E-mail Explicitness

ex·plic·it –adjective

1. fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal: explicit instructions; explicit language.
2. clearly developed or formulated: explicit knowledge; explicit belief.
3. definite and unreserved in expression; outspoken: He was quite explicit as to what he expected us to do for him.

Now that we are clear on the above, apply this to your e-mails. If you receive an e-mail that asks several questions — answer each one, point-by-point. Don’t just hit reply and type a general statement at the top of the e-mail that doesn’t cover all the issues presented.

Explicitness in your e-mail communications helps to avoid misunderstandings and confusion. If you top-post, (the bad habit of just typing a cryptic reply at the top of an e-mail without including any e-mail etiquette) you are taking the lazy way out and showing the person who e-mailed you that you are not capable of succinct replies.

Learn how to, and practice, the down-editing of your replies to avoid unnecessary back and forths for clarification. Down-editing will also show that it is important to you to be a clear communicator and will speak volumes as to what it will be like to communicate with you. PIA or joy?

Don’t just reply with what point or info you want to relay — reply to the specifics of the e-mail that was sent to you. Not doing so will demonstrate a lack of courtesy for those who e-mail you causing them to have to send an additional e-mail for clarification. In business, replying without displaying this level of attention to detail will undermine your potential for success as well as show your lack of professionalism.

Get the the Business Email Etiquette eBook so you know the enuances of online business communications.

E-mail Explicitness

ex·plic·it –adjective

1. fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; unequivocal: explicit instructions; explicit language.
2. clearly developed or formulated: explicit knowledge; explicit belief.
3. definite and unreserved in expression; outspoken: He was quite explicit as to what he expected us to do for him.

Now that we are clear on the above, apply this to your e-mails. If you receive an e-mail that asks several questions — answer each one, point-by-point. Don’t just hit reply and type a general statement at the top of the e-mail that doesn’t cover all the issues presented.

Explicitness in your e-mail communications helps to avoid misunderstandings and confusion. If you top-post, (the bad habit of just typing a cryptic reply at the top of an e-mail without including any Business E-mail Etiquette) you are taking the lazy way out and showing the person who e-mailed you that you are not capable of succinct replies.

Don’t just reply with what point or info you want to relay — reply to the specifics of the e-mail that was sent to you. Not doing so will demonstrate a lack of courtesy for those who e-mail you causing them to have to send an additional e-mail for clarification. In business, replying without displaying this level of attention to detail will undermine your potential for efficient communications.

Learn how to, and practice, the down-editing of your replies to avoid unnecessary back and forths for clarification. Down-editing will also show that it is important to you to be a clear communicator and will speak volumes as to what it will be like to communicate with you. PIA or joy?

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!

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