The Hierarchy of Communication

In these days of social media, email, texts and on and on, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that each type of communication is more or less effective than another. We get into the rut of using one way to touch colleagues and Customers, even if it's less effective, simply because it's habit.

Remember the Hierarchy of Communication, in order from most to least effective.

For one-to-one or small groups:

1. Face to face
2. Remote videoconferencing
3. Telephone (voice not text)
4. Text
5. Email

For group communication:

1. Face to face
2. Videoconferencing
3. Teleconferencing
4. Recorded video
5. Text
6. Twitter
7. Facebook
8. Email
9. Print

There are place-changers, of course, depending on your Customer demographic. If your Customers are primarily over 55, print moves up to number 4 or higher, and Twitter likely drops to the bottom. But why in the world would you shotgun a message to every demographic using one outlet? Or use the same message for every demographic? That's the marketing equivalent of using worms to fish for marlin.

Every time you interact with a Colleague, try to make it face to face. Don't have time? Does that mean that it takes you less time to field the ping pong series of emails that it takes to convey your point - and hear your colleague's points - that way? Sounds like a hollow argument to me.

Remember: If a communication medium isn't effective, it doesn't save time, it wastes money.