[su_dropcap style=”flat”]A[/su_dropcap]S I HAVE SAID many times, everyone and everything is our teacher. We learn just as much from those who do things wrong, as those that do things right. I was reminded of this today when I received an email from an unknown contact. The email did not have my name on, yet the content was implying that I knew this person and therefore I should do them this favor they were asking. It was a bulk email where someone was basically playing the “numbers” of sending this message out to everyone they have emails for, hoping that some of them would stick and would follow through on what the sender was asking.
As I was deleting it, I decided to share the message with you so that we can learn distinctions from this poor example of what NOT to do, and turn it around into something more productive.
Stop sending unaddressed emails – Most of us get hundreds of emails a day. No one wants to receive something they didn’t request, and to feel like they have been put on a mailing list without their approval. The same holds true with phone calls…I keep getting solicitation calls on my UNLISTED phone number. If people have not opted in to your “list” do not contact them.
[message type=”custom” width=”100%” start_color=”#F0F0F0 ” end_color=”#F0F0F0 ” border=”#BBBBBB” color=”#333333″] Stop asking favors of people you haven’t even addressed properly. When you don’t take the time to use: “Hi _____” or “Dear ______”, but simply jump into your offer, you are going to put people off! Asking someone a favor is poor business practice if you don’t even know them or have some sort of relationship with them! Read my book, give me a review, fund my whatever….just stop it! There is a right way and a wrong way to go about this.[/message]
Don’t add people to your groups on social media without their consent. FB is particularly bad for this. People keep adding me to groups and then I get bombarded with their updates in my newsfeed, when I have no interest in the group in the first place. A better approach is to send them an invite to your group and let them make the choice for themselves. If it’s interesting to them, they will join.
When you are sending private emails or placing calls directly to someone you have never spoken to, you are invading their privacy and starting your relationship out on a bad note. There is a right way to do this. I receive other messages from people that I have never met that reach out and say they came across my website, my social media profile, my article, etc., and resonate. They say they would like to set up a time to speak and tell me what they want to discuss. That’s wonderful….I am happy to have these type of emails and set up conversations. They have taken a personal, direct approach. They have taken the time to put together a personal message. This builds trust and credibility.
Let’s communicate about this….what forms of communication tend to put you off and what do you suggest is a better way?
