Talk More and Text Less
YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF (AND OTHERS) TO TALK MORE AND TEXT LESS. OLD SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE
February 10, 2016
© by Ronald Kern
You sit down in front of your computer, ready to start the day. You post something inspiring, you then tweet so many tweets that the person next to you thinks they are in an aviary, then of course Google+ and Instagram need your attention, so you do that too. But wait, you aren’t done, not even close. There are the countless emails to respond to, pictures to add to your favorite Pinterest board, and then do a couple live broadcasts on Facebook and Periscope.
Finally you are done, job well done. PSYCH! You of course still have blogs to write, promotional videos to add on YouTube and Vimeo, and you need to provide an update, publish a post, and answer every notification on LinkedIn. Whew, now you are done, well, at least until something happens worthy of sharing, so you have to do it all over again.
Besides all of the above being some kind of social media or communications platform, what else do they have in common? You are very astute if you agree that although communication is taking place, it isn’t the best form, one-on-one.
It’s so easy, and borderline a given, that if you want to say something to someone, or the entire world, you just text, tweet, or post it. Heck, if words aren’t flowing for you at the time, you use a photo and that’ll suffice, right? However, how many business deals have you truly acquired by these methods? How many new clients and income have you received from this form of communication?
Old school used to be speaking with a potential client in person, you got to know them and vice-versa, and then if a deal was struck, a handshake sealed the deal. Ah, those were the days weren’t they? I do love thinking about the simplicity of those types of meetings, how much less hectic was it? Back then, deals or gaining clients didn’t require 13 people to approve your decision and then a legal team to review everything.
It’s my opinion that no matter how much technology we have at our disposal, there isn’t anything that quite works as well as speaking with someone personally, one-on-one, in person, or over the phone.
Perhaps that is why I prefer meeting someone for coffee, or if distance is an issue, at least speaking with him or her on a video conference call, that way, it’s as close to “in person” as you can be. You cannot correctly understand a person’s tone or fluctuation of voice, as well as you can in person. More accurately, people often misinterpret text or email, and a lot of presumptions and miscommunications take place. This typically doesn’t take place when you are speaking with someone in person.
Since non-verbal communication is 80% and the actual words are 20%, you can see why having the person in front of you when communicating, is very important. A staggering statistic is that although 99% of Americans have cell phones, only 6 minutes are spent actually using it for a voice call. 33% of cell phone owners actually prefer texting or sending an email, than to speak with someone. Is it any wonder why today, so many people have major issues when they are forced to speak with someone without a device in their hand?
I love technology, and use it everyday, and I don’t have anything against it, unless it’s your only form of communication. Your clients are worth more than an email, aren’t they? Wouldn’t you rather gain new business in person, seeing them smile and hearing their voice?
You owe yourself, and your current and future clients, to type less and talk more.
Ronald Kern might be considered the epitome of an entrepreneur. He was the founder and CEO of a multimillion-dollar private investigation company, which started in the basement of his parents home and became one of the top five (5) investigation firms in the United States. It, as were his multitude of other businesses, was sold in late 2013 allowing him to "retire" at the age of 44. Since retirement, he started a consulting firm, Passion In Action International
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