Who are you waiting to hear back from?

Most days, you're reaching out to people by phone and email. The problem is that you're getting voicemails...  or your emails are going unanswered. So how do we convene leaders and influencers if we don't get a response. 

Here are some tips for improving your correspondence with member, leaders and influencers.

1. Be specific about the reason your correspondence is important. For example, "I'm calling you to see if you're interested in weighing in on the proposed city ordinance. 

2. Give only the information needed to respond. For example, when you send an invoice for membership, don't send anything else... If you put a survey or verification form in there, you're sure to slow the response time. 

3. Have a specific call to action and deadline. For example, "I'm meeting with the task force chair next Thursday so I will need your reply by Wednesday if you're interested in being heard on this issue." 

And take a look at what high performance expert Brendon Burchard recommends for greater daily productivity. His Daily Planner helps you identify your daily priorities, projects and the people with whom you need to connect. What I like most about this planner is that it reminds you who you're waiting on so you can prompt them to respond when needed.