New Rules of Communication – Sharran Srivatsaa

Are you losing opportunities because you’re not speaking your audience’s language? Discover how to master modern communication by using the channels people actually prefer and build stronger, more profitable relationships.

In this episode, Sharran shares how the rules of communication have completely changed and how adapting to these shifts can unlock massive opportunities in business and life. Sharran explains why understanding and using someone’s preferred communication method is the key to building trust and influence. From email and text to calls and social media, learn how to lower friction in communication and connect in ways that truly matter. Packed with personal stories and actionable strategies, this episode will help you communicate with impact and stand out in today’s noisy world.

Are you ready to transform the way you connect with people? Tune in to learn how to master the new rules of communication in today’s world!

"Everyone has a favorite channel, and it is our job to figure out what that channel is because then you have a better chance of a better rapport with that person.”

– Sharran Srivatsaa

Timestamps:

01:36 – Why traditional communication methods fail today

02:26 – Adapting to people’s preferred communication channels

05:43 – How friction kills relationships and sales

08:20 – The power of asking, “What’s the best channel for you?”

13:20 – How multichannel spam ruins trust

14:54 – Solving most problems with simple messages

16:15 – How to succeed in modern-day communication

17:12 – Recap: New rules of communication

Resources:

– Grow Faster with Unicorn Assistants

– The Real Brokerage

– Top Agent Power Pack

– The 5am Club

– Join the 10K Wisdom Private Partner Podcast, now available to you for free

– The Job of a CEO

– Join Sharran’s VIP Community

– ARC Multifamily Real Estate Investing

– Sharran’s Partnership Program

– Grab Sharran’s 4-Week MBA for Free

Connect with Sharran:

– Facebook

– Instagram

– X

– LinkedIn

– YouTube

Transcript:

[00:00:00] Hey, this is Sharran Srivatsaa. Welcome back to the Business School Podcast. And in this episode, I’m going to talk to you about something super, super important, especially if you’re an entrepreneur, a business owner, a salesperson, you do this often, or, you know, people that do this, which is they communicate in the way that they like to communicate.

[00:00:15] They like the salespeople like using the phones. They call you all the time. Now, modern salespeople love texting. So they text you all the time and it gets annoying. In the olden days, there’s only a few ways to communicate. Maybe you send them a letter, which took a few days to get there, or a fax, or maybe you had the phone.

[00:00:31] But in today’s world, you had so many other methods. Pings, dings, bings, whatsapp, facetime, email, slack, etc. And people have started to choose the preferred way of communicating and answering. Everything else generates irritation and friction for them. If we want to influence people, we’ve got to get to the lowest friction channel of communicating with them.

[00:00:50] There’s a way to do it. And there’s a way not to do it. And I break down exactly how starting right now.[00:01:00]

[00:01:01] One thing is for certain, just because it’s tried and true doesn’t mean it’s working right now. So the big question is this, where can you learn what is working right now? The strategies, the tactics, the psychology, the exact how to. How to grow your business, how to blow up your personal brand and supercharge your personal growth.

[00:01:23] That is the question. And this podcast will give you the answer. My name is Sharran Srivatsaa and welcome to Business School.

[00:01:36] The age old rules of communication as we know it have completely changed. Why? Because that there’s so many ways to get a hold of somebody. You have the traditional phone call, and then you have meetings. That’s all there existed in the past. Maybe a letter, and then you introduced faxes. Well, There was a rules around these things, which was you had to get more meetings to [00:02:00] sell stuff, which is why you knocked on doors or you actually found it as a responsibility to respond to a letter if you got it.

[00:02:08] Maybe a friend wrote you a letter or a pen pal wrote your letter or a business associate wrote your letter. You feel compelled to respond to that letter or if you got a fax message, which is I still don’t know somebody who only gets faxes, which is crazy to me, by the way, that’s how he controls his life.

[00:02:23] But the crazy part is you were expected to respond to this message. But in today’s world, people don’t respond to stuff anymore. You know why? It’s because people have chosen their own method of communication. They’ve chosen they want to be communicated with in a certain way. They’ve chosen their primary mode of communication.

