Have you ever felt that your message fell on deaf ears? You send an email, leave a voice mail, text someone or even have a face to face conversation and you feel like there is no one listening? It happens more often than we would like to admit because we live in a world of constant distraction and it is hard to stand out from the crowd.
How do you know if your message is being heard? Here are a few ways to keep you messages to a minimum and still get the attention of the person you want to reach:
• Emails: Keep them short and sweet – when sending an email message, make sure the subject line is direct, to the point and attention getting enough for your email to be read. Then keep your message brief, interesting and NOT a sales pitch. Put yourself in the position of the reader of the message and ask yourself if you would find it interesting enough to read. Guy Kawasaki, in his book Enchantment, suggests that we keep our emails to no more than 6 sentences. I have also heard of people who try to keep it so the whole email can be read in the window of a blackberry without having to scroll. Good advice.
• Voicemails: Keep your voicemail to no more than 15 to 30 seconds and speak clearly. Make your message compelling enough so that your call will be returned. Keep your voice upbeat, be specific and make sure to leave your phone number so your call can be returned.
• Text messages: Short and sweet is the secret. Use them with those that you know are texters and be sure to get to the point fast. Watch out for typos and put yourself in the position of the person receiving the text – would your text be welcomed or deleted?
• Live conversation: Watch for body language, wandering eyes and fidgeting. Keep your conversations lively, interactive and make them dialogues, not monologues. If you feel you are not being heard, you probably aren’t. Be aware of personal space and watch your topics. Remember that you rarely get a second chance to make a good first impression so make your conversation count.
In the world of social media, smart phones, emails and more, it is hard to really get someone’s attention. If you have something to say that you want heard, remember that less is more and creativity counts. Next time you leave someone a voice mail message or even create your outgoing message, keep it short and sweet. Treat other’s people’s time like the valuable resource it is and you will be heard. And now that I have your attention, if you found this article or any that I have written of interest, drop me an email and let me know. Thanks for your attention. Until next week, remember you are two minutes and two people away from your next referral.
Rhonda L Sher: The Sloganator Rhonda L Sher was born talking. She fell in love with words as a child and has never stopped communicating since. Her father once commented that she was vaccinated with a phonograph needle. Not only has Rhonda inherited her father's humor, but it's that quick wit that has become the signature that has helped propel her clients to stardom.Acclaimed Keynote and workshop leader, Rhonda has authored two books, "The 2 Minute Networker" and "The ABC's of LinkedIn," "Get LinkedIn or Get Left Out" as well as numerous action guides, articles, workbooks, jingles and corporate slogans.
In addition to writing, Rhonda uses her gift of gab as a featured keynote speaker, consultant and corporate trainer throughout North America. She has successfully taught hundreds of business men and women on the art of business networking and written hundreds of elevator pitches and slogans.Rhonda's greatest talent lies in her ability to create fabulously catchy slogans that are memorable, upbeat, easy to repeat and create instant brand identification. In addition to the books, audio and video, Rhonda creates slogans and taglines for her clients which are memorable, bring them business and make them, money. She works with you to create a corporate slogan for your business that sets you apart from your competition. Her creativity and energy will tap into your customer's mind and have your phone ringing off the hook with new business.
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