Effective E-mail And Texting Communication
Effective E-mail And Texting Communication
Since the birth of e-mail, at least in the widespread, commonly used form we see today, users have been grappling with the question of how to most effectively utilize it. Stories of e-mails being misunderstood, or causing embarrassment through unnecessary forwarding, or other horrific scenarios are numerous. And with the newer offshoots of e-mail, such as texting and Skyping, etc, the problems often remain.
But since these new forms of communication are here to stay, it is time to once again go back to the basics, and figure out exactly what makes for effective internet communication, be it through good old fashioned e-mail or one of the newer avenues.
Of course the problem comes any time you remove the physical from any form of communication. You can't look into the other person's eyes, read their body language, and determine if something is being said in jest or in all seriousness. A crucial element of the communication process is now gone. As a result, something that is said out of mild sarcasm could be received on the other end as a stinging blow.
When it comes to e-mail communication, remember the following four points:
Keep It Simple: E-mail messages should be kept short and to the point. The longer you ramble, the greater is the likelihood that something is going to be misconstrued or misinterpreted.
Proofread.Several Times: Nothing grinds my gears worse than catching something I screwed up right as I hit the send button, sending that mistake forever into cyberspace. And if the e-mail message is on a touchy or controversial or hot button subject, you should not only proofread but have someone else come in and look at it as well. Get an idea of how it will be received by the recipient. Of course, if the subject matter is really that touchy, perhaps a phone call or face to face meeting would be in order.
Give It 24 Hours. If you aren't sure if you should send this message, put it on ice for a day. Come back to it and see if it still strikes you as something that has to be said. Many times it will either a) not be as important to you, or b) you will find a better way to say something that may have been written in the heat of the moment.
Actually Talk. Nothing can replace the effectiveness of good old face to face communication. As said earlier, if something is that important, then perhaps a one-on-one sit down conversation is in order.
With the advent of texting, much of the delay involved with e-mail was eliminated. Granted, e-mail was delivered instantly, but it still required someone to log into their account and read it, resulting in delays of hours or even days (much like regular mail). With texting, that is no longer an issue. I receive texts from my kids during the course of a school day, making me wonder exactly what is going on in class!
Texting has its own problems, chief among them the butchering of the English language in favor of cute abbreviations and lazy spelling. Kids and teens who are growing up in the texting society are going to have a very hard time communicating effectively. When you text, take the time to write out everything just as if you were composing a letter, making sure that all spelling and grammar are correct. It is far easier to read and your grammar skills won't suffer as a result.
Texting makes for instant gratification with little in the way of complete thoughts or context. This is one of the main reasons why texting and e-mails can be ineffectual. Again, if it is something that requires considerable conversation or exchange, opt for the personal one on one meeting instead of a cold impersonal text.
Texting has also become a driving hazard, with more and more people believing that they can in fact text and drive. Texting, even the shortest message, takes your eyes off the road for longer than they should be. Texting related car accidents have become so common that many states now have laws prohibiting such action.
Skype is the newest internet craze, offering both voice and video calling. In the right hands, this could be a good thing; the benefits are numerous. In the wrong hands, or irresponsible hands, Skype can become a source of harassment, embarrassment, and concern. This author discovered a Skype conversation between my daughter and a boyfriend, which helped me ward off some trouble before it began.
Internet communication is fine, it has its place. But it should never take the place of genuine human interaction, and it should certainly never be the cause of additional "dumbing down" in our society.
Commit yourself to making the most effective and efficient use of these wonderful tools. That being said..TAFN!
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