PPB December 2019

It can be tough to get people of all ages to answer multiple questions in an email. Sometimes starting with, “I have THREE questions,” and then numbering the questions will help. If they miss some answers, you can, perhaps, forward the reply back and highlight the missed questions, asking, “May I have these two answers please?” If that approach fails, you might find it better to use something like SurveyMonkey or some other form tool, which allows you to require an answer before they move onto the next question. JENNIFER REISSAUS, MAS Advertising Specialties Alliance/Kaeser & Blair • Your order is on hold. I have found this subject line to be a good way to get people to pay attention to an email. • Your action is required. This is another email subject line that helps get attention. • Use headlines and bullet points. This makes it easier for people to scan emails for what you need. • Shrink your browser. A colleague who works on complex branding projects toldme they had the same problem you are describing. Now, when they write emails, they narrow their browser so it mimics the width of a phone screen. Try that and see how your message looks. • Schedule ameeting. Scheduling regular, plannedmeetings in person or on the phone gives you a chance to find out what projects and dates are coming up so you can be proactive. • Charge themmore. Full-service clients should pay full-service rates. • Sometimes say “no.” If you need to drop everything else you are doing for two hours to solve their problem, sometimes it’s ok to let them know there is a limit to howmuch you can do tomake up for their mismanagement. • Recognize the opportunity. Disorganized people really need our help. If you can solve some of their planning and execution problems, they can become very loyal clients. Getting them to commit to regularly scheduled planning meetings is key. JAMIE BRADLEY President Sophwell Woburn, Massachusetts There are two issues here: poor management, which you probably can’t solve, and the poor communication (thinking?) skills of the texting generation. I have one client who fits this same profile. It takes about 100 emails and several phone calls per order. One thing I’ve learned is to ask only one question at a time, i.e. Which pen do you like? What color pen do you want? What imprint do you want? What color imprint do you want? This takes forever, but only one question can be processed per communication. Bullet points don’t help. Colored text doesn’t help. Only one short, specific question per transaction, and this same question may be processed repeatedly. And then, late in the game, the boss might still make a different decision or decide he can’t afford the order. It’s so painful. “When will you need this?” is something to ask at the outset. Then you can start setting deadlines for the customer and explain, in one statement, that the decisions need to be made and the order needs to be placed by XXX date. This may not change their behavior, but at least you’ve set a limit and can keep reminding them that they’re not going to have their order by XXX date. I call this “bowling in the dark.” I try to put as little energy into this as possible because I know at the outset that it’s going to be a dreadful process. JERYN FREEMAN President LogoPro, Inc. Clemmons, North Carolina I usually resend the same email with a new message, saying: PLEASE SEE BELOW… I also found the clients answer more often if I put them in bullet points rather than putting my questions in the body of the email. For example: 1 What is the quantity? 2 Do you want to use your one-color or two-color logo? 3 What date do you need these items? JOE JAGGIE Owner Jag Promotions Ellisville, Missouri I’m afraid that if you are going to be in this business, you will find this problem to be the nature of the beast. As frustrating as it is, you will always find yourself babysitting some people. And unless you do want to “fire” them, that’s how it will be. They expect you tomake everything right and that is your job. The question is, how important is the client to you? Grin and bear it! You will be the hero in the end. TOM FLYNN Co-owner Flynnco Promotional Products, LLC Gilbert, Arizona | DECEMBER 2019 | 13 INNOVATE