Gentlemen, Antonio here.
Today, I'm going to go over five texting secrets that I think every man needs to know.
Now, I'm coming from the background of texting has only become part of my life in the last
few years.
I didn't grow up with it which most of the world did not.
I know some of you younger guys are like "Was there a world before texting?"
Yes, there was.
The hard part for me was I really didn't want to add a lot of complexity to my life.
My cell plan, in fact, charged me extra for texting up until a few years ago.
But now that I've been using it, I have found wow.
What a great way to communicate.
It's helped improve the relationship with my family, with my business.
I'm going to get into this, into the five secrets.
I know some of these may not be new to some of you, but I think that some of you guys
are going to be blown away at the information I'm about to reveal.
It's all based off of research.
If you want that research, go check out the article.
I had this written with my friend Claudia over at Text Weapon.
She is an expert on texting.
She has done an amazing job, has a great course.
If you're interested in learning more, you definitely want to go check her out.
All right, guys.
Let's get into the tips.
Texting secret number one isn't really much of a secret, especially if you're in the field
of communication.
That is is that texting is set to become the number one preferred method of communication.
Why does this matter?
Because it may not be something you enjoy.
You may like to get on the phone and talk with people.
You may prefer email over text.
But the point is if it's the number one preferred method and you want to maintain relationships
with your family, with your kids, with your wife, or with your business colleagues, you're
going to have to go to them to the path that they prefer, because you don't want to be
left behind.
If you're out there dating, you're out there meeting people, you're dating women in their
30s, maybe even in their 20s, and they spend a lot more time on their phones, this is something
you've resisted.
However, if you want to be able to communicate with them, you have to understand those rules
and that this is something you can't ignore.
Now, secret number two is really interesting.
This comes out of a recent University of Nebraska study.
You can go check out the study right here in the article.
The study said that 80% of people are going to be more honest whenever they're using text
versus face to face.
When I saw this, I was blown away.
Are you kidding me?
You're going to be more honest with someone just texting them right on your phone than
if you were actually sitting across from them?
It turns out that people, when they're put in that situation, they don't like to say
things face to face.
It's hard for them to tell you the honest truth.
Maybe that's why we have so many breakups, or they tell really tough stuff or hard things
right across with text.
But the point is people are going to be more honest in text.
If you want to get a straight up answer, if you don't want them to beat around the bush,
you want to hear the truth, then perhaps text is going to be a communication form you want
to use.
Texting secret number three is that 99% of texts are open.
What does that mean?
Basically, if you send a text and you know that the number's right, that this person
has communicated with you in the past, you're pretty much guaranteed that they are going
to get that message.
Compare that with email, which you never know.
There are tracing systems.
But you can't always see if somebody gets an email.
Many people don't check their email every single day.
All of a sudden, you send something.
If it's time sensitive, text is going to work out.
Really cool with that 99% -- 90% of them are read within three minutes.
Not only is it a very high open write, it's almost an instant open write.
Why does this also matter in business?
Think about that.
If you're wanting to communicate with somebody, you want a quick answer.
You want to make sure that you know what gets them.
Send a text.
You're at the end of the month.
You need to close a deal on that sale.
I'm like "Hey, man.
I need to know, are you in or out?"
You're going to get most likely a more honest answer and a quicker answer if you send a
text.
Texting secret number four is that texting increases intimacy.
A lot of people complain "Oh, everyone's always looking at their phones.
People aren't talking and communicating."
Honestly, the research doesn't back it up.
People are actually doing a better job building intimacy nowadays using technology.
I know.
Hard to believe.
Again, go check out the research here in the article.
But what they found is that just like before, we usually have about five people that we
constantly engage with, but texting gives us the ability to build up intimacy with little
frequent one-on-one small messages going back and forth.
My personal experience with this is building a better relationship with my wife and her
love of ice skating with my daughters.
I just don't go with them all the time to the ice rink.
I go to the events, but I'm not there for the practice.
But you know what?
In the last year, I've been getting all of these little videos, all these little pictures,
all these messages.
I get these little videos almost every other day of my daughters ice skating.
Now, all of a sudden, I feel much more connected.
Even though I can't be there, we've built that intimacy.
Texting secret number five: texting is oftentimes misconstrued.
Basically, we have a breakdown of communication.
Think about it.
There's a guy in Meridian out in UCLA.
I don't always agree with this research.
Some of it has been a little bit debunked.
But what he did show is that most of our communication is through body language and the visuals and
the way it's presented.
Understand that what you say is oftentimes just a small piece of the actual communication.
With text, all we're seeing is what you're saying.
We don't see your body language.
We don't see the way it's said.
So oftentimes, if you try to communicate humor in text, it can be misconstrued.
You think you were being funny.
Somebody can find you offensive.
Oftentimes, you just don't have time to get back, and they can't see that you're busy.
What they know is that that text was probably delivered.
You were going back and forth, and now they send you a question.
Instead of you giving them an immediate response, you don't send anything.
If text is so oftentimes misunderstood and misconstrued, you need to understand the rules.
You need to understand, especially if you're at an early part in a relationship.
You need to make sure that you're very clear with that person.
"Hey, got your text.
I'll get back with you in two hours after this movie."
Or "I'm spending time with my family.
Can't text.
Will get back to you."
Auto correct you guys know all the things that can go into miscommunication in text.
When you understand that, you realize, if you're going to use it, use it correctly.
Otherwise, it can actually hurt you.
Guys, that is it for all the tips I'm going to give you today.
Go check out the article.
I think you're going to love it.
2,000 words.
A lot of detail here.
Probably one of the best ones on the internet when it comes to text and understanding the
information.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Should we do more about texting or things like this?
If you would have certain rules about texting that you think everyone needs to know, I'd
love to hear from you guys.
I'll see you in the next video.