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Managing your Business Communication Black Hole

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Luanne Paynick

VoicePRO Business Communication Style

I’ve heard about the black hole in outer space. It is defined on Wikipedia as a mathematically defined region of space time exhibiting such a strong gravitational pull that no particle or electromagnetic radiation can escape from it. In other words, what goes in never comes out. It is lost forever.

I have decided that there is a technology black hole – related specifically to communication, and even more specifically to e-mails. Maybe you have experienced it. See if any of the following sound familiar:

  1. You receive an e-mail that specifically asks for support, assistance, or an answer to a question, etc. You, being the responsive and responsible person you are, answer the e-mail. Then you wait, wait, and wait some more for a response – a thank you, a clarification of the question, another question. But. You. Get. Nothing.
  2. You reach out to someone you have not heard from in a while, to touch base, catch up and possibly meet for coffee or lunch. You wait for a response. Days go by. You try again, because based on your past interactions with this person you feel that you have a connection or a friendship. Still, you get nothing.
  3. So, you put your shoulders back and your chin up and reach out again. Sometimes, you get a response. Many times you do not. Then, a week or two later (or possibly a month, maybe more) they reach out to you. It might be to answer your e-mail, or it may just be because they need something from you.

What might help you manage this black hole? Here are some suggestions.

Make your e-mail easy to read.

  • Use PREPO to write it.

 Make it easy for the person to reply.

  • Offer options for them to pick from.
  • Ask yes or no questions.

Provide deadlines.

  • Let them know when you need your response by.

 Be a good role model

  • When someone sends you an e-mail respond within 24 hours.
  • Respond, even if your response is . . . I need to think about it . . . I’ll get back to you . . . I’m not interested at the moment.

Image courtesy of pakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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