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!

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)!

Always Communicate Professionally with a Dash of Humility

Go to any of my sites and you know I am big on e-mail etiquette. It simply is a practice that allows you to be perceived favorably and professionally. Educated professionals communicate in an educated and professional manner.  Period.

There is one business in particular that I work with that always comes off as terse and demanding in almost every e-mail they’ve sent. No Hellos or Thank Yous, no closings and very few complete sentences. Always cryptic thoughts and blurbs. Maybe a sentence or two per e-mail stating what they want.

Up until now, I took it in stride. Until today. When I replied to an e-mail, point by point, I get a reply from them back in all caps. The caps were typed purposely to emphasize their point that assumed I did not understand what they meant and I was at fault in regard to what they perceived to be me not doing my job.

First, don’t ever yell in your e-mail.  No one appreciates being yelled at and there is no reason to resort to that level of communication in your business e-mails.   Secondly, don’t point fingers and type accusations when you are a cryptic communicator as though the other side should be able to read your mind and know what you “meant.”

In this case the person was irate that their site wasn’t live and insinuated I wasn’t thorough.  When in reality, all they had to do was clear their browser’s cache and hit reload to see their new site that was launched as I stated. No apology followed after clearly communicating in an insulting manner that was unnecessary and completely wrong in tone and content.

The lesson here grasshopper? Type in complete thoughts with clarity.  If you have to type “that isn’t what I meant” then you need to work on your communication skills.  And, before you make insulting insinuations to those technology partners that clearly know more than you, check your own backyard and make sure there is nothing on your side that you could be doing, not doing or not understanding to create the perceived issue at hand.

Do You Make Folks Cringe?

We all have one or two folks that when we see their name in our inbox it makes us cringe. Speaking from a professional business POV alone, I can say that when I cringe it is because I know the sender is one that is not a clear communicator, rarely takes my recommendation and basically makes me inefficient.

When it comes to the e-mails I receive on a daily basis through this site asking about my services or for my assistance, I am continually surprised at how many onliners seem to not want to make a positive impression.  They make no effort to try and impress me with their communications skills and understanding of what it is I do (maybe it is the “I’m the customer” attitude that they feel negates them from having to make an effort to communicate as though one made it out of 6th grade?)

All too many think that starting an e-mail with a nice greeting is trivial or unnecessary.  They clearly do not realize how their request will be perceived as bossy, demanding or terse. Or to include their name and a closing statement is a waste of time.  Remember what I said earlier this week about people doing business with people they like?  How can someone think they would like working with you if you can’t take the time to include your name and a “Thank in Advance!” or “I look forward to hearing from you!”?

Let’s compare based on an actual e-mail received by yours truly. First, the e-mailer who feels greetings, clarity, proper sentence structure and courtesy are not necessary:

i need a new site… my old one sucks… i was ripped off… what can YOU do for me???????

Hmmm… If this person took just a little time perusing my site and the 100s pages of free information contained within — they would have clear idea what I can do for them.  And, I’m sorry you feel you got ripped off and your site sucks — has nothing to do with me, my services or what I can do for you.

No specifics, no “Hello”, proper sentence structure or courtesy involved — just a statement of what the sender wants to get across.  The mulitple question marks are the frosting on the cake.  E-mails like that get a very different response from me than what the next example would garner.

Now, let’s just add a bit of clarity with a touch of courtesy…

Hello, :

Hope you are having a nice day!  I was wondering if you could check out my Web site, my URL is… (domain name).  I am not proud of this site and unfortunately, am not at all pleased with the person I previously contracted to help me out.

I’ve read a bunch of info on your site and feel you can help me get back on track.  Would you mind looking at my site and telling me how you feel we should proceed.  Thank you in advance for your time and suggestions!

Carry Client

Wow — what a difference! The second example was courteous, clear in their request by providing the necessary details and signed off in a manner that makes one feel as though my efforts are appreciated.  It also was a clear window into exactly what it would be like to work with this individual specifically by e-mail — our main mode of communciation.

