reference past communications.
Email is part of the 3 big universal methods of communication for people, which include mailing address, phone number, and email address.

Con –

While most people have an email account, not everyone checks it or has it organized in a manner that makes it easy to use. Email can get lost. Keeping your email clear of spam and advertising can be a challenge to many. * NOTE: I love helping out with this!

Recommendation –

Get clear with your email. Email is an excellent way for you to communicate detailed information that you and your people can refer to later. It is also a great way to follow up on a verbal conversation so everyone remembers what was discussed.

Social Messages

Pro –

Social messages are fun! They are quick and easy and because the whole purpose of social platforms is to connect people it is a friendly way to start a conversation.

Con –

Because there are so many to choose from it is hard to tell who is on what social platform. My favorite may not be your favorite, and it is difficult to keep track of them all.

Recommendation –

Find the social outlets that your people connect with and be diligent in checking them. Get social with people, but don’t spread yourself too thin.

Mailed Letters, Cards and Documents

Pro –

We love getting “real” things in the mail, it’s quaint. You can also have physical mail certified to make sure they get it.

Con –

Physical mail takes time to be delivered and it can get expensive.

Recommendation –

Use it when necessary and to go above and beyond for your people with birthday cards and thank you notes.

***

These forms of communication all have their purposes and you are likely to have your favorites. My favorite is email, this probably does not surprise you ;).

I also know that my ideal client often HATES dealing with email, so I communicate via text, FB Messenger and voicemail as well. I need to improve my diligence with Linked In.

Give yourself a moment to think about what systems your people prefer and get proficient, but don’t neglect the rest.

For those of you who want help in organizing your email system so you can use it more effectively in your communication I would love to chat with you.

Nicole Lux-Ritchie - Founder of Luxcentric

Nicole's mission is to help feminine professionals gain the technical
skills they need to grow their business and focus on their missions.
The focus of Luxcentric is on training practical strategies in the area of the core technologies.
EMAIL - FILES - CALENDARS - CONTACTS

For those of you who find this information useful and would like to contribute to the cause (and keep it ad free)...

---