As the producer of OnlineNetiquette.com, I get email daily from across the globe (literally) asking my assistance or guidance with site visitors' dilemmas or questions. And, I am always pleased to help based on my many years of experience. The site has grown and evolved based on visitor requests and suggestions to now become one of the most popular on the Internet on the topic.
OnlineNetiquette.com has a cross mix of technology orientation and the basics of participating in technology with courtesy and knowledge. It is targeted at those new to the online arena, new to email and those who sincerely care how they will be perceived and are willing to learn new things. Personally, perceptions - take them or leave them - folks don't know you and who cares. With business you need to care about the type of impression you make that can determine if someone will do business with you - or not. The online survey that has been run on the site for over 6 months now, proves I am not alone in wanting to insure onliners understand the importance of using technology properly to insure that the online world doesn't degrade to a point where folks no longer want to participate.
Based on recent requests from the press at large to write an article that was in "Top 10" format solely targeted at Business folks and email, what I thought I would offer here is a brief on the issues business owners minimally need to be aware of in their online communications. Mastering of your email skills goes a long way towards forging the most professional perception you can with any potential customer you may communicate with via email.
So, by request, here are the Top 10 Business Email Basics - although these are not the end all be all - they can insure you avoid lost opportunity due to improper email habits:
- Level of Formality: Never assume a position of informality in your business email. Only time and relationship building efforts can guide when you can informalize your business relationships. And, in some cases that time may never arise. Some customers will always prefer formalities while others will prefer a more relaxed tone. Let each individual client guide you on what they prefer. Do not assume that email is impersonal or informal in your business communications. It is very personal - a window into the type of person you are. If for commercial/business reasons, one should communicate as if email is on their company letterhead at all times. This is your business's image you are branding. To prematurely communicate informally in a professional relationship, regardless of mode of communication used, can cause a negative perception with those who you have not yet solidified your relationship with.
- Addressing: How do you address your new contacts? I would suggest you assume the highest level of courtesy: Hello, Mr. Anderson, Dear Ms. Smith, Dr. Osborne, etc. Until your new contact states, "call me Andy" or "you can call me Diane", keep it formal until it is clear the relationship dictates otherwise. You will also be able to get clues by how they approach you and their tone. For example, I use Judi and Judith depending on the client and the relationship. Some clients actually prefer to call me Judith - fine. While others have picked up on my signature noting Judi and fall right into a more relaxed relationship. Most folks don't mind being called by their first name, however, in a global economy that can be perceived as taking premature liberties in the relationship and have a negative impact.
- To, From, Bcc, Cc fields can make or break you:
- In the TO: field be sure to have your contact's name formally typed. John B. Doe - not john b doe or JOHN B DOE.
- In the FROM: field be sure to have your name formally typed. Example: Jane A. Smith. Not: jane a smith or JANE A SMITH. The later two give the perception of lack of education or limited experience with technology.
- Bcc: use this field when emailing a group of folks who do not personally know each other. By listing an arms length list of email addresses in the CC or TO field of folks who do not know each other or have never met is publishing their email address to strangers. No matter how great the list of people may be to you, never make this decision for others! This is a privacy issue! With those you are forging partnerships with, listing their email address in with a group of strangers will make one wonder what other privacy issues you do not respect or understand. Not good.
- Cc: This field is used for when there are a couple of folks involved in a discussion that requires all be on the same page. These business people know each other or have been introduced and have no problem having their email address exposed to the parties involved. If you are not sure if a business associate would mind their address being made public, ask!
- Formatting: Refrain from using it in your business communications. Unless you would type something in bold crimson letters on business letterhead, you don't do it when emailing for commercial gain. Makes you look like the spammers or snake oil emailers that all too often fill our inboxes. Also, keep in mind that your recipients may not have their email program configured in such a way as to display your formatting the way you would like - if at all.
- Attachments: All email accounts have capacity limits. Do you think your relationship with a potential new customer is enhanced when you send them that 5M Power Point presentation they didn't request and you fill up their inbox shutting down their email causing subsequent business correspondence to bounce as undeliverable? Nope. And, if they don't have Power Point they couldn't open the file anyway! Don't assume your potential customers have the software you do to open any file you may arbitrarily send. First let's get this straight. Just because you can physically instruct a computer to attach a file of that size doesn't mean you should. You could also instruct your computer to reformat/erase your hard drive but you don't do you?
If you ever need to send a file over 100,000 in size you need to compress it or zip it up. (winzip.com) And, even then, business courtesy dictates you ask the recipient first if it is O.K. to send a file of that size, confirm they have the same software/version you do and what is the best time of day to do so to insure they are available to download the large file and keep their email flowing. One cannot discuss attachments without bringing up Viruses - give a client a destructive virus and your chances of forming a positive relationship will be minimized.
- Using Previous Email for New Correspondence: If you want to give the perception of lazy, find a previous email from the party you want to communicate with, hit reply and start typing about something completely irrelevant to the old email's subject. Start a new email and add your contacts to your address book so you can add them with one click.
- Down Edit Your Replies: Don't just hit reply and start typing. Email editing is a skill that takes time, diligence and effort to master. And, this is a skill those you communicate with will appreciate as it lends to reflecting a respect for their time and clarity in your communications. Removing parts of the previous email that do not apply to your response including email headers and signature files removes the clutter and keeps the conversation on track with fewer misunderstandings.
- Common Courtesy: Hello, Hi, Good Day, Thank You, Sincerely, Best Regards. All those intros and sign offs that are a staple of professional business communications should also be used in your business email communications. Always have a salutation and sign off with every email. Here again - think business letterhead.
- UCE or Spam: Never ever send anything to anyone that they did not request you send. This is called Spamming and can get your email and hosting account cancelled and blacklisted within the global network making emailing you or visiting your Web site impossible. No matter how great you think your product or service is you must use legitimate practices to market yourself online and sending UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) is certainly not one of them.
- Signature files: Don't have overly long signature files of more than 5 lines (including your signoff and name) as this is viewed as a bit egocentric. Keep your signature file at around 4-5 lines, Web site link, company name, and slogan or phone number. Include a link to your site that folks can get all your contact information from A-Z including all your awards and associations - that is what your site is for.
Always include the "http://" when including your Web site address within emails and your signature file to insure it is recognized as a clickable URL regardless of the user's software or platform. If you include quotes in your signature file be sure they are relative to your business or service. Famous quotations needed to be used carefully keeping in mind the quotes may not be appropriate for business communications, may reflect a personal opinion that your potential client may not agree with, or you may inadvertently offend recipients.
The above Top 10 will certainly allow your business communications to rise above the majority who do not take the time to understand and master these issues. When forging new business relationships and solidifying established partnerships, the level of professionalism and courtesy you relay in your business email communications will always gain clients over the competition that may be anemic, uninformed or just plain lazy in this area. When it comes to business, regardless of mode of communication used, professionalism and courtesy never go out of style. |