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E-mail Etiquette Matters!

At your service,
Judith
NetManners.com

NSFW = Not Safe For Work

I was interviewed recently on my view in regard to the use of the acronym NSFW. Apparently some felt that an acronym noting "Not Safe For Work", is necessary when sending e-mail to those they knew were at work to warn them that the content or links contained within were of a questionable nature and not proper for the work environment.

My reaction was there is no need for such an acronym. By virtue of having to type it should tell any astute person that they should have enough common sense and respect to not send e-mails with questionable content to someone's work e-mail.

And, to those who have others sending you e-mails that need this acronym noted to warn you, you should be a responsible employee and tell the Sender to no longer use your business e-mail address for anything not business related. At that time you can also provide your personal e-mail address for e-mails of that nature.

It amazes me in this day and time how we spend so much time creating ways to justify things we know we shouldn't be doing in the first place. Using company e-mail for anything other than company business should include this acronym: IUE (Irresponsible Unreliable Employee).

No E-mail Etiquette Training?

I read a recent study that reflected 60-70% of businesses do not offer any sort of E-mail Etiquette Training! No wonder so many employees, customer service reps and business owners themselves seem to not realize the importance of proper practices.

In business, on or off-line, impressions are everything. Think about it... off-line you notice what people wear, how they present themselves, the quality or lack there of in regard to their business cards.

The very same applies online. As an example, if you e-mail in one liners, do not spell check, do not use proper sentence structure or lack basic grammar, how do you think that reflects on you and your business? Not good.

I've worked with all kinds of professionals over the years, some unfortunatley assuming they are more professional than they actually are. All too often these folks come off as terse, demanding, rude, uneducated and lazy simply because they are either not aware of or choose not to practice proper E-mail Etiquette. Some to the point where their e-mails are so unprofessional that I wouldn't consider returning the favor and doing business with them.

E-mail Etiquette isn't brain surgery. It is simply a set of basic skills, considerations and courtesies every business, business owner and employee needs to be aware of and practice to ensure their business thrives both off and online.

Why are folks so resistant to something that can do nothing but add a positive shine to their business? Because they are not aware of the importance of E-mail Etiquette in their branding efforts. Yes, branding. Everything you do related to your business can affect your branding. How you e-mail is part of that process.

A great starting point for any internal training program is my article Business E-mail Basics.

"There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified
by these four contacts: what we do, how we look,
what we say, and how we say it."
- Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) American Educator

E-mail Etiquette = Courtesy

I've been tracking discussions on E-mail Etiquette for over a decade. Just recently the topic has become one of serious discussion now that everyone is writing a book on E-mail Etiquette. That's fine with me! The more legitimacy this topic is given by virtue of those trying to make money off of it -- is good PR as they say.

Me? I've been writing and publishing my books simply to get the word out. I've never considered this my profit-zone. My book sales help support my online costs and allow me to continue to support this important topic, that unlike other authors, I am passionate about, practice what I preach in the process and am not into for the money.

Recently, I've seen a trend of folks striking out against all this talk about e-mail etiquette. From one liner e-mails with no greetings being just fine -- "...e-mail after all is only extended IM." Or, even comments about "...why take the time to type all this ancillary nicey stuff? Just type what you mean and that should be good enough!"

E-mail Etiquette, as does any other form of etiquette, exists as a way to reflect courtesy for others. The day you feel that courtesy is no longer necessary and that only what you want to do or are willing to do is sufficient, is the day that you leave part of your humanity behind.

There is nothing wrong with taking the time to use technology properly and to ensure that your actions are perceived positively by the other side. To reflect courtesy for those you communicate with, to me, is time well spent.

E-mail Organization Tips

With all the e-mail we get hourly into our inboxes it is now imperative that you have a system in place that you stick to so as to allow your e-mails and your e-mail activities to remain organized.

Mostly, keeping on top of incoming e-mail and filing them to their appropriate folder or simply trashing/deleting them are the top two things you need to do continually with consistency to keep in front of what seems like an increasing number of messages landing in your inbox. Much of your ability to organize your e-mail is plain old discipline!

Check out my article on E-mail Organization Tips to see how I keep the over 500 e-mails that land in my inbox each day from becoming an organizational nightmare.

Expectations of a Cc:

What should you expect from those you Cc: on an e-mail? If you are the one who is Cc:'d on a e-mail what are you required to do?

Cc'ing is a way of informing others of a communication or information that may in some way require their attention or action. When you Cc: folks, you are F.Y.I.ing them. If you are the one who is Cc:'d, there is no need for a response unless you have something to add or inform the Sender of that is important to the topic.

