A site visitor writes: I actually just wanted to make a suggestion for the folks who use caps lock because they can't use the shift key: just leave your whole message in lowercase. It may look a little "casual," but most people will still prefer it over all caps. Just a thought. For business e-mail, there really is no reason to not capitalize … [Read more...]
Keep the Courtesy in Conversations
April 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Part and parcel of effective e-mail communications is the ability to communicate with clarity -- which includes ensuring that your tone is consistently relayed as the conversation is ongoing. What happens all too often is after the first e-mail request or communication, which includes the 5 Essentials of Every E-mail (not the 5 essentials of … [Read more...]
Email Sign-off Considerations
March 17, 2009 By 16 Comments
The topic of how to sign-off an email is one that has perplexed and concerned many a business onliner. Those who are concerned about being perceived favorably wonder about how to leave the appropriate tone, close with the intended meaning getting across as well as how not to look redundant by always including the same closing. First things … [Read more...]
Using Quotation Marks for Emphasis?
January 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment
A site visitor writes: Is it acceptable to emphasize a point in an email with quotes? For example: The people on the Board are "elected" not appointed. Anything you can do to ensure your intent and the meaning of your comments come through as intended is O.K. But quotation marks may not be the way to go for emphasis. I don't think the … [Read more...]
Down-edit Instead of Top Posting
January 19, 2009 By 9 Comments
I was complimented twice last week about how I respond to e-mails. Both clients who mentioned this loved the fact that I responded point by point to their inquiries instead of just hitting reply and top posting. Top posting is when you type your response above the e-mail you are responding to instead of down-editing and replying to each … [Read more...]
Emotional Formatting and Discretion in Business E-mails
January 6, 2009 By 6 Comments
Every day I get asked my advice through this site and others about what to do about a given business e-mail conflict, misunderstanding or situation. In these cases, I am always given one side of the story. We all know there are always two. In most cases the crux of concern is the use of emotional formatting (bold, red text, all caps, … [Read more...]
BEWARE: Red Means Red!
December 18, 2008 By 4 Comments
Several times each day I get e-mails asking what a sender meant by having only certain text in their e-mail purposely changed to red. How mad are they? Why use red? How should I react? Red is an aggressive color. The term "seeing red" means that someone is mad or so upset that they are seeing red. Not too much is different online when it … [Read more...]
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