Every now and then I have to take a few minutes to clean up my email boxes. With 20-30 emails coming in per hour, and 5-20 going out per hour, debris piles up pretty fast. Yesterday, while cleaning out my email ‘sent’ file, I came across a reply sent to a long time, much cherished, client-friend. I’d been asked for a laptop recommendation. My reply at the time seemed adequate and efficient. Reviewing it later, it seemed terse.
We all know this and we’ve all read it a hundred times. But the reminder is worth the time to write it and hopefully for you to read it.
Before hitting send, consider the tone of the reply. Remember the recipient will not have the benefit of hearing the voice in your head that you heard while typing it.
I need to send another email today and offer more help than I gave in my very direct email to my friend-client. (Maybe we need a new word for clients who become friends? How about “frient”?!)
Like the airline commercial that reminded us of the value of face-to-face contact, I need to talk to an old friend.
Chris Reich