How to Balance Your Communication Channels at Work

You just received a notification regarding a new lead, do you:

A: Call them            C: Request a video meeting

B: Email them          D: Send a video email

Hard to say right? The digital era means there is a plethora of ways to communicate with your audience. Although this can seem overwhelming, having various communication platforms is a good thing. Why? Because you aren’t restricted to one style and you control howyour message is conveyed.

In this blog we will breakdown how to balance between various communication channels and when it’s the right time to jump between them.

What Type of Message Are You Sending?

Your intentions for reaching out to a person, or group, will determine the format you package your message. Check out this chart fromSlackhq.com, they recommend keeping your intentions “people-centered and intentional” and we couldn’t agree more.

Digital communication doesn’t necessarily mean “robotic” or “impersonal”. If you want to leave a personalized message, use video email. You can use plain text email for more formal or generic messages. We’ve included some example scenarios to help you navigate when to use plain text versus video email.

• Introducing yourself to a new prospect— Video email.
  • Why? Well for starters, withthe lack of face-to-face interactions in the workplace, people start to crave personal connection.
• Responding in the same thread after you’ve sent a video email —Plain-text email.
  • Why? Plain text emails are more of the in-between a deal email, typically 5 sentences or less.
• Conveying emotion in your message—Video email.
  • Why? Video, unlike faceless email, gives you the opportunity to build trust with your audience because it provides familiarity and authenticity, which leaves a positive impression.
• Following up after a meeting—Video or plain-text email.
  • Why? Take some time to thank the recipient for their time, recap important points and outline next steps. This expresses your authenticity and is likely to speed up the sales process.
• Training on a product or service—video email
  • Why?65% of viewers watch more than ¾ of a video, which is far more than you can say about text-based content. This means that yourmessage will be better understood through video than through text.
• Answering quick questions—plain-text email
  • Why? No need to send a 10-15 second video. Reserve video for those more meaningful messages.

Connect, Educate, and Convert Your Audience 

It’s important to remember that video isn’t just a one size fits all solution. Don’t plan to replace your current sales outreach entirely with video email. Think of it as an additional channel to reach your audience and stand out against the status quo. 

With the right communication platform you can maximize your efforts and generate more sales. Video allows your recipient to see your body language and facial features, and hear your tone of voice. You can express your passions and personality, all while decreasing the sales cycle.

Overall, utilizing various communication channels will allow you to be more effective, not to mention interesting, when prospecting. Keep your intentions people-centered and seek communication channels that will connect with your audience. Reserve plain-text emails for short inquires or messages, and send video email to add personalization and authenticity to your message. 

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