Although texting is easy, it’s easy to send the wrong message, have your message and intent lost in translation and annoy clients, lose relationships.
We’ve all been there.
So here are a few tips on how to make the device that is glued to us … a good business partner for our professional success.
Introduce Yourself
Do not turn this into a Guess Who game. The Receiver…especially a potential client, shouldn’t need to become a detective to figure out who is sending the text message; how you got the number and why are they hunted! down.
Odds are, they don’t have your contact info saved in their contact list. So when that first text is sent, be sure to introduce yourself, mention where you got the number from, state the clear purpose of your message to clarify. People always respond better to being treated like human beings not like a pile of bought marketing dummies.
Timing is important
Just because it is a text, doesn’t mean it can be sent at any time of the day and night. Eventually as a sequel of short texts, images, special offers…
Limit texting to work hours. You wouldn’t call a client with a great idea right before you climbed into bed for the evening, so don’t text them at that hour either.
Sending a text after-hours signals urgency.
Instead of sending texts at odd hours, you can compose messages and schedule them to be sent when recipients are most likely to respond.
Proper Greetings
Ideally, whenever possible, always use their name when greeting. Personalize your text messages to feel human and conversational
Use: Good morning/afternoon …
Use: Hello…
Don’t Use: Hey
Avoid Confidential Topics over Text
Avoid sending and receiving confidential information over text. Avoid sending bad news over text. Avoid gossiping over text. Avoid making false statements over text. Avoid insulting/ swearing.
Nothing is confidential once it is online and on someone else’s phone in a very screen-shareable format.
Proofread
We live in a world of multitasking. But it’s important to focus when you’re sending a text to a business colleague/partner/ client.
Also, autocorrect changes are not always correct and are known to pop up like the Gringe of all text communications ruining our messages.
Be clear
Before you send a text, ask yourself why you are sending the message. What is the goal of the text and what do you want from the recipient? For example, if you want a client to confirm an upcoming appointment, clearly state how they should do that. It might seem like common sense, but it’s important to be as clear as possible every time.
Be concise and avoid pressing send on a sequel of short messages to relay your one message.
Hope these tips will be helpful.
Always be kind.
~ Godspeed.
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