What To Do About No Replies?

A site visitor inquires about a topic I get contacted about and have written about quite a bit… Email responses.

Thank you for your kind words!

It’s hard not to take the lack of response to your emails personally. But try not to. Many are only thinking of themselves and the time they have at hand at that moment. Very self-absorbed, I know, but that seems to be the reason given most. “I just don’t have time!”

Just as you do, I try to respond to every email I receive, especially when it comes to business and email response time. I used to respond to every personal email back in the day. No more.

Some do not require responses. While with others, I do not want to encourage ongoing communications.

Ask a Question or Two

What I’ve discovered over the years is that many assume that a response is not warranted unless you ask a specific question. For example, “How are you doing? Is all well?”

In your subsequent communication, make a brief comment that you would like to confirm if they did get your last email. With all the spam filtering, you want to ensure your emails are not mistakenly landing in their junk folder. A comment that you would like to hear back from them may help to encourage a response.

If a reply is still not forthcoming, pick up the phone and give them a call. Let them know you are concerned because they didn’t respond, and you want to make sure everything is okay.

If you think about it, if it is not worth picking up the phone, I guess we should not be too concerned if we don’t receive a reply. We have other modes of communication, and email should not be thought of as the end-all-be-all.

Time to Make Time

To those who “don’t have time,” — may I suggest you make the time to send a courtesy response to those family and friends who email you? By not responding, you make them feel ignored. If the shoe were on the other foot, you wouldn’t like it either.

Never be too busy to take the time to type a few kind words in response to family and friends who take the time to email you. Time is finite, and we cannot assume what the next day will bring.

Make the time, take the time, and have more fulfilling relationships. On and off-line.