Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
Email Etiquette – 5 Tips on Small Business Communication
Monday, June 21, 2010 by Matt Hymel
Business meetings are important to build and maintain a solid
rapport between the company and the client. These days, with
business heavily relying on the internet, communication between
company and clientele is done primarily through phone and email.
Electronic mail (email for short) allows you the freedom of
composing a message effectively and on your own time. It also
provides a constant communication tool upon which businesses,
partners, and users can rely.
With email heavily integrated in today's society, both personal
and professional, traditional etiquette and form in business
communication has slowly faded with the fusion of personal device
usage in the workplace. In essence, business employees are bringing
their Twitter and Facebook mannerisms and habits into the workplace
and unconsciously applying them to professional connections. While
this relaxed version of the unwritten rules of e-etiquette is
becoming more acceptable, you can make a good impression on lots of
important people by taking a second to formalize your language a
bit.
Here are 5 tips to consider when composing an email or intended
message while speaking on behalf of your professional self:
Open with the appropriate title and name. The
first thing that business professionals often forget is an
appropriate opening address; this depends on the relationship you
have with the client or potential client. Using "Dear" has become
notably cliché for its implications of long-letter writing, but
still provides a light-hearted opening for the message. Using the
receiver's name (either with a title, full name, or first name) is
a must. Avoid using slang phrases like "yo," "hey," or "sup" -
these do not give the right impression in a professional
context.
Cut the "I" and include the "you". The message
recipient wants beneficial information in emails, not
self-explanatory instructions. Before sending, remember to read the
email from two points of view: an objective onlooker and the
specific receiver. The "onlooker" will allow you to target certain
phrases and words that send a negative or condescending message,
replacing them with more appropriate summaries. A business email
should always read professionally - this means keeping the client
in mind at all times. If the client likes to "hear" things a
certain way, then present it thus. Similar to talking, you shape
professional conversation lingo based on your intended
audience.
Keep the tone positive, even if the content
isn't. Not all news is good, but the presentation doesn't
have to describe Armageddon. Make sure to use strong, detailed
descriptions for events that need them or brief, summarized
statements for the least-important messages. No conversation is
enjoyable when one of the sides inserts negativity, so remember to
keep the mood light and promising while sending accurate, punctual
information.
Grammar and spelling mean (almost) everything.
There's nothing like using a "their" in place of a "there" -- but
poor spelling and grammar has been an increasing trend in social
media that has carried over to professional email. At the basis of
every communication process is language and using the language
properly indicates a level of acquired intelligence. From a
business standpoint, the attitude and decorum presented in your
emails can be the ultimate mark of trust and
authenticity.
Use a suitable sign-off. The end of any
conversation can be important in establishing the tone or attitude
for the next interaction. While providing a signature can do the
trick, the message itself needs its own writer's closure. A blog
over at Bnet.com dives into what email sign-offs say about the writer,
including feedback on words like "Cheers", "Thanks", and "Best".
The relationship between the writer and receiver certainly comes
into play, but this is one spot where a casual tone can generally
be acceptable even in business-professional settings.
Until Next Time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Support &
Consulting
Rochester
IT Support & Consulting
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