[00:02:43] Like, I’ll give you an example. I have a friend right now who, um, for this year, he’s giving up all phone calls. He’s given up all meetings. He’s given up all email and he wants to only run his entire life by text message, right? That’s very interesting because [00:03:00] I get 3, 000 text messages a day and I don’t want to communicate via text message.

[00:03:05] I don’t want anyone texting me and it’s really stressful for me to get Thousands of text messages because I just can’t keep up anymore. I’m very close to changing my number again. Now, the reason I say this is because different people have chosen different ways. I know some people that who’s one of a business partner of mine who really loves the phone.

[00:03:25] You call him, he will answer within the first ring. He will call you, and he’ll say, Hey, Sharran, uh, give me a call back. And I’ll call him back, and he’ll be like, I don’t know why I called you. And I’m like, why didn’t you leave me a voicemail saying, telling me exactly what this was about? But because he’s a phone person, he only wants to be Called on the phone.

[00:03:42] He only wants to talk on the phone and you may say, well, what’s wrong with that? There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m saying that in today’s world. We now have chosen the primary Communication mechanism for each of us. I’ll give you an example a couple of my best friends my business partners in ventures They only check text messages [00:04:00] now and maybe some whatsapp.

[00:04:01] They don’t check email And so for me, it’s very hard because every time they have a thought they will send a text message. It can be long They’ll send a voice memo it can be longer and With me getting three to 5, 000 text messages a day, it’s just very hard to keep up because then you go back and forth in the channel.

[00:04:17] It’s sometimes hard to mark something unread because you read it while, while you’re looking and it gets really difficult. And the reason for this is we have to realize that different people have different communication styles. If you emailed the guy that didn’t want to be emailed, you probably, you’re not going to get a response for a few days, and then you’re going to think he’s rude.

[00:04:36] If you called me. And you left me a voicemail. There is a 110 percent chance I am not calling you back because I don’t need to do that. I don’t want to do that. I hate calling people back. I hate talking on the phone. So then you realize, well, why, how do you get ahold of people in this world right now? Do you just make everything about a phone call?

[00:04:55] Part number one of this puzzle is you have to understand that we’re entering a communication [00:05:00] world where every single person has chosen their method, their mode of communication, because. Keeping up with everything is really hard and not everybody is good at every channel. So everyone has a favorite channel and it is our job to figure out what that channel is because then you have a better chance of having better rapport with that person.

[00:05:20] I know that my dad checks WhatsApp. I can text him on WhatsApp. Way faster than me texting him or calling him or whatever. I know that. I know that’s his primary method of communication. I try to make it easy on him. Well, I can’t make it easy on a thousand people. I can make it easy on five. Everyone else has to, you know, kind of work in my way of the world.

[00:05:40] Now that brings me to point number two. Point number two is it is amazing how many people, especially salespeople, you know, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, coaches, consultants, any salesperson loves calling and texting. They’re the masters of calling and texting. But here’s the crazy part. Those are the two methods I hate.

[00:05:58] I don’t like texting. [00:06:00] I don’t like talking on the phone. I don’t like either. Now, it doesn’t matter what you think. It doesn’t matter what I think. It doesn’t matter what your friend thinks. You may think it’s necessary for business. You may think it, but, but it’s not. It’s just because you or someone you know likes to communicate by talking on the phone or sending text messages and I just don’t.

[00:06:19] And how do we solve that problem? Well, here’s how you solve that problem. So I have a friend, as I told you, who likes text messages and I don’t, I like email and he doesn’t. Now, how do we communicate with each other? We have a good communication system. How do we communicate with each other? Let me tell you, and you’re not going to like it.

[00:06:36] It’s really, really simple. When he needs something from me, he uses my primary channel because he knows that the way to get ahold of me, because he needs my help, because I have status. He needs something from me. He needs a request from me, he needs me to do him a favor, he needs my help, because he needs my help, he has to follow my way.

[00:06:59] [00:07:00] And so he emails me because he knows that if he sends me a text message, on principle I won’t respond to him. But if I need something from him, I know that I have to go to his primary method. Now you may say, well, Sean, that’s really weird because blah, blah, blah, but that’s really what I’m trying to tell you, which is, the entire process.