Notice I typed inform the Sender? Being Cc:'d does not mean you hit Reply to All with your reply. You only reply to the Sender who Cc:'d you. Only use Reply to All if your response directly affects the others in the Cc: field and it is necessary that they be aware of your response.

One thing is clear; using the Cc: field as a way to CYA or to make points that are best made in person is not prudent. You'll end up looking trivial if you do.

Yes, this topic, just as with most others require your discretion to know what is best to do in any given situation. Take the time to think carefully if the others in the Cc: field really need be aware of your response.

Is E-mail Too Easy?

A concerned site visitor comments:

"Do we overuse e-mail as a communication medium? In many instances, e-mail is the "easy approach" but not necessarily the best approach."

Yes we are. Many have chosen to take the lazy, easy way out and not pick up the old fashioned telephone or have an in-person meeting when that is what is called for or best for the situation at hand.

E-mail is too easy. Hit a few keys and off your e-mail goes. A healthy portion of those using e-mail still do not even make the minor efforts necessary to communicate with clarity or even use e-mail properly!

I get contacted by those who get notifications of a relatives death by e-mail, Dear John letters, as well as e-mails filled with vitriol and insults all by folks who chicken out by using e-mail rather the choosing the phone or meeting in person.

E-mail is a tool. Whether for business or personal use, it is all up to each individual's discretion and business savvy to know when and how to use it properly.

For personal use, everyone knows darned well when it is best to pick up the phone and have a intimate conversation in lieu of sending an e-mail.

Those who truly understand business will not fall into the e-mail everything trap. While those who choose the path of least resistance will not be as successful at nurturing business relationships and partnerships.

Your gut knows what is right; listen to it!

How to Handle Errors in Mailings

We are only human. I've yet to run into anyone who is perfect or never makes a mistake. Over the years, I've lost count of the number of mailings I receive where the link contained within is either "404 Not Found" or does not take me to where the e-mail stated it would.

This is generally due to the sales folks not double-checking with the tech folks to make sure that they are ready for customers to be sent to the new page, survey or information that the e-mail mailing is promoting.

What is one to do when they find that they have prematurely sent out an e-mail to a not yet ready URL? Easy... Send a short and sweet follow-up and humbly apologize for the oversight and include either the correct URL or repeat the Web site address that you have now checked is up and running.

Whenever you make mistakes, acknowledging their existence and correcting the situation promptly will make your error seem less consequential.

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900),

No Response Considerations

In a little over a decade we can't live without our e-mail. And to think a mere 12 years ago when I was all excited about CompuServe and opened my little Internet Studio on the IL/WI border, everyone thought I was nuts!

Fast forward to now and we want it now! E-mail should be in the inbox of the recipient within moments after we click the Send button. Those we send to should stop the presses and any other responsibilities they may have and answer our e-mails now. Not later, not in an hour, NOW!

Our expectations have become unrealistic. There will be times when e-mail takes longer to get to the other side due to unknown network or geographical issues. And, believe it or not, not everyone you e-mail is sitting in front of their computers 24/7 waiting for your e-mail so they can respond. I know it is hard to believe, but it's true.

Before assuming someone is ignoring you or not responding as fast as you believe they should, here are some issues you should consider:

1. Was there anything spammy in your e-mail that may have caused it to be blocked? This happens all the time with all the spyware, adware and spam filtering going on. Check out my article: How To Avoid Looking Spammy
   
   
2. Keep in mind that folks have other responsibilities and may be away from the computer. Rare are those that provide instant responses or who are online all the time when your e-mails come through. If something is that important that it can't wait for you to do an e-mail follow up the next day, pick up the old fashioned telephone.
   
   
3. Computer and software crashes happen all the time deleting files and e-mails. When following up the next day, ask if your e-mail was received and ask politely when you can expect a response before assuming you are being ignored.

The above issues require you think about the other side -- not just that you sent an e-mail that you want a response to now. Keep your expectations in check!

Blackberry Etiquette?

Is Blackberry Etiquette any different than E-mail Etiquette? Nope. However, for some reason I get e-mails daily asking about Blackberry Etiquette as though by virtue of the device, courtesy doesn't apply. Mainly the checking and responding to e-mails while in a meeting.

If you think about it, Etiquette in general is just a way to behave when taking into consideration how your actions (or lack thereof) could have an affect on others. Technology use, whether it be e-mail, Blackberrys, IMs or even cell phones does not mean you do what you want, how you want or when you want without consideration for proper practices and for others. Sadly, all too many think that with technology anything goes. Wrong.

