The Dreaded Question About Email
The goal with email is to …Respond to those who need responses…
Phone, voicemail, text, email, social messages, coffee dates, connect meetings, strategy sessions. It’s all about communication. We all want to communicate, and to communicate well. We want to be seen as someone who can be relied upon in our business.
How many of you have called someone and they didn’t answer?
Left a message and they did call back?
Emailed, didn’t get a response?
Texted and didn’t even get a smiley face?
This is irritating, especially if this is from someone you are doing or trying to do business with.
Now here is the harder question. Answer this secretly in your head.
Have you ever… not replied to an email… Why?
Sometimes our reasons are very reasonable. Sometimes the email does not actually get to us. Technology glitches and sometimes there is nothing we can do about it and it is NOT our fault. So let’s focus on what we ARE responsible for.
Sometimes our reasons are less than reasonable, sometimes we just can’t get to it, or our important emails get lost under the less important emails and newsletters and sale notices and other such nonsense. Unfortunately, when this happens we lose business and fantastic opportunities.
For me, reliability trumps almost everything. I really appreciate when a professional takes the time to follow up with me. I feel like that person has it together and will take good care of me.
I will choose to work with them over someone who comes highly rated but doesn’t get back to me if I have tried to contact them.
Here is your challenge. It is a harder one, so grab a comforting beverage, take a breath and let’s dig in.
Do you have it together when it comes to responding to email? Here is the test.
1. How often do you look through your inbox and find an email you don’t remember receiving? (and it was even marked as “read”)
2. How often do people tell you that they sent you an email and you didn’t receive it? (This question fills me with dread.)
3. How often do you find buried deep in your email list?
4. Do you ever use your “full email inbox” as an excuse to not respond to people?
Now take a moment. How much business do you think you have lost because of this?
It is a problem. And it is a solvable problem.
Here is the truth.
YOU are brilliant! YOU are better than this email inbox, and YOU have the power to change it, and the obligation to show the world the amazing things you can offer. Don’t let IT stand in your way.
