E-MAIL IS PART OF YOUR BUSINESS: DO IT WELL.

May 25th, 2012 at 7:00 pm

I went to a Seminar this week put on by Inman, and the first presentation given was entitled “The Way The World Communicates Just Changed – Have You?” That title is true in many ways, but none moreso than with regard to e-mail. Where we used to meet a client in person to deliver or discuss a document, today, we send it by e-mail. Where we used to call the client to schedule an appointment or showing, today we do it by e-mail. While we can have a long debate about the benefits of this technology, and the corresponding loss of personal contact, the truth is that because e-mail is now such a central part of our world and business, we need to make sure that we use it appropriately and with the proper amount of care.
For example, we have had a number of complaints from clients who received an e-mail with the wrong document attached or whose personal information or document was sent to an unrelated party. In each of these instances, the agent’s explanation was invariably that they were out when the e-mail came, either could not or did not have time to open the attachment, and wanted to get it out quickly. So the e-mail is forwarded on faith, and the attachment is sent out blindly and without being checked. I think this is done in part because we use also e-mail in our personal life and that use is invariably very casual. While I have no problems with that use, e-mail for business is very different. It is the same as sending a letter, on your letterhead, by registered mail. It never goes away, and you need to treat it that way. Just like you need to proofread a letter, and make sure that the enclosures are correct, you need to proof an e-mail and review the attachments. In other words, you need to slow down and take the proper care before sending any e-mail.

Similarly, because e-mail can be informal and sent from our phone, we tend to send it quickly. That, of course, can result in a number of problems. First, we can hit the wrong button (reply instead of forward) and send our message to the wrong person. For example, in one transaction an asset manager sent an e-mail, meant for our listing agent, to the selling agent. Unfortunately, the e-mail said many derogatory things about the selling agent and obviously made the deal more difficult to close. Also, you can respond to an e-mail quickly and emotionally, and send an e-mail which, upon later review, does not say what you want to say or how you want to say it. There are many examples where a quick e-mail comes across as very angry. When sent to a client, it can often result in the cancellation of a deal or the loss of a relationship. As a result, don’t hit reply in the heat of anger or emotion. Walk away from the e-mail, think about your response, and come back to write it letter. Those are things you always did with letters and will improve your communication by e-mail.

In short, while e-mail is a great, easy way to communicate and run our business, it is really no different than any other written communication. As a result, we need to treat it with the same care. Slow down and think about what you are doing before hitting the “send” button. By doing so, you will avoid the e-mail problems we all have heard about and will avoid having your e-mail as Exhibit A to some lawyers lawsuit. And, of course, that is one thing we all want to avoid.

As always, let us know if you have any questions

Like what you see here? Sign up for more! Our free e-newsletter informs you of listings in your community, insider real estate tips, the latest in home trends, and more.

Recent Posts

Archive