E-mail Communication Tip: Read, Review, Review Again, Then SEND

While this post may seem a bit 15 years too late, I am continually amazed at how difficult e-mail conversations can be when the sender or replier doesn't slow down enough (including myself on occasion) to proof-read enough to ensure their communication is on the mark.

Just as it is very hard to listen, as many people already know what they want to say and are simply waiting for the other person to stop talking so they can answer, the same is true with e-mail.

Sometimes I will read an e-mail 3-4 times before I even debate on how I am going to respond as I want to ensure I understand the the sender is REALLY saying.

When I'm done replying, I will also make sure I go back through their text to ensure I have covered all the bases, even reading the entire post so I can ensure I am not missing anything.

Why?

How many times have you ever heard:

• You forgot the attachment
• Do you mean this or that?
• Does ____ refer to this topic or that topic?
• Or the reply you get back is so off base from what you communicated, that you know you missed the mark

Some communications need to be done over the phone, not e-mail, and it's important to recognize, in order to not only put an outstanding task to rest, but also for efficiency.  Sometimes a 30 second phone call can be done much quicker than 4-5 e-mails and 5-10 minutes worth of time.

While I am a huge fan of e-mail, it does have it's limitations.

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Chris Olsen, Broker, Owner, REALTOR
Olsen Ziegler Realty
Cell: 216.702.0537
Serving the Greater Cleveland, Ohio Residential Real Estate Marketplace

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