What Way Do People Communicate Best? Not everyone communicates the exact same way. Some people prefer physical gifts. Some prefer a wonderful experience that they can remember. Others are talkers and want someone to listen to them. Then you have those that actually like dialogue, a conversation where both people exchange ideas. One thing we know for sure is that no one likes to be ignored, not your significant other and not your client.
We also know that any kind of lasting communication should have an impact, in whatever way possible. You can easily send a gift to someone special or you can deliver it to them in person. As an example, let us use a simple card. I can send this to my wife or even a client via the united states postal service. I could also hand deliver it to them. Which one do you think will have more impact?
Even basic communication, which has nothing physical attached. Would you tell someone that has just experienced a horrible event such as the passing of a loved one that you sympathize with them, yet via text or would it be better to relay this message face to face?
With social media, I think we are moving further and further away from creating meaningful moments. If you took time out to pick out a special outfit for your daughter. Maybe you shopped online or in person and sent this gift to her, yet still, you made the time to do this and let us not forget that time is money. It doesn’t matter what the cost of the gift was, it’s the thought you put into showing her that you loved her.
She receives the gift and sends you a text “thanks for the gift”. How does that feel? Maybe you are a mom and you rush home from work every day to cook dinner and then take your children to their sports events and at the end of the week, they send you a text “thank you”. How would that make you feel and depending on how you answer would determine if you have ever been in that position?
Now, think about your clients. We do all that we can to obtain their business. We call them, we visit them and chase them down, then once we get the business, almost before the deposit has been in our bank account a good 24 hours, we have already began removing ourselves from communicating with them. Before, they could get you on the phone in a moments notice. Now, they must use email or even something like FaceBook messenger and once they contact you, they are told that it’s too much.
How about the sales person that doesn’t really communicate with you until they think a sale is possible with you? We all can see this a mile away, yet sometimes as sales professionals, we get caught into doing us, that we are the only one that doesn’t see it. This is exactly how many sales consultants are selling today, yet not realizing that not all clients communicate the way in which is more beneficial to the sales person. If you have family or friends, you know that each person has their own unique way of communicating. Some are quiet, some prefer your time and some prefer dialogue. It varies per person.
Why do we forget that these same people often are behind businesses or in positions to make a decision for a business or even as everyday people that are potential clients? How about just treating people like they are human? What stopped these people from leaning towards the communication that suited them best? It surely wasn’t your bottom line and the need to get as much money as you could with the least amount of effort.
Remember that people are people, no one wants to be ignored and we all seek meaning. Try to make whatever method of communication you use as meaningful as you possibly can.
By KhaazRa M.
