Comments on: Common Sense of Correspondence http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/ Sage advice for your wedding business Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:33:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michelle Loretta http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/comment-page-1/#comment-19156 Michelle Loretta Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:54:05 +0000 http://www.sageweddingpros.com/?p=3549#comment-19156 Ahhh... yesssss... clients have a different idea of what is urgent from you. Two thoughts here: 1) Is the client's expectation realistic with the nature of the purchase? (For example, these days online sales are typically serviced immediately by large online retailers. So this has become the expectation. In order to compete in this market, you will have to consider this in your business. Can you compete if the competitor is responding quicker and more attentively? Think Zappos.) 2) Is this "urgent" client a match for your business? If you are having a hard time "training" the urgency of certain clients, then maybe they aren't a match for you or your business. If your ideal client values service and connection over urgency, then you will naturally weed out the more impatient people. Ahhh… yesssss… clients have a different idea of what is urgent from you. Two thoughts here:

1) Is the client’s expectation realistic with the nature of the purchase? (For example, these days online sales are typically serviced immediately by large online retailers. So this has become the expectation. In order to compete in this market, you will have to consider this in your business. Can you compete if the competitor is responding quicker and more attentively? Think Zappos.)
2) Is this “urgent” client a match for your business? If you are having a hard time “training” the urgency of certain clients, then maybe they aren’t a match for you or your business. If your ideal client values service and connection over urgency, then you will naturally weed out the more impatient people.

]]> By: Jenn Kemper with Stella & Dot http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/comment-page-1/#comment-19152 Jenn Kemper with Stella & Dot Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:04:24 +0000 http://www.sageweddingpros.com/?p=3549#comment-19152 Michelle, this is great! Largely, I agree. However, after reading "The 4 Hour Work Week" I do my best to "train" people either to use phone or e-mail by responding appropriately in reference to my understanding of urgency, not theirs. Frankly, some people call when all I need is an e-mail or vice-versa. I've also started leaving a voicemail to say I appreciated the call and have taken care of the matter, but for whatever reason (length, complication of response, or inclusion of a tracking order, mainly) have responded at length via e-mail, then I advise them to respond how I'd like, either "call me back if there are further questions" or "e-mail me back to confirm our scheduled appointment." What do you do when clients or colleagues see something at a different urgency level? Real connection is important & I find easier to achieve on the phone & in person, but my time is important, too & e-mail saves it! Michelle, this is great! Largely, I agree. However, after reading “The 4 Hour Work Week” I do my best to “train” people either to use phone or e-mail by responding appropriately in reference to my understanding of urgency, not theirs. Frankly, some people call when all I need is an e-mail or vice-versa. I’ve also started leaving a voicemail to say I appreciated the call and have taken care of the matter, but for whatever reason (length, complication of response, or inclusion of a tracking order, mainly) have responded at length via e-mail, then I advise them to respond how I’d like, either “call me back if there are further questions” or “e-mail me back to confirm our scheduled appointment.” What do you do when clients or colleagues see something at a different urgency level? Real connection is important & I find easier to achieve on the phone & in person, but my time is important, too & e-mail saves it!

]]> By: Melinda Massie http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/comment-page-1/#comment-4128 Melinda Massie Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:20:01 +0000 http://www.sageweddingpros.com/?p=3549#comment-4128 Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! It amazes me how people that don't respond in a timely manner can stay in business. I have two pet peeves - the one Kellye mentioned about not responding to say you've recieved information. My other are the people that call and don't leave a detailed message with what they need because if I call back and get their voice mail, I can't answer their question and we're stuck in a time-wasting game of phone tag. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! It amazes me how people that don’t respond in a timely manner can stay in business. I have two pet peeves – the one Kellye mentioned about not responding to say you’ve recieved information. My other are the people that call and don’t leave a detailed message with what they need because if I call back and get their voice mail, I can’t answer their question and we’re stuck in a time-wasting game of phone tag.

]]> By: kellye http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/comment-page-1/#comment-4127 kellye Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:40:50 +0000 http://www.sageweddingpros.com/?p=3549#comment-4127 Wondefully said! Can we let Brides no too? I have so many people that I send proposals too and they don't get back to me for a week! All I need is a " Hi there, we recv'd your proposal and we'll get bcak to you soon" not that hard huh? Wondefully said! Can we let Brides no too? I have so many people that I send proposals too and they don’t get back to me for a week! All I need is a ” Hi there, we recv’d your proposal and we’ll get bcak to you soon” not that hard huh?

]]> By: Rachel http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/comment-page-1/#comment-4126 Rachel Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:40:16 +0000 http://www.sageweddingpros.com/?p=3549#comment-4126 THANK YOU for this post. The one that drives me nuts is when I email a vendor for information and they call back to talk about it. I emailed because I don't have time to sit and chat with every vendor about their pricing, etc. Send me the information I asked for and be done with it. Those who call me instead are less likely to get my business because they cannot respect my time and space. I use email because, as you said- I need the virtual "paper trail" and also because I have a 5 month old business partner who makes talking on the phone difficult. I save the calls for "urgent". THANK YOU for this post. The one that drives me nuts is when I email a vendor for information and they call back to talk about it. I emailed because I don’t have time to sit and chat with every vendor about their pricing, etc. Send me the information I asked for and be done with it. Those who call me instead are less likely to get my business because they cannot respect my time and space. I use email because, as you said- I need the virtual “paper trail” and also because I have a 5 month old business partner who makes talking on the phone difficult. I save the calls for “urgent”.

]]> By: Sumer Schmitt http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/comment-page-1/#comment-4124 Sumer Schmitt Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:32:23 +0000 http://www.sageweddingpros.com/?p=3549#comment-4124 I could not agree with you more!! Too often I see poor communication skills by wedding "professionals", and to be honest, those so-called "professionals" leave a bad taste in my mouth when they are taking days or weeks to respond to a simple email or voice mail. This is definitely a post that all business owners should read...very sound advice. Thank you for taking the time to write what many of us often think in our heads. I could not agree with you more!! Too often I see poor communication skills by wedding “professionals”, and to be honest, those so-called “professionals” leave a bad taste in my mouth when they are taking days or weeks to respond to a simple email or voice mail. This is definitely a post that all business owners should read…very sound advice. Thank you for taking the time to write what many of us often think in our heads.

]]> By: Tiesha Frazier http://www.sageweddingpros.com/2010/03/09/common-sense-of-correspondence/comment-page-1/#comment-4123 Tiesha Frazier Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:35:57 +0000 http://www.sageweddingpros.com/?p=3549#comment-4123 Such valid advice. So many people disregard the importance of good communication. Timely and appropriate communication builds trust, which is fundamental, especially as a small business owner. Such valid advice. So many people disregard the importance of good communication. Timely and appropriate communication builds trust, which is fundamental, especially as a small business owner.

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