Have you noticed that you think you are communicating well with someone only to have them completely missunderstand what you said? It is obvious that you have your own way of communicating, while those around you may communicate in a completely different fashion. Is this affecting your business?
There are several styles of communication: the Drip Communicator, the Shotgun Communicator, the Crystal Ball Communicator, and the Organized Communicator. When working with your online assistant and/or social media manager your communication style can be an asset or a liability. Communication between client and virtual assistant/social media manager, known as your online assistant, is crucial to a successful, lasting partnership.
Have you used one or more of these communication styles?
Drip Communicator:
When an idea pops into your head you send your online assistant an email; then 10 minutes later you remember you want to add a contact to your contact program, so you send another email. Right after you send the email about contacts, you think “oops I forgot to add another contact”, and another email gets sent. A little later, you realize that the first idea needs some changes so off goes another email. What this looks like to your online assistant is email “drips” – constant and annoying – like a dripping faucet. What’s worse is the time needed to handle this constant drip of emails and keep track of where the information is when the online assistant needs to perform the requested tasks. This also causes items to be missed and in the end, will cost more money when you are invoiced by your online assistant.
Shotgun Communicator:
This style of communicator relays bits and pieces of a project sprayed out to many people, but no one, except the client, knows all the pieces. It also means that pieces of information may be going to the wrong people, which can delay projects, plus create confusion and chaos. This also happens with reply all emails, which involve more people and more confusion. What this looks like for the online assistant is that key information is in several places and not where it’s needed, causing more delays and miscommunication opportunities.
Crystal Ball Communicator:
(are you reading my mind yet?) This style of communicator just expects their online assistant to know things without having to tell them. These communicators believe they are communicating, but leave out important details on projects. For instance, they tell the online assistant to “send a newsletter” but neglect to say what day or time they want the newsletter to go out. They have conversations about a project with one person, but don’t let the others involved know about the decisions that were made. The crystal ball communicators are often frustrated when their online assistant doesn’t get things done or requests more clarification.
Organized Communicator:
This style of communicator tends to gather most, if not all the information for a project into one place, outline the project with bullet points and deadlines. They have all the key materials necessary to complete the task ready to go, then send one email. If there is information pending, then organized communicators indidcate clearly what is pending and followup on anything outstanding. The organized communicator are respected and appreciated by their online assistant.
Clear communication with your online assistant can save you many hours and a lot of headaches! When you communicate clearly with your online assistant it makes the tasks go easier and increases the online assistant’s efficiency. Sending several emails with bits and pieces for a project or expecting your assistant to read your mind and unclear instructions all create chaos.
No matter what communicator type you are you can improve your communication with your online assistant by taking the steps to communicate clearly.
Reduce the chaos today with clear communication!
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