If they "didn't get your email" read this

What communication channels do you use to talk with your customers? I was recently posed this question on one of my favorite business networking sites, LinkedIn.com

This is an important question to consider -- many business professionals get stuck in a rut of contacting their customers and prospects in the same manner -- as if everyone prefers the same type of communication that you do. In our digital society we are constantly being introduced to new ways to communicate, so it's becoming even more important to remember that different people may be more receptive to different types of communication.

Some people will only do business face-to-face because they like to see who they're doing business with, and there is the least chance that there will be misunderstanding in the communication.

Some people get nervous about face-to-face and would rather do phone calls.

Some people don't have time for face-to-face, they dislike the phone, and they prefer email because it's recorded communication, they can copy other people on the communication and forward on to other people and file it for future reference.

Some people like snail mail for certain reasons.

Other people like instant messaging, Skype, social networking websites, etc.

If time and money aren't an issue, I'd go with face to face. It's hard to have a strong, meaningful relationship with someone if you never see them.

Regardless of which communication you prefer, it's important to never forget that your preferred method of communication may be someone else's least favorite.

Tell it like you're talking to a kindergartner

How many of your friends and family can explain what you do for a living?

In an article on MarketingRevisited.com, author Tom Blue talks about the importance of how you describe yourself. I'm in BNI, a business networking organization, and it never ceases to amaze me how many people have difficulty communicating their business, product or service -- I've known some people in the group for over a year and I still couldn't communicate to someone else what it is that they do.

Perhaps, if you have difficulty explaining what it is that you do, you're trying too hard to be professional and business-y about it. If you're like me, when you meet someone and they explain what they do, you're likely to filter out the business-speak and you'll remember what the person tells you in your own words (i.e. "oh he's the guy that sells coffee machines to coffee shop chains" instead of a much more glamorous way that one may describe this position).

It's more likely someone will call you for business when they don't need to worry about feeling embarrassed that they're not sure exactly what it is that you do...

The most successful TV and radio talk show hosts are gifted at communicating to the least educated and also the most educated.

David Ogilvy, one of the most well known advertising guys of all time, would never hire a copywriter with a college education because he wanted to make sure that his ads would be understood by everyone.

I think we can take a clue from the communication leaders of our time that we can leave the candy coating off of our communication and tell people what we really do.