[00:07:17] Point is that the world has just started to choose mechanism now 20 years ago if you called me I had to call you back if you wrote me a letter. I had to write you back I had to now I don’t because what’s gonna happen. I lose some business great. I just don’t want to do it And there are people like that.

[00:07:33] There are people like that. There are people who don’t respond to email. There are people who don’t respond to text messages. There are people who don’t respond to callbacks. It’s our job to figure out how to get a hold of these people in their primary medium. So instantly calling somebody just because you have their number, instantly texting somebody because you have their number, because if they’re not a call person, they’re a text person.

[00:07:50] They’re not. I am neither a call person nor a text person. I hate both. So if you call me and you text me, there’s a good chance. A phenomenal chance that you would never hear back from me. That’s [00:08:00] why cold callers don’t bother me. That’s why cold texters don’t bother me. That’s why people who text me don’t bother me because I just cannot respond because I get way too many calls and way too many text messages, right?

[00:08:09] And it’s important to know this because the next time you don’t just say, Hey, can I get your number so I can text you? Because you want to text, they don’t, they might not. Because if you texted me, I wouldn’t respond. So how do you get the right answer? The right answer is to figure out what’s going on. If you need something, you have to use the mechanism that that person preferred mechanism.

[00:08:29] And how do you find the mechanism? You ask, you say, Hey, I would love to find a way to communicate with you in the best possible mechanism for you. What’s the best channel for you? What do you prefer? If you said that to me, I’d be like, Hey, can you please email me? I will get back to you right away on email.

[00:08:43] I’m on, on top of my messages. And if you knew that. You would be in good graces with me, you would get better responses from me, you’d be, I’d be more helpful, I’d be less stressed, and I’d support you more, and I’d be more reliable. That’s what’s gonna happen. So, instead of just assuming that just because you [00:09:00] have a phone number, or just because you have an email address, or just because you have a text message number, or just because you have the WhatsApp or whatever, you just don’t assume that that’s how people want to be communicated with.

[00:09:08] I have friends that only want to communicate on WhatsApp. I don’t enjoy it as much because it’s one more app that I have to work through and I physically can’t keep up. And because I can’t keep up, I communicate with them less. That’s it. It does not matter if they’re important in my life. If they are, they’re going to now have to bend to my way.

[00:09:29] If not the stress and the friction that’s associated with the relationship is so high. Now you may say, Sharran, that’s really short sighted, et cetera. Now let me answer that with number three. Quick heads up. If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or executive, listen up. If you don’t have a virtual assistant team or offshore team yet, you’re doing it the hard way.

[00:09:49] Look, I’ve hired. Uh, 11 plus virtual assistants just in the last two years, just on Sharran brand. And since then, my brand has over five times, 500%. No exaggeration. [00:10:00] I used to do everything myself or pay bloated us salaries, but hiring offshore has been a total game changer. So here’s the deal. Finding a great VA honestly is not that easy.

[00:10:10] Vetting, interviewing, onboarding. It’s a lot. That’s why I work with assistantly. They handle all of it. Job descriptions, headhunting, interviews, onboarding, even setting you up for success. The whole shebang, you get three to four top tier candidates to choose from super quick, and they don’t stop until you’re set up for success.

[00:10:27] I work with assistantly, my network works with assistantly. And if you’re serious about growing and scaling your business, you should work with assistantly too. Uh, check them out at hireyourunicorn.com. Hireyourunicorn.com. Let’s get back to the show. First. I told you. That the world has changed and everybody has their own preferred communication method.

[00:10:49] Second, I told you that just because they are not, not a phone person, doesn’t mean they’re a text person. Just because they’re a text person doesn’t mean they’re not an email person. Just because you like something does not mean the other person likes it because [00:11:00] it is an accepted mode of communication.

[00:11:01] It’s not. That’s what’s really important. And here’s number three, though. The number three is the person who makes ridiculous requests. So let me explain what, what I mean by that. I got introduced to a couple of founders of a company and they wanted my help with something right. And the person who introduced me, I have a lot of faith in them.

