When it comes to professional engagements we can take our habits of personal communication and allow them to muddle the waters of a successful engagement. A place that I see this happen often is with the use of text messaging. There are a lot of tactics that we should focus on when using text as a means of communication, but before we do we should consider a couple alternatives to the message.
First and foremost, consider whether an email or a phone call would be a better alternative. Unwanted text messages come off as intrusive. Second, understand that like emails, there is no tone conveyed in text messaging. Cut off your attempts at humor or personal touches and commit to conveying a message that can be heard. Finally, proofread. Double check and triple check the message before you hit send to avoid autocorrect issues or substituted words and if you depend on voice-to-text applications, always proofread to ensure what you said is what your device heard.
Every tool will only serve its purpose if used for its purpose. Texting is not to get your needs met, it is a form of communication to supplement dialogue.
1. Unreasonably Long Messages
It’s exceptionally hard to answer a message that has four tiers of follow-through and involves multiple responses for an answer. When most individuals get a long text message they simply put it to the side. When it comes to texting the form was made for cohesion and clarity. Messages written in text should be concise and direct. A common frustration from long messages is, depending on the carrier, the fact that they are broken up into multiple texts with no clear beginning, middle, or end. A text message’s aim is to communicate information, it is not the place to overload information and create misunderstandings.
2. Capitalization and Acronyms
Punctuation is a useful tool to effectively clarify emphasis; it brings meaning to the void that language can become without it. Language functions best when it follows a cultural etiquette. The most important rule to remember when it comes to formal communication is avoid unnecessary capitalization of words. THIS sounds like yelling. This is a word that references something else. Along with avoiding yelling at people over texts, you should avoid unnecessary or unknown acronyms. Communicating well includes speaking plainly for individuals to be understood. As much as acronyms are, and can be, FOFY, you should know forcing people to Find Out For Yourself will often leave them not putting the effort to find out and instead feeling left out.
3. Receiving Bad News
Nothing is worse than receiving a text message which replaces personal interactions and includes bad news. If there is something that needs to be addressed in business or if a catastrophic event took place, a text message is the wrong way to deal with the issue. The person receiving the text may be available, if you are not and they start to respond, you’ve built a trap for yourself. Unless your aim is to burn a bridge, you should actively avoid giving bad information over texts. It leaves no room for response and a lot of room for reaction. We sabotage relationships by triggering reactions which focus on the realm outside of business.
4. After Hour Messaging
First, there are two main times you want to avoid texting: while driving, and while drinking. While you may find yourself lapse into a conversational mastermind after a cocktail or two, it can sometimes occur over the course of the next day that you discover the negative consequences of screenshots and oversharing. Second, receiving a business-related communication over text after-hours can suggest there is an emergency. This happens because when people receive an after-hours text message, they assume there is an emergency. Otherwise, why else would they receive a text message after hours?
5. Being Involved in a Group Message
Sometimes it is important to have a group message to communicate quickly and efficiently information that is top of mind and high priority. However, do not overindulge the group message or inundate it with responses. While Guy may enjoy the commentary going on and play off the hilarious comments Steve is making, there are still four other people who are deluged in the misery of being a hostage. Do not assume individuals enjoy group communication—use group communication for what is necessary.
6. Follow-up
Because text messages can be received immediate, their use as a means to follow-up should not be the immediate choice. If you’ve left a voice mail with a client or prospect, there’s no need to text them with the same information. Don’t overwhelm people while trying to remain in touch. There is a difference between four communications over a week and four communications over a day. Vary the medium and allow your patience to maintain the flow. If there is an emergency, texting is not the avenue to go, and if you need to ensure follow-up takes place then it is important to begin with an e-mail.
7. Anonymity
This may be a given, but when you are texting someone who does not have your phone number saved in their phone, you should include an introduction before your information. Some version of “Hi, this is Jim with Sandler Training,” allows whatever you texted about to be responded to, rather than forcing out the natural response which would be some variation of, “Who is this?” Remember: if our focus is to communicate and be communicated with then it is important to smooth out the edges and remove the unnecessary pieces that will prompt a response before we can get an answer.
8. No Last Minute Changes
Just as we don’t want to receive bad news over a text message, we don’t want to receive last-minute changes of plans over a text as well. If a change occurs in the plan, then contact the individuals who are involved with a phone call and verify their understanding and comprehension. There is nothing that matches the righteous anger that manifests upon arrival at a meeting to notice a text that includes the change of location. To avoid causing scenarios such as this to occur we should do our best to be on top of potentialities and we must verify information with the participants we engage with in order to confirm comprehension.
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