Lately, I’ve been noticing that the way people communicate has changed significantly since I started my business in 1993. Back then, telephone was the preferred means to communicate with clients, friends and even media professionals. But today, that has all changed. How do you communicate?
For me, the best way to reach me is through Facebook or Twitter. After that, I prefer emails to text messages and as a last resort, phone calls (although I can’t promise I always pick up).
Why don’t I like text messages? I find them invasive. First of all, you need to have your phone by your side at all times so that you can respond immediately. I typically go to work, put my phone somewhere and leave it. Or, I go home and plug it into the bedroom and usually don’t look at it again until it’s charged.
I don’t love Facebook messages either but I find myself responding to those quicker than any other means of communication. I get those “dings” at all hours of the night and throughout the day and find them annoying but yet, I do look at them.
It’s interesting that everyone has a preference as to how to be reached. There’s no rhyme or reason to any of this. For example, I find that my triathlon coach loves messages through email. I actually like email too, however, I just get too many emails a day. Most of them are junk and it’s hard to cut through the clutter. I would say that I receive approximately 50 emails every hour and maybe 2 or 3 are emails I need to respond to.
I like Twitter. I find it easy to correspond with people and interact quickly and efficiently. But I haven’t found that many people on a personal level who like Twitter as much as I do. I find Twitter to be a great business communication tool.
I also receive messages through LinkedIn, Google Plus and YouTube. So my messages sometimes feel cluttered. I’m not sure why, but I probably respond last to all three of these.
So what is your preferred way to communicate?
