As I’ve written before, communication consists of at least two parties – a sender and a receiver, and many of us don’t consider the receiver when we craft our messages.

However, there’s another crucial aspect to think – the way the receiver likes to communicate. Using their preferred form of communication will often yield better responses, even if it does mean keeping a rough list somewhere so you don’t lose track! It will also speed up the execution of tasks and help you to be more productive, because you’ll get the answers you need sooner.

For example, I have one client who likes not just WhatsApp, but WhatsApp voice notes. Send her an email and you’ll wait a couple of days unless you alert her to the email’s presence – preferably via WhatsApp. Another client is spotty on email, doesn’t like any of the messenging apps, and responds best via phone call or old-fashioned SMS. Another likes to use Messenger, a fourth hates phone calls, and so on.

In the olden days, when I first started working, we had the option of making a phone call or sending a physical letter via snail mail. And then along came the exciting new technology of faxes!

Today, however, you’re faced with a plethora of choices, and each person has their preference. Taking note of that preference – which you’ll be able to tell by they way they choose to communicate with you – will get you a snappier response.

It’s all about understanding who you’re dealing with, so you can communicate in the most effective way possible. That’s how you’ll get things done.

Image from Pixabay