Regardless of what tool you are using, you simply need to be aware of how to use it properly with consideration for others. This means not answering e-mails on your Blackberry when in a meeting. Or talking loudly on your cell phone where others are privy to your conversation whether they like it or not (movies, restaurants, etc.). Or sending/forwarding e-mails exposing all your contact's addresses to strangers.

To hide behind technology as an excuse to not be courteous because the other side isn't there for you to be accountable to, is self-serving at best. To reply to e-mails on your Blackberry while in a meeting clearly reflects your lack of business savvy and professionalism. Your full attention should be on the meeting.

Courtesy and perception go hand in hand. Without courtesy, the perceptions you leave in your wake will tell people exactly what they need to know about you -- and it probably won't be positive.

Top 3 E-mail Attachment Considerations

Many onliners do not realize the very important issues they need to consider before sending attachments via e-mail. Here are the Top 3 issues to think about when sending e-mail attachments:

1. File Size: Before sending any files, take the time to determine their size. Anything over 300K (300,000 bytes) should be compressed or "zipped" up. Multiple attachments add up very quickly and could shut down the other side's server or fill their inbox causing subsequent e-mail to bounce! Photographs should always be reduced to no larger than 600 pixels in width before sending. If you don't know how -- learn!
   
   
2. Attachment Format: You'll never go wrong if your send your documents in PDF format. PDFs are not operating system or software specific and the reader is now installed on most computers and is a free download. Those who do not have Word or Excel software, just as an example, would not be able to open files in those formats. Again, asking first what format the other side prefers can avoid you sending files they will be unable to open.
   
   
3. Ask First: Before sending any attachments, always ask the other side first when would be the best time to do so. Then be sure to send at that prearranged time. For business attachments, never send unannounced attachments after business hours when the other side may not be there to keep their inbox clear.

Just like anything online, thinking about how your actions can affect those you communicate with will go along way towards being perceived as tech savvy and a pleasure to communicate with!

Monday's E-mail Mewl: Asking Before Looking

This mewl will be shared by those who have numerous Web Sites they need to keep on top of. Even if you have only one Web Site you still must deal with the volume of e-mail generated by your site. This means weeding through them, responding to them, filing them and responding to the responses.

If you are online for commercial gain, it is important that you respond to site e-mails in a prompt and courteous manner. That said, what many site visitors do not realize is that by virtue of how they e-mail a Web site will indicate the type of customer they will be. Many unfortunately in their initial contact come of as demanding, terse and lazy.

Many sites have a F.A.Q. = Frequently Asked Questions. How do you think you are perceived when you type a demanding e-mail for information readily available on the site owners F.A.Q.? My sites for example are clearly by me. Judith. My consulting site has my anime-me picture on every page. How do you think site visitors are perceived when I receive e-mails that start with Dear Sir?

Successful sites and businesses have their hands full taking care of profitable customers. You want to give the impression that you are going to be one of those. Not someone who feels their time is more valuable than the site owner's by expecting them to repeat what is on their site.

Before e-mailing any site, make sure the information you seek is not already included for your convenience. Then, if after a reasonable effort you do not find the information you seek, contact the site owner with courtesy and appreciation. You may find you get a faster and more detailed response with this approach.

There is No Me in E-mail [MeMail?]

I recently did a T.V. interview in regard to "MeMail." This is a relatively new term I've only seen used once but it made allot of sense. MeMail is all about the sender. Their views, their photos, their discretion, their personality. In addition, the term MeMail notes factually that the majority of senders do not consider the other side. They are just thinking of "Me" and what they want to do at that moment in time.

The issues that MeMailers don't think about are mostly due to the fact they are not honestly aware of how their lack of knowledge can possibly affect the other side. Or how their actions (or lack thereof) may cause a negative perception.

Unfortunately, when faced with these facts, many a MeMailer I've run into have a visceral response to having these issues pointed out to them (the old misnomer "online is a free-for-all" I can do whatever I want). MeMailers simply do not care to alter what they want to do out of courtesy for the other side or to leave a positive impression.

Here are the top 5 things that can identify a chronic "MeMailer":

1. They include signature files that have religious or political commentary without thought as to whether the recipient is of like mind. In business e-mail this could be the kiss of death.
2. They embed graphics in their e-mail that are either too large, too controversial or simply too personal.
3. MeMailers attach numerous large attachments to an e-mail without considering whether the recipient's e-mail box may get filled and start bouncing other e-mails. The thought never crosses their mind that the other side may have no interest in their attachments.
4. MeMailers blurt out their demands or questions without first typing a courteous greeting. They also don't think to add a "Thank You!" in their closing that includes their name typed properly.
5. Spammers -- large and small alike -- are the biggest MeMailers of all. They cram their propaganda into your inbox or through your Web site form without consideration as to your interest or resources. Those who send any sort of commercial e-mails to those who did not specifically ask for them should be the last on your list to do business with!

