I received an email from a reader this week. After several back and forth, we settled that the fellow emailed me the inquiry. He later did. Sadly, I was not aware in time as the email went to my junk folder.
I felt terrible when I realised his email was flagged as spam. It takes time and energy to reach out to someone.
You might be wondering why I am mentioning it here. You will understand in a moment.
After reading the email, there was no straightforward question, inquiry or call to action. It was bare.
Again, I felt terrible.
This fellow took the pain to reach out to me and successfully caught my attention. But then what?
Nothing.
They got nothing back ☹
I did not reply. Not because I did not want to, but because the email had no question or call-to-action. Sadly, I closed the email and moved on with other routines.
So what does this mean for you?
We reach out to people daily. We have individuals we want to speak with or get in touch with, whether for job opportunities, career development or other professional development reasons.
Ensure you are clear in your email when you reach out to them. It will help them and help you as well.
Communicate the question or request such that a seven-year-old can understand. Don’t reach out just for the sake of reaching out. If you miss your first shot, it will take a miracle for your network to read and respond to your future messages.
We live in a busy and fast-paced world.
Therefore, be clear, concise, intentional and specific when reaching out.
Let them know your “why”.
Do not leave them wondering.
Do not leave them hanging.
Do not leave them guessing.
Get it right the first time!
I hope this helps you.
Remember you can always respond to this email if you have questions. I will be on the other end to take them.
Banji Alo
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