Are You Overcommunicating?
Marketers are constantly riding the line of communication – whether it’s frequency, method, or even the content itself, it can be difficult to know how best to reach your clients and followers. If you’re wondering how you can communicate effectively without going overboard, keep reading for a few of our favorite tips:
Tip #1: Have something to say
How many emails do you get every day? How many of those go straight to your trash folder because they are a promotion or sales pitch? The answer to both questions is probably “quite a few.” We are living in an age where emails are used for everything from social media accounts to your favorite online store, so you probably spend some time sorting through the emails you actually want to read. The same is true of your clients. They are already bombarded with dozens of emails each day, so you need to make sure yours isn’t just one more in the deleted items folder.
One way to accomplish this is to only send emails when you really have something important to share. That doesn’t mean you can’t send a weekly digest or update that clients sign up for. But when communicating outside these parameters, make it worth someone’s while to open your message with some exciting updates or industry trends. The same is true for social media posts, text messages, and any other forms of mass communication you employ.
Tip #2: Take stock of your subscribers
You’ve probably scrolled to the bottom of a few emails and clicked the “unsubscribe” button or blocked an account or two on Instagram. If you offer this option for your own communication, it’s a good idea to track how many new subscribers you get, and how many opt out after a few emails or texts. Knowing who is reading which types of communication will help you tailor your language and method to your audience.
Take it a step further and allow those who opt out of your email to tell you why they are doing so. Do they get too many emails? Did they only sign up to receive a one-time discount? Or perhaps they thought they were signing up for a different service altogether. Knowing why those people don’t want to hear from you is invaluable as you plan your next round of emails or messages.
Tip #3: Keep it short and sweet
Even those emails that seem brief when viewed on your laptop will take a little longer to scroll through on a phone or tablet, so consider keeping all of your communication as short and simple as possible. Use a catchy subject line, add a couple sentences about what you want your audience to know, and wish them well before signing off. If you really want them to have more info, provide a link in the email they can click on for additional details.
This is also a great opportunity to incorporate some visual aids in your communication practices. If you’re writing about some important statistics, make a colorful graph to represent it. Use a photo of your team to create a personal connection and consider whether smaller details, like the font you use, are helping or hurting your readers’ comprehension of your content. A wall of text is no fun for anyone to read, so add some value to your communication through a well-placed GIF, photo, or other visual aid.
Overcommunicating is easy to do, but it’s also easy to stop. Take a look at your most recent mass communications to see if you think you’re right in the middle of communication quantity, or whether you need to scale it back. Your services are valuable – make sure every message you send reflects that.