Question 1) You need to follow up with a site selector who went quiet after a promising meeting. Which subject line actually gets opened?
- A) Following up on our previous conversation
- B) Quick question: Millbrook site availability
- C) Per my last email: an important update
- D) URGENT: Time-sensitive opportunity for your consideration
Correct answer — B: Yes! Specific, low-pressure, and relevant to what they actually care about. A site selector’s inbox is chaotic, so give them a reason to open, not a reason to scroll past.
Wrong answer: Ouch. Vague follow-ups get buried, passive-aggressive callbacks get deleted, and ‘URGENT’ screams desperation. The sweet spot is specificity and a light touch.
Question 2) A reporter asks why a major prospect decided not to locate in your community. Your honest answer is complicated. What do you lead with?
- A) A list of all the factors that were out of your control
- B) The positive: what the prospect said they liked
- C) A direct, one-sentence summary of the primary reason, followed by context
- D) A request to schedule a longer conversation before you say anything
Correct answer — C: Exactly right. Lead with clarity, follow with nuance. Give the headline first, then the story.
Also a strong answer — D: This can be effective if your goal is to build the relationship and help educate the reporter. Offering a follow-up creates space for a more complete, informed conversation.
Wrong answer: Defensive lists, spin, and stalling all signal the same thing: discomfort with the truth. Directness builds trust, even when the news isn’t great.
Question 3) Your newsletter open rates are solid, but click-throughs are meh. Which change is most likely to move the needle?
- A) Send more frequently so people don’t forget you
- B) Replace your single CTA with five different options
- C) Make your subject lines more descriptive and your single CTA more specific
- D) Add a stock photo of a handshake to every email
Correct answer — C: One clear ask beats an array of options every time. And please, not another stock handshake!
Wrong answer: More frequency + more options + more stock photos = more unsubscribes.
Question 4) A developer sends a curt email about your site-selection process. You’re annoyed. What’s your move?
- A) Reply immediately to set the record straight
- B) Forward it to colleagues and complain
- C) Wait 24 hours, then respond with a specific acknowledgment and one clear question
- D) Write a detailed rebuttal and save it as a draft…just in case
Correct answer — C: This is the move. Time is your friend here. Acknowledgment shows you heard them; a single question invites dialogue instead of a defensive spiral.
Wrong answer: Immediate rebuttals escalate. Drafts you “save just in case” have a way of getting sent.
Question 5) You want to check whether an AI-drafted paragraph sounds like you or sounds like a generic AI. What’s the most reliable test?
- A) Run it through an “AI detector” tool
- B) Ask a colleague if it “sounds professional.”
- C) Ask yourself: would I say this out loud at a meeting?
- D) Compare it to communications from another organization
Correct answer — C: The meeting test is the one. If you’d wince saying it out loud to a room of people who know you, it’s not your voice, and it lacks your warmth.
Wrong answer: AI detectors aren’t always accurate. “Professional” is a vague target. Your own gut check, applied to actual speaking situations, is more reliable than any of these.
If this quiz made you laugh, groan, or fantasize about forwarding it to a colleague who shall remain nameless, that’s the point. Good communication is a few honest habits, applied consistently. If you want a thought partner to help you find your signal and sharpen it, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line!