Yes, you can certainly do whatever it is you want in your e-mail. But when doing so without thought or discretion as to whether the other side will appreciate your "style", you will risk a negative perception that indicates you only think of yourself. Not cool.

Are you a MeMailer?

Lightening Fast E-mail Replies?

Many believe that e-mail is instantaneous. Depending on the current network status many times e-mail is pretty darned quick. But there will be times, due to network traffic or geographic issues that will cause e-mail to take several hours or more to get to the other side.

Regardless of how speedy that e-mail is received by those you send to, that doesn't mean they are required to drop all their other responsibilities and immediately respond to your e-mail. They may not even be online or in front of the computer checking e-mail to know you've sent them a message!

Senders have to realize that to expect an immediate response, and then when you don't receive one, to send a follow-up e-mail 30 minutes later is overly demanding. Yes, everyone should do their very best to respond to their e-mails as promptly as possible. However, with the expectation of instant receipt, to have an expectation of an immediate response is unrealistic.

Sometimes folks are busy. They have other responsibilities and activities that require their full attention. They may be in a meeting, out of the office, trying to meet previous deadlines or commitments.

So, reflect some courtesy to those you send to and give them the time to respond. As a general rule of thumb you should not send a follow-up any earlier than 24 hours since you sent your first message. And if you can't wait 24 hours, then e-mail is not the appropriate venue for your requests. If a matter is that urgent, pick up the old fashioned telephone and give them a jingle.

Selling Other's Comments?

A site visitor asks:

What if someone takes your written words from various blogs, puts them in a book and adds defaming comments of their own and then SELLS the book? I, along with a number of friends and acquaintances, have had this done to us by one person. Do we have any recourse?

As I state on in my article about Online Copyright Issues, anything you write you own the copyright to and that person, if they had any e-ethics should have contacted you for your permission to include your writings in their book.

They can make any comments they like defaming or otherwise--that isn't really the issue--everyone can have an opinion. The issue is using your content that you wrote in a book that they are commercially gaining from without your permission.

At this point your only recourse would be to bring legal action against the party in question and that can get very expensive fast. Another option, would be to check where their Web site is hosted and then review their hosting company's DMCA (also noted in the above article) clause and make them aware that the book they are selling is infringing on your copyright by including your posts without your permission.

Daily Signature Files Use

This is a topic onliners struggle with. When to use a signature file, what should it say, and how do you determine the best use of your signature file.

One issue in particular that has come up lately, is using your info-packed "ego-sig" signature file on every single e-mail you send. Not necessary!! If I am e-mailing back and forth with you I really don't need to see that at the bottom of every response. Switch to a more basic sig file after the first couple of back and forths.

Also, for those who already have your information or for friend and family members -- no need to include all that blah-blah-blah about you anyway. What you do is have different signature files for different situations. I've lost count of the number of signature files I have! I name each for the specific way I desire to sign-off in any given situation. Did you catch that? Sign-off?

Yep! You can include your sign-off and your name in your signature file! That way you only have to be concerned about the content of your e-mail then all you have to do is choose which sig file you want to display.

For friends and family, mine is just Love, and my name. Then, I have a bunch of various business sigs depending on whom I am e-mailing, why, the level of formality I want to set or what promo I have going at the time. The more sigs the better!

Forwarding business associates who know you an e-mail with your ego-sig at the top without comment as to why you are forwarding is plain old lazy. Talk about reflecting a lack of tech savvy -- or is it your title you are bragging about? Neither perception is a good one. Take the time to write a comment about why you are forwarding and have your signature follow -- an abbreviated version for those who you e-mail on a daily basis will do just fine.

Be sure to review my article: Dos and Don'ts of Signature Files

E-mail Requires Your Full Attention!

This morning I was on KDKA News Radio in Pittsburgh discussing the forwarding of e-mails. I do these type of interviews several times each week and have a blast doing them.

This interview in particular was initiated due to a big hullabaloo out there about one of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaches who "inadvertently forwarded an e-mail containing pornographic material to the league's 'All General Managers' e-mail distribution list. This e-mail was sent to him from Steelers personnel director and then he sent it, to "multiple high-level team employees and their secretaries'."