[00:11:22] And so I have an obligation to respond to these entrepreneurs, these founders. And so I responded to the founders and I said, Hey, thank you. So and so for the introduction. Hey, founders looks, I’m super happy to be helpful. Could you guys give me some guidance on what you’re interested in and how I can specifically help?

[00:11:39] And, um, if it’s me or making introductions or whatever else, I’m happy to do it. We go back and forth on email three times and the founder does, they don’t tell me what they’re interested in. And finally I’m like, Hey guys, I would really appreciate, I want to help you. I want to support you. I mean this from the bottom of my heart.

[00:11:58] Like I will do whatever I can to support you. Could [00:12:00] you just give me some guidance on what you’re looking for? Are you trying to raise money? Are you trying to get advice? Are you trying to get somebody to demo your product? Are you trying to sell your product? Like, what is it? So I can help you either connect you with the right people or give you some guidance or make some introduction.

[00:12:13] What, what is it? And the guy who responds, I has the audacity to respond. And he’s like, well, you know, we’re a cool startup. And so we’re just keeping it vague right now. And I go, I don’t know how to help you, bro. That’s the problem, right? Or I’ll get messages from people like, Hey Sharran, could you, um, I really need to talk to you, can you give me a call?

[00:12:33] Which is actually kind of interesting because I don’t know what it’s about. I don’t know if it’s urgent. I don’t know if it’s actually for me or anything. I have no idea. And so I’ll reply and say, Hey, could you tell me what this is about so that I can prioritize and call you? And they’re like, well, it’s really important.

[00:12:49] And then if it’s really important that I make the call and then they’re like, Hey, Sean, so like, you know, what email service do you use? And I’m like, bro. This is crazy. I asked you what this was about, and you just asked me to call you. You [00:13:00] know why? Because you wanted me to call you. Or I’ll get a random DM saying, I’m really mad.

[00:13:05] Call me at this number. And I’m like, who are you? And I don’t care that you’re mad. But maybe I should. And that’s cool. I respect that. But the interesting part about this is, when someone just tells you to call them, you have no idea what it’s about. They don’t tell you what it’s about. And it’s very irritating.

[00:13:20] Because, I really want to help people, but if they don’t give me guidance on how to help them, it’s just really difficult. And most importantly, people, here’s the thing that I hate the most. The multi channel spam. They’ll text me, they’ll call me, they’ll email me, they’ll give me a DM on Instagram, they’ll give me a DM on Facebook, they’ll give me a DM on LinkedIn, and they’ll all write the same things.

[00:13:42] And they’ll say, can you please call me, can you please call me, can you please call me. And then I’ll call them and they’re like, Oh, I forgot what I called you about. And I’m like, you, you messaged me, you messaged about me in 17 places. I thought this was important. So please don’t do that to people because it’s really, really sad.

[00:13:58] And the reason I’m [00:14:00] sharing this with you is because in today’s world with AI and automation and all of that, all of us are in a role of influence, all of us in a role of relationship, all of us in a role of selling or influencing the sale of something. And if you don’t get the right communication method with the person, if you can’t have a bio individual model match on what that is, then it gets really hard to build and grow and, uh, have a great relationship, have a great business.

[00:14:26] For example, if you’re, if Oprah was your client and you called Oprah, but she only texted you back, but you still kept calling her and she kept texting you back. At some point, you’re going to realize that she’s not going to talk to you. Right? That happens often because salespeople especially don’t want to put anything in writing.

[00:14:44] So they’ll be like, Oh, um, let’s talk about it. Hey, do you have time for a quick call? No, I don’t have time for a quick call. Now it’s the cool one. Hey, do you want to hop on a zoom? I don’t want to hop on anything because unless you tell me what this is about, I will tell you this on average. 80 to 90%, and I’m not joking when I tell you this, on average, 80 [00:15:00] to 90 percent of the inquiries that I get for meetings can be solved with a short email or short voice memo.

