Are You Equivalent to Human Spam?

We have all received spam in our inbox.  The messages are usually irrelevant most likely unsolicited, and generally for the purposes of advertising, phishing, or spreading malware.  Our reaction to spam is commonly not positive.  The main reason is because spam commands our attention with no return on the investment.  The message demands we do something, generally a preventative act to ensure we don’t get bothered again, i.e. we need move the message to the junk folder, flag it as spam or delete it.  This all takes time and it detracts from our day not adds value to it.

The question for you this week is,

‘Are your persuasive appeals becoming akin to Human Spam’?

When you send an email, make a call or speak up in a meeting do people zone out?  Do they become disinterested?  The reason this is important is because you do not want to be seen as Human Spam.  While it is obvious, for our purposes Human Spam is someone who makes irrelevant requests or takes up the time of others with no net return on the invested time.

We can generally group this into the following categories:

Not the Decision Maker:  This can happen when you target the wrong person with your request.  If the Decision Maker has a high level of power but no interest in what you proposing you are consuming their time.  You become an unsolicited distraction and one they would prefer to avoid in the future because they label you Human Spam.

Not prepared:  Perhaps worse that targeting the wrong person is getting time with the right person and wasting it.  Being unprepared, winging it, and generally presenting a poorly formed message will see you being labelled as Human Spam.  You command attention but for no real return on effort.  This can see the Decision Maker become annoyed and perhaps even resentful because of your approach.

Not focused:  Being focused is critical when conveying a message.  It needs to be clear and concise with an obvious call to action at the end.  If your messages are confusing, longwinded and generally confusing – yep you guessed it – Human Spam.

Not adding value:  If you are not adding value, but are simply regurgitating the same old information, spinning it in the same old way, or perhaps using a new spin but on the same old information; you are not adding value for the persuadee and hence become labelled as Human Spam.

Malingerer:  The person who seemingly has nothing better to do but take up the time of others.  They are a social parasite, not unlike a leech, gorging themselves on the time and energy of their victim, for their own benefit and self-gratification.

All of the above lead to disinterest and in persuasion, disinterest is death.  If your persuadee is disinterested they will not be open to your ideas, they will not be interested in taking on the hard yards and putting in the effort required to get behind you and your request.  Instead they will see you as taking up valuable space in their day and label you and/or your idea as Spam.

The problem is, once labelled as Spam, it is a very tough road back.  Many Decision Makers are time poor and they do not appreciate people taking it unnecessarily.  Therefore if you are a Human Spammer they will avoid you in meetings, conversations and perhaps more generally in everyday interactions.

Implication for you

Before sending that email or making that phone call, before putting your hand up in a meeting or adding your opinion, ask yourself

“Is what I am about to say going to add value?” 

If you feel that what you about to say will perhaps take up the other person’s time with no net benefit to them or your relationship with them – don’t say it!

I first heard of Human Spam from branding specialist Sally Hogshead and she said

“Every time you communicate, you are either adding value, or taking up space”

I loved it.

What do you want be known for?  Do you want to be the person who adds value or the one who takes up time unnecessarily?

Ultimately your intention is not the test here.  The perception of the persuadee is what matters.  If they see you or what you say as not adding value, you are just taking up space.

Self-edit.

Stop talking.

Do more research.

Come back when you can inform, inspire and help them to improve their situation.

Attention is a finite resource.  Don’t ask for it unless you can do something with it!

 

 

 

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