Don’t Ignore Your Business E-mail Etiquette

One top overlooked things new online business owners disregard the importance of is to address their Business E-mail Etiquette Skills — or lack thereof.

Many are used to only communicating with family and friends and in their incorrect belief that e-mail is an informal communication tool, proceed to communicate on behalf of their business in a way that does not lend to being perceived as an educated, credible professional.

Just because you may be typing in your jammies on the couch does not mean you relay that level of casualness in your business e-mails.

Online, perception is the only reality. Type like a sixth grader and that is how you will be perceived. Send e-mails with little courtesy, filled with types and incomplete sentences and how can you expect new customers to trust their hard earned dollars with you?

For an investment of under fifteen bucks you can have all these bases covered and take the risk that you will be perceived negatively right off the table by reading, absorbing and then putting into practice the information in the following eBook:

Business E-mail Etiquette eBook

Then, while you are at that site, sign up to get updates and you’ll get the author’s weekly posts delivered right into your inbox. This is a competitive issue folks and one you cannot risk being outperformed on!

Business E-mail & First Impressions

Probably several times each week through one of my Blogs or postings out there online, someone gives me a hard time about how I am too aggressive with my opinions when it comes to business e-mail etiquette and that I make a “big deal” out of nothing. To me, when it comes to business, e-mail etiquette is common sense — and a big deal.

They go on to say how all this “e-mail etiquette stuff” really doesn’t matter if you do a good job, if people know you, if you run a long time business. Who do I think I am setting these rules? Another “Who made you judge, jury and executioner when it comes to e-mail?” Yikes! Everyone judges you by your e-mail whether you know it or not! And, I’ve never known anyone who was executed for poor business e-mail skills, fired maybe but not executed. One has to then wonder how they run other aspects of their business.

There is nothing wrong with caring about how you are perceived especially in the rabidly competitive arena called online business. Most normal folks get up in the morning, take a shower, iron their clothes, groom their hair — all because they care about how they look and they want to make that all important good impression. Not necessarily because of what others may think but also because you want to put your best foot forward.

When you send an e-mail in all small case, filled with typos and grammatical errors, what is the person on the other side of the screen to think about what it will be like to do business with you? Well, those who know you very well will probably shrug their shoulders and wonder why you don’t make these simple efforts to communicate like the professional they know you are. While those who don’t know you will form an impression about your business, attention to detail and credibility.

Some of these impressions include what level of education you may not have (educated folks communicate in an educated manner) and why you do not seem to care about how others will view you by simply communicating properly. Neither of which are positive.

First impressions happen and you can control what they will be and many times only have one chance to rise above your perceived competitors. Why not make the simple effort to practice proper Business E-mail Etiquette? The benefits are many and believe me — it won’t hurt!

Laziness in E-mail Addressing

When I get addressed as “Dear Sir/Madam” in any e-mail, I know the Sender is lazy. How do I know this? Because my sites are so me. With just one or two clicks you know that “” is the person behind the site. I’m not a Sir, nor do I consider myself a Madam!

So, if one wants to contact me with a business related e-mail and uses this greeting, I know they are probably not too discriminating in who they are contacting with their offer. They just want to get their collateral in front of whomever is behind the site.

One would think they would want to know about the person behind the site before e-mailing therefore actually finding my name. Nope — they don’t care about who I am — they just want to get their message across with the least amount of effort. What do you think that says about your business or “opportunity?”

Then, there are those who e-mail and address me by name. Some use Ms. Kallos or — either way, I know they took a moment of their time to know who they are e-mailing and to address me by name. How nice is that!? I can tell you I take offers or requests from folks who e-mail in that manner much more seriously than e-mails from those who just want to copy and paste and hit Send.

Particularly in business, this little extra E-mail Etiquette effort when it comes to your business e-mail goes along way to impressing the other side with the seriousness and professionalism of your request.

What is a business person to do if they can’t find a name to specifically address their e-mail to? Pick up the old fashioned telephone and ask! Are we becoming telephobic?

Details matter when it comes to business e-mails. And, more times than not, e-mail is not the best mode of first contact. Make the extra effort to pick up the phone and give a call, introduce yourself and ask if you may e-mail additional information. Now, that’s how you do business (and get the best results)!

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