[00:15:09] When I say 80 to 90%, I’m talking about thousands of text messages that I get on a daily basis and all of them want to call by the way, right? All of them are like, Hey, can you just talk for three minutes? And there’s no call that has ever been three minutes long because if a call was can only need to be three minutes long, they could give me the heads up on what it’s about in one minute on a voice memo.

[00:15:26] Or on an email, I will tell you 80 to 90 percent of inquiries I can solve. I have been able to solve and I continue to solve either on a short text message or a short email or a short voice memo. The others are, can be solved in a short call, 80 to 90%. You could solve without a call or a meeting. Now, of course, when you meet somebody new, you have to build rapport.

[00:15:49] When you, if it’s a high stakes sales situation, you have to meet with them. If, if they are too uppity and they need to feel the love and they need their ego stroked, then you got to do videos and you got to call them. I get all of that, [00:16:00] but still at the end of the day, you don’t realize that you’re putting the other person, you’re inconveniencing the other person.

[00:16:05] They don’t want to text message you. They don’t want to call you. Maybe they only want to email, or maybe they only want to meet up. We don’t have no idea. So we should ask. So my request to you is this. If you want to succeed in modern day communication, you should not just figure out how to get ahold of somebody.

[00:16:21] You should figure out what their primary channel is that they like to communicate in, and you should use that channel as much as possible, unless they request a different channel, because especially in the sales or report building, you want to be in the lowest friction channel for them. If you’re in text or, or calling with me, you’re in the highest friction channel with me.

[00:16:42] Okay. Like you’re not going to get any responses. Now, if you’d like to do that, go ahead and do that. That’s why there are times when I know the person’s trying to bait me and I will not respond because they know that they’re better off emailing me. And I’m good about being really a high priority and high and very responsive on my, on my messages.[00:17:00]

[00:17:00] So my request to you is this. I see it happen in my own life. I see it happen with thousands of people messaging me, even though I’ve communicated with them. You’re probably seeing this too. And someone has to tell you, but no one will. And I’m trying to tell you this. We are now in the age of number one, where people are choosing their preferred mode of communication.

[00:17:18] And it’s our job to figure out what it is. Number two, It’s just because you like something doesn’t mean they like that. Just because you like the phone doesn’t mean they like that. Just because you like text messages doesn’t mean they like that. You gotta ask them, Hey, would you rather talk on the phone or would you prefer text messages?

[00:17:32] Would you rather prefer to email or should we jump on Zoom? You gotta give them some options. And number three, Don’t do blankets like multi channel spam or just ask for communication without giving a rationale. Don’t just say, Hey Sharran, I’d really like to talk to you for 15 minutes. I’m like, I don’t know what it’s about.

[00:17:48] Hey Sharran, I’m thinking about X, Y, Z, I’ve done XYZ research. I’m stuck in this situation. I would appreciate a few minutes with you. Do you prefer a phone or, you know, can I send you [00:18:00] my questions via email? That would be super helpful because I can be like, oh yeah, this is actually easier solved by doing X or Y and I can support you with that.

[00:18:07] And now it’s also you laying out all your cards and, and it’s being super helpful. Right. So if you want to succeed in this modern world, the rules of communication have changed, you got to let people know. Being the preferred mode, you got to find out that preferred mode. You got to stay in that preferred mode.

[00:18:20] You got to get out of your preferred mode. And there I’d find a way where you can reduce the friction in the right channel for people so that they enjoy communicating with you and enjoy doing business with you.

[00:18:37] Hey, it’s Sharran, I have a cool gift for you. Since you like this podcast, I actually have an ultra super secret private podcast that I make just for my partner companies and the CEOs and influencers that I advise. It’s called 10 K wisdom because I try to wrap 10, 000 worth of value in every single episode in just under 10 minutes.

[00:19:01] That’s why it’s called 10 K wisdom. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s got no intro or outro or anything like that. It’s just straight to the point and to the insights. Since you like this podcast, I think you will like that. So for the first time, I’m making it available to you. Just go to 10Kwisdom.com the number 10K wisdom.com and my team will activate it for you as my gift. Go to 10Kwisdom.com. I’ll see you there.