Why do we buy things from other people? I found a product that I liked (a software program) and wanted to get more informaiton about it to determine whether it would serve my needs and if I could afford it. I had a very positive sales experience so I took some time to think about what it was that made the sales experience so enjoyable.

A lot of it had to do with the salespersons’ written communication skills.

• He was a persuasive writer. That means that he thought about the my point of view and what I careabout.
• He answeredALL of my questions.
• His writing was professional. That means that he used active language, made sure that there were no type-os, no grammatical mistakes, and no incomplete sentences.
• He gaveme the right amount of information — not too much—and told mehow to get more if Ineed it.
• He paid attention to detail. For example, in his e-mails to me, he includeda complete signature, a compelling and descriptive subject line, and formatted the message so that it was easy to read.

Attention to detail paid off. Keep in mind that we buy things from people who communicate effectively. Take the time to make sure that your message is on target and professional. Your hard work will pay off.