Texting is a very common means of communicating these days, so today let’s review six tips on how you can have more effective text conversations in the future.
Texting has become one of the most common forms of communication these days. Whoever you need to get in touch with, whether it’s a friend, a family member, or even a professional peer, chances are that the first way you reach out is by sending a text. With that in mind, today I’d like to share six tips on how to have more effective text conversations:
1. Know your audience. Like any form of communication, your relationship with the person you’re speaking to will change the way you text. For example, my teenage children text a lot differently when sending me messages than they do when they’re texting their friends.
2. Communicate clearly. You must not assume the person you’re texting will know the context of what you’re saying before you share it. So, if you’re referencing a specific person, don’t use personal pronouns like he, she, or they before you’ve established who you’re talking about. Instead of saying “She will arrive at noon,” for instance, use the name of the person so that everyone is on the same page.
3. Respond promptly. Especially when you’re communicating about business rather than just catching up, being expedient with your replies is essential. If someone doesn’t hear back from you, they may even assume you never received their message to begin with.
“People use texting because it’s a quick and easy way to communicate, so ultra-long replies defeat the purpose.”
4. Avoid using emojis in professional conversations. As I mentioned in my first point, your relationship with the person you’re texting should have an impact on how you speak to them. If your relationship is a professional one, it’s best to avoid adding smiley-faces to the end of what should otherwise be a fairly formal message.
5. Keep messages short. If you find yourself typing out a reply that is multiple paragraphs long, don’t hit send. People use texting because it’s a quick and easy way to communicate, so ultra-long replies defeat the purpose.
6. Know when to end the conversation. Just like during a phone call, text conversations shouldn’t go on indefinitely. Dragging them out after there’s nothing left to say can irritate the person on the other end, so be courteous and offer a polite goodbye when the time is right.
If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me or my team a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
