I recently discovered a remarkable device on my desk. It's similar to a cell phone, only much larger and attached to the wall by a wire. (This may explain why, unique among my desktop objects, I have never misplaced it.) I've used it several times lately to communicate with people without the need for email. Someone even told me a joke while we were talking and we both had a good laugh.
People should reach for this handy item more often, if for no other reason than a sense of frustration while surveying the current landscape of electronic communication. It seems as if staying current with the myriad of electronic message sources could become a full time job. Perhaps, if a picture is worth a thousand words it may be that a conversation is worth about six emails.
I have been writing this blog for about three years. It's tied to my facebook page and I send out about 600 emails when I update it. It's RSS, facebook, and Twitter friendly and I enjoy the nexus it provides and the feedback I get. A year ago I felt up to date social media wise, but lately that universe is getting incomprehensible. Does anyone besides me feel that way?
In this renewed spirit of "person to person" communication I have gone around the next logical corner (as opposed to around the bend) and printed some Graphateria note cards. I tell people all the time that printed material works because it cuts through the electronic clutter and arrives "in person". If this advice is good enough for my customers why not for myself?
At any rate, our shop has some new services to offer, and some new accounts. I think they deserve a thank you note...or at least a call. Email can be so, you know, virtual.
Hugh Butler
Your Friend in the Printing Business
3 comments:
Couldn't agree more. I recently deleted my facebook for the same reasons (in an attempt to disconnect myself with the virtual gumbo and get back to basics) Turns out I just feel kind of out of the loop now. Still trying to figure it all out, but glad to know someone else feels the same way, Hugh. It's THE MOST annoying thing when I am sitting with a group of people and they are ALL on facebook on their phones. Ahh hello, we are all here together can we just open our mouths and talk?
Amen! I used to spend time with customers on the phone as projects progressed from start to finish, now it's very rare that I get to have a live conversation. Sometimes it takes double or triple the effort to explain/resolve issues via email than it does with a single, quick phone call. Reading "LOL" on the screen is not the same as sharing an actual laugh, and hitting "SEND" is not the same as actually connecting.
Electronic communication should be an enhancement to personal communications, not a replacement. Glad you found your phone, Hugh! This post made me LOL! ;-)
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