Don't you just love E-mail? I sometimes wonder how
we ever managed without it. I am a fairly new user to E-mail so I still
get a thrill when there are messages for me. I love the convenience
of it all. I love sending messages any time of day or night. And, I
love receiving E-mail!
E-mail has become a wonderful business tool. It saves
us time and sometimes it is the easiest way to connect to very busy
people. Think of all the people you E-mail on a regular basis. Can you
imagine how much time it would consume if you talked to each person
on the telephone? What about the people you don't want to talk to -
a colleague who talks too much or maybe an ex-spouse? E-mail can help.
In many instances, E-mail has replaced the telephone. It has changed
the way we communicate. Yet, with all of the conveniences we enjoy comes
the responsibility of E-mail etiquette.
How you conduct yourself with E-mail is part of your
image. E-mail is as much a projection of one's professional image as
any other written or verbal presentation. Many people seem to think
that it's acceptable to use substandard writing in E-mail. E-mail is
still a form of business correspondence.
Here are some helpful tips for maintaining a professional
image through E-mail.
Respect other people's privacy.
You should never read another person's E-mail. Because E-mail is read
on a person's computer screen, it may be easy or tempting for others
to read it. Would you pick up a letter on a colleague's desk and read
it? The same rules hold true for E-mail.
People can misinterpret your messages.
Messages laced with anger, humor, or irony can be easily misinterpreted.
In personal conversations, the person you are talking to can observe
your smile, eye contact and body language. With E-mail, the visual component
of your professional presence is missing. We lack the nonverbal cues
that are so important in personal contact, so be careful.
Use upper and lower case letters.
If you type in all caps, it is the equivalent of shouting at someone.
Return E-mail within 24 hours.
Just like a phone call, people expect a response within a reasonable
amount of time. Be conscious about returning all E-mail.
Don't get caught in the E-mail loop.
If an E-mail does not need a response, do not feel obligated to E-mail
back. Don't feel compelled to thank a person for thanking you. If you
have sent three or four messages back and forth to the same person,
let them win the E-mail loop.
E-mail messages can last forever.
Assume your messages are forever. Don't ever send questionable material
through E-mail. One day your E-mail could be subpoenaed or show up on
the company bulletin board. You never know who else may read the E-mail
besides the person you intended to receive it.
E-mail has been added to the list of things that
can affect your professional business image. It has changed our
lives. It has changed the way we communicate with each other.
How did we ever manage without it? I'm just too addicted now to
even think about life without E-mail.
Are
you interested in discussing what we can do to help you?
Contact
us for a free 1/2 hour consultation
today!
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Juanita Ecker, President of
Professional Image Management, provides corporate training on meeting
and tradeshow etiquette, dining etiquette, business decorum, networking
skills, telephone manners, professional image and business casual. She
can be reached at (518) 279-9388,
by e-mail at image3@nycap.rr.com,
and via the Web at www.professionalimagemgt.com.