Now, based on thee above, which of these potential inquiries would you choose to work with?

Can you see how the very same request can be perceived completely differently simply by taking the time to add a few details and common courtesy? Just taking the time to communicate clearly, succinctly and with courtesy will ensure you attract and nurture the best virtual relationships possible.

Proper Use of E-mail Return Receipts (RR)

Do you have those you communicate with who use the RR feature with every single e-mail they send you?

Return receipts are a way of knowing that an e-mail has been opened on the recipient’s computer. It does not however, mean that they have read it.

I’ve found those who engage RR for every single e-mail are the folks that seem to want to know when you receive their e-mail even if the content is not critical or important – sort of a control thing.  Or, it could be your friend or associate does not even know they have this option selected.  Maybe nicely e-mailing them with a “Did you know…..?” can let them know this is not a feature to be used for every single casual e-mail.

RRs are to be used sparingly. Do not use Return Receipt Request (RR) for each and every personal e-mail you send because you like “knowing” when someone opens the e-mail you sent to them. Not only is this a pain for the recipient, this feature is annoying and intrusive!

How would you like it if every time you heard a voice mail, answering machine message, opened a postal letter from a friend it was immediately reported back to sender that you had heard/opened their communications? RRs should be reserved for those instances where it is critical to knowing the e-mail was received/opened. Such instances would include legal and important business issues.

It is important to know that some e-mail programs allow the recipient to decline an RR. I know when I receive RR requests; I decline. It is none of anyone’s bees wax when I open any particular e-mail. That said, on those extremely rare occasions when it is an important matter and I can understand why there is an RR requested I go ahead and give my approval.

In the past I have used RR for legal issues and important company matters where I want to have some sort of proof or trail to document that an e-mail was sent and subsequently opened. I’ve never found a reason to use RRs with personal e-mails to friends or family nor have I used them in my daily business e-mail communications.

Now that I think about it — I don’t even remember the last time I initiated a RR request!

So Business E-mail Etiquette Doesn’t Apply to You?

I take my business e-mails very seriously and personally. See, I understand that those who don’t know me at all or too well will be determining if the want to do business with me. They do this initially by virtue of the level of professionalism displayed in my e-mail communications — which will contribute to how easily it will be to partner, work with or hire me.

Once you begin working with me, I immediately start coaching on Business E-mail Etiquette practices. This is for my clients own good — whether they know it or not — to ensure that they are perceived as the credible professionals they are, or need to work on becoming. All to give them the best shot at success in this über competitive online market.

Those who are serious about their online image; immediately embrace the information and resources I provide. While others, even 10 years later and after many a suggestion to work on or hone these skills, refuse to integrate any form of courtesy or professionalism in their e-mails. They must feel e-mail etiquette doesn’t apply to them?

They know how to configure the little blurb about sending from their “crackberry.” They certainly know where the exclamation point and question mark keys are so that they can hit them redundantly. So effort is being made — just not in the appropriate areas to make sure they provide pleasant and professional communications.

Forget about nice greetings and throwing in a gratuitous “thanks for your help” or “TIA!”. Instead demands and questions are blurted out in one line, typo laden e-mails that make me wonder what their customers are thinking by virtue of the way they choose to communicate.

Yes, it is a choice about how you will be perceived. It is your choice how you choose to communicate with the written word. And, it is your choice as to whether you use technology with knowledge, understand and courtesy. Are you a professional? Are you educated? Could have fooled me…

What I am most curious about is why you feel e-mail etiquette doesn’t apply to you and that it is something you can choose to ignore and not embrace. Please do pipe in and let me know… I’ve yet to hear a valid business reason given as to why business onliners choose to be rude, terse and illiterate instead of making the minuscule efforts necessary to be view favorably as the expert professionals that potential customers will choose to do business with.

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