Give people an unusual deadline in your emails and letters. It makes your deadline mean something. Always works as long as you’ve been regular with previous follow ups, because you’ve created a pattern.
And they will worry. They will believe your deadline and, because they’re worried, they’ll respond and do something.
Consider the following …
YOUR WORDING (vague deadline) “If this account still remains outstanding at the end of this month …”
TYPICAL REACTION – Uh huh. Yeh. What-Ever.
YOUR WORDING (more specific) “If this account still remains outstanding on 30th September …”
TYPICAL REACTION – wonder if they mean that.
YOUR WORDING (very specific) “If this account still remains outstanding at 2.00pm on Wednesday, 16th September”
TYPICAL REACTION – What’s going to happen at one minute past two?
Yet another reason to Start Early. 🙂
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