by Sam George
I’ll Get Back to You reveals one of life’s dirty secrets kept hidden in plain sight. Unreturned emails and texts upset us and make our heads spin. Our thoughts are too negative and delusional even to discuss. Due to digital communication, the problem is widespread.
With a direct feedback loop, conversations have real-time responses, and clarifications can be made on the spot. You feel good after a conversation, as you have been heard, and there is complete understanding. The days of direct communication by phone or in-person are fading.
Emails and texts don’t have immediate feedback. For the first time, humans do not have a reliable feedback loop to anchor communication. The result is the Dyscommunication Crisis. Uncertainty and anxiety replace stable direct communication. Hundreds of emails and texts, there’s no end to the waiting, no end to the unanswered messages, and no end to the confusion. We’re amid a communication breakdown.
The result is a condition known as Dyscommunication Syndrome. When our communication is not returned, the same symptoms emerge, including anxiety, worst-case scenarios, catastrophizing, and negative thought loops. Polls these bizarre symptoms are commonplace. Worse, nearly half of the population has done something they regret in response to an unanswered message. According to the poll I conducted:
- 66% — Have anxiety or agitation
- 67% — Jump to worst-case scenarios to explain
- 72% — Fall into a negative thought loop that repeats
- 46% — Did something they regret
The cause behind these thoughts will surprise you. The book contains engaging, true-life anecdotes about dating, relationships, family, and work that you can apply to your situation. I’ll Get Back to You is a digital communication master plan. I can assure you that your messages will be thoroughly read and promptly returned if you read the book.
These are only a few of the dozens of suggestions available. The tips are part of a comprehensive plan. I own a digital marketing firm. I’ve applied the industry’s tried-and-true strategy to ordinary life. These proven techniques have been adapted for everyday use.
- Keep your email brief and to the point. The longer an email is, the more likely it will be ignored. In many situations, you know how tough it is to comprehend precisely what the expected answer is.
- Use off-the-beaten-path topic lines. This piques their curiosity so that people instantly open your email. What the email is about is the worst thing to write in the subject line in most cases. The person is likely to file the email, and the message will be forgotten.
- Use the person’s first name three times. It’s an old tactic, but it’s still effective. The problem is everybody scans their emails. Their names will ensure they read the entire email, fully understand, and respond.
- Always ask a question. It slashes through all the nonsense. Ensure the response is a yes-or-no type of answer. “I need your feedback” or “tell me what you think” are useless. Instead, state whether you agree or disagree with the question.
- Check-in after 24 hours. Most people believe sending it again is awkward. It’s not uncomfortable. Seventy-five percent of people welcome the reminder, and the others are OK with it. Don’t forward the previous email or ask, “Did you get my email?” People may become defensive. Simply resend the same email with a new subject line.
I’ll Get Back to You will put your mind to rest. You can communicate clearly and quickly, as close to direct communication as possible.
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Sam George is digital technologist who advises companies and organizations on digital communication and marketing strategies. His clients include George Soros, Nancy Pelosi, and the University of Phoenix. Sam has designed and executed a dozen digital networks for companies and organizations. The networks are for communication, advocacy, and marketing. In 2004, he co-authored The Great Divide: Retro vs. Metro America, the first book to focus on the cultural battle between urban and rural America.