Forwarded by the Personnel Director? Yikes! Sounds like the Steelers need to get an e-mail policy in place and have a sit down with all their personnel -- the director being the first -- so everyone is aware of the guidelines and what is expected of them.

Needless to say this coach is in some major hot water -- there are even calls for him to be fired. One of the first questions I was asked today was how could he have prevented this? How can he see who is on the list he is sending to?

It can be prevented by paying attention to what buttons you click! As far as who is on this list -- that is programmed into his e-mail software and he can view the list, if he knew how or was so inclined. Once again we have someone on business time, using business resources sending questionable e-mails and worse yet, not paying attention to what they are doing.

Believe it or not this happens quite often. People in a hurry click a button then Send to only realize their commentary went not to the intended party but to someone else. Usually someone they didn't want to view that particular e-mail's contents.

When it comes to forwarding e-mail -- just stop! Everyone just stop!! If you can't take the time to write a personal comment as to why you are forwarding to the specific person you are forwarding to, don't waste their time or yours. No more sending to lists of contacts who didn't ask to be on your "forward to everyone you know" list.

If you are a habitual forwarder or know one, two or ten, stop now and read this article and use the Send feature in the top right hand corner to notify others with this uncontrollable behavior to do the same. Read my article 5 Rules of Forwarding E-mails.

Slow down, take your time and for goodness sake pay attention to which buttons you click. Review the To: field, BCc: and Cc: fields to ensure you are sending to who you intend. Then, and only then, should you click Send. If you don't, I hope you love the taste of humble pie.

Example of Lost Opportunity

Being visible online, means you probably get more e-mail and inquiries from the masses. In particular folks trying to sell you something. In my case, marketers wanting to place advertisements on my site.

Why my site? Because get found and I get a ton of traffic. Those are the sites that you want your ads on -- the sites that actually get seen! That means your ads have a better chance of being viewed and clicked. Although, IMNSHO, I really wonder how many of us now actually phase out ads and ignore them! I know I do!

Here is an example of one of several similar requests I received yesterday:

"hi,
i was interested in placing a text ad on your site for the site that i am working on. i would like to put it on page: http://www.netmanners.com/email-etiquette-tips.html
for business email and exchange hosting. my budget is pretty limited right now so i could offer you about $25. let me know if your interested when you get this. thanks!

Yikes! Not a single sentence is capitalized. This person is working on a site for business e-mail and hosting but cannot even communicate like a professional.

Needless to say this type of request cannot be taken seriously. And to actually make me an offer of what you can afford? If you are in business you have to realize you need to have the necessary budget to reach realistic goals. "Limited" tells me what one is willing to pay. This makes me wonder what they are wiling to do to backup and support what they are selling -- is that "limited" too? This approach certainly doesn't make a good impression. Delete!

Even if I did accept advertising, which I don't, there would be no way I would have the confidence in a site that approaches me in that manner. When you link or accept advertising for other sites, you are in essence giving a recommendation.

When you are contacting other site owners on business related topics -- it behooves you to use the shift key!

List of E-mail Greetings and Closings?

A site visitor to NetManners.com writes:

I struggle with e-mail closings, as well as greetings. You did address the need for a Hi, Hello, etc. in one of your e-mails, are there other appropriate salutations? I would also appreciate list of closures to choose from. Perhaps you could ask your readership for contributions to create a list?

I do have an article on my Web site for your review titled E-mail Sign-Off Considerations that you may find helpful. The article includes a healthy list of suggestions you can use.

As far as greetings, Hi, Hello, Howdy, G'Day and Dear -- about cover it all. I've encountered many a creative greeting and sign-off over the years. Too many to track or list, so I stick with the basics when giving advice on these topics.

Maybe some of my readers will jump in with their most creative, funny, helpful and recommended greetings and closings and share their favorites with us?

Address Blocks in E-mail?

A site visitor writes:

What is the proper etiquette for an address block in an e-mail? My boss is rather electronically illiterate and would like all letters sent by e-mail to have a formal address block at the top. My coworkers and I feel this wastes space and looks strange.

I actually get asked this quite often! Apparently a good portion of bosses are "technochallenged." Address blocks as used in formal off-line letters are not used at the top of e-mails because you are not sending to a physical address -- you are sending to an e-mail address as noted in the To: field.

Not sure where your boss got the impression that is the way it should be done. Although business e-mail should be approached with a professional tone, some things simply do not apply to e-mail as they would on off-line business letterhead. This is one of those issues.

You and your coworkers are correct -- now how to tell your boss!? Maybe send him/her to my article on Business E-mail Basics so they are then aware of the issues that do need to be considered.