Effective business Communications notes

In a previous article titled:

I wrote about the big difference Thank You notes can make in the job search process. They can have great sway with a networking contact, a recruiter, or potential employer.

The degree of sway it has, however, has a lot to do with the likelihood it will be read. A note that isn’t read, has minimal impact. There is still a positive impression made, however, it’s not likely to make much more difference beyond that.

Adhering to a few concepts when crafting a note can greatly improve its effectiveness…

Brevity is a virtue!

As mentioned in multiple pieces I’ve written… Brevity is a virtue! Writing concisely, in “short-substantive soundbites”, makes for better cover letters, resumes, and thank you notes.

We live in an information-rich world. Business people in particular and bombarded daily with things to read… a seemingly endless stream of emails, letters, memo’s, news, and reports. Most business people quickly learn that it’s impossible to thoroughly read everything, so they decide what’s important, and what they can skim, or skip altogether.

When a new email, letter, card, or other form of written communication comes in they look at it and make a decision quickly. If it’s long, with big blocks of text, the likelihood that it will be read in any depth is infinitesimal. Unless it’s critical to the current work they are doing, they will likely do a very brief scan, and move on to their next message.

They’ll notice who it came from, and they’ll think well of the person that sent it. However… no matter how powerfully it was written, if it isn’t read, it has no impact!

If they look at the message and see that it’s a quick read, the likelihood of them reading it in its entirety increases dramatically. Brevity is a virtue!

Professionalism and conscientiousness matter

Even when a meeting or interview went exceptionally well, the conversation flowed easily, and things just seemed to click personally… the decision to refer someone to another professional contact, or to hire them, is still a business decision.

A Thank You note that is too assumptive about a relationship, too casual, or careless can do more harm than good.

Write the note with a professional tone and respect. Be very careful to write well. No mistakes, typo’s, or texting acronyms… “ROTFL” does not convey professionalism!

When a networking contact thinks about referring someone to another contact they know, or when an employer considers hiring someone, they think about whether the person will improve their own professional reputation or not. An overly informal or careless note can be deleterious!