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Text Messaging ... Etiquette for the Addicted

Just got a text message that read "Hey are you guys ready for a glass of wine this weekend? Let us know if you are available?" Now that just sounds great but who the heck sent that message? Not in my contact list, not sure if the message meant my husband and me or with my assistant. We had just closed on a very lengthy transaction which took over four months and all had promised to celebrate when it finally closed. As a last resort I will call the number but had hoped to uncover the mystery prior to calling.

Text messaging looks like this form of communication is becoming more of a priority over the phone call and even email. A survey conducted by the 2008 REALTOR indicated that 35% of real estate practitioners use text messaging on a daily bases and those number seem to be increasing.

If you are a Text Message User then consider these etiquette tips:

• Don't assume the party you are texting recognizes your number or has you in their contact base. Unless you know for certain, leave your name. (Would have been great in my case).

• Ask your client if they prefer email, text or telephone communication for updates? If they say text messages then ask them to put your name in their cell phone contacts.

• Be respectful not to over text as the client may not have unlimited text messages or confirm this heavy use is acceptable to the client.

• Abbreviations ... not everyone knows text language. Be considerate that one may not understand LOL, BTW, QQ, etc. If your client uses abbreviations you are not familiar go to www.webopedia.com for additional help in breaking the code.

• Don't be an addict on the text messaging as the only source of contact. Remember that this is a relationship business and look to connect on occasion personally with the client. A voice conversation not typed.

• Respect others time and don't text at odd hours, keep it within business hours. Phones make noises when messages are received and your client may have the phone by the bed stand. You will receive points for a message at 2:00 am.

• Don't be a slave to your phone; you do not have to respond if a message comes in well after your business day concludes. Keep your response time within reasonable hours as well.

Texting - embrace it as it looks like it will be more and more part of our business. Just remember to use etiquette and others will give you the same respect.

Posted by Connie Goodrich, CRS (McKinney Realtor) Texas on 04/23/2009 04:37 PM

Comments (19)

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19 Comments on Text Messaging ... Etiquette for the Addicted

APR

I do mix in text messaging, but normally only after the client starts it or invites it.

Chuck - pretty much how I function too. I find the younger agents and client tend to be the heavy users. Thanks for your visit!

Ususally I only text in response to one. I definitely agree to all the pointers and even reply with a "can you talk" if it needs a discussion. Nothing worse that having to type out paragraphs.

Also, many people don't realize they have the option of having a "signature" sent with texts--very easy with most phones ( messages-settings-all messages-signature).

I didn't know that there was a dictionary for abbreviations. Thanks for a well written blog post; the link to the dictionary is making this a bookmark! :)

Janice - I like to text when they are at work and ask them to call when they have a minute. Love the heads up on the signature ... thanks!

Lola .. thanks and hope you picked up an idea or two.

My son is HUGE into texting, Connie. I am not a big fan. He's not allowed to text me unless he is in between classes at school. But many people prefer it over a phone call nowadays. I even get a Happy Birthday text from my mother-in-law every year in lieu of a phone call. Should I be insulted? :) But, when dealing clients, I prefer either a phone call (leave a voice message if they are unavailable) or email (better for documenting what was said between the two parties).

I do like texting for simple messages. The younger crowd uses it but in our area that equals teenagers. I have tried to use a text program for lookers to get info on a listing by texting and no one does it unless they are a teenager playing. I think our area will catch up before the next century! LOL

I will only text a client, if they texted me first. I always include my name when I text, just in case. When I receive a text with no name and they're not on my contact list, I ignore it until I receive a phone call. (no use communicating with a possible wrong number.)
(Also, if texting with clients, I will confirm/re-hash by email later what was discussed by text msg, just in case. It's good for them to confirm it, and for you to keep on record.)

I text with my son, if I'm running late to pick him up, or if he texts me letting me know he's going to be late, but only because it's not cool for him to talk to his Mommy in front of his friends. :)

Heather, you made me laugh. Your Mother in Law MUST use the phone to wish you a happy birthday. :)

Heather - nothing replaces the personal touch of a phone call. There are appropriate times to text and I am glad that option is there but like you it is more of a default option, not first choice. Thanks for your comments.

Ron - we can fight it but we will embrace it some time like it or not! Many thanks for visiting!

Sylvie - I agree with how you use text and that pretty much sums up that is how I work. I also think Heather's mother in law needs to call much more personable. Appreciate your input.

APR

Yes, important to ask if people want text messages - not all people have a text plan.

GOOD MORNING CONNIE! I love these suggestions! My husband and I were just talking about whether or not we should add a text plan to our phone service. If someone texts us - we have to pay per incoming/outgoing text. As a result, I generally won't respond and so the "texter" doesn't know that I received the message until I get a chance to call. Or they finally call me to find out if I got their text! Great post! -- Gabrielle

Good tips... still trying to figure out what QQ is ??? And I did not notice you tell us who text you. Did you figure it out or did you finally call?

APR

ToulaRosebrock,com

Hi Connie:

Great tips...

I don't text message much. I find that some people abbreviate too much that you can't figure out what they have to say and you end up calling them anyway.

APR

I can't stand it when friends text me and when I call them right back they do not answer! What's up with that?

APR

I really enjoy the simplicity of texting. If I only have a quick question that needs answering, it's easier to do rather than going through the formalities of "Hi, how are you doing? How is your day?". I don't do this ALL of the time, but it is convenient. And if I'm not sure they'll know it's from me, I always include my name. Plus, being a busy mom/Realtor/broker/owner, I can't always insure a quiet background to make phone calls - so a text saves me from having to go to a quiet closet to make a phone call :)

APR

I haven't gotten into texting yet, mainly because after spending almost 45 years typing 100-300 words a minute, and with the great supermajority of my business life involving typewriters, telex/TWX machines, and computers, my fingers are looking for anything EXCEPT more typing.

I'm not doing Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace because I already have enough people in my life and I just don't have the time to be setting all the controls so that yo-yos can't text me, twitter me, myspace me, or facebook me all the time.

I tried some smaller versions, i.e., Merchant Circle and something like Home Office Pros, and I just got bombarded by hundreds of emails every hour. I truly hope I die before I have to resort to tweeting or twittering or whatever.

APR

I don't text yet. I just can't see the benefit of it at this point, and I sure don't want a million people following me at Twitter like Ashton. I need some privacy, some room.

MAY

Several of my clients starting texting me a year ago. I found it annoying but didn't tell them. Now, it has became a way of life. I only use it with the clients/friends that text me first. It is much easier for them to text "I'm running 15 min late for our meet" (for example) than it is for them to pick up the phone and call. Funny, at first it was annoying, the ones who felt comfortable enough saying told me to get with it (in very friendly terms). Now, some of those same I'm telling them to get with it and get on Twitter. They were clients a year ago but "friends" now.

JUL

thank you for the nice informative blog on texting. I do not text yet. We had texting, but my daughter really ran up our bill, so we had to drop it. If I get it again, I will have unlimited texting. thanks so much..btw, what is QQ?

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