E-mail Etiquette and Failing Businesses

Many seem to believe that it is and that E-mail Etiquette is something they can choose to practice or not. Some even have a visceral reaction to E-mail Etiquette and make a concerned effort to ignore this information because they “will not be told what to do!”

Those who believe e-mail etiquette it is a choice and something that can be disregarded, particularly when it comes to your business e-mail communications, are coincidentally the very ones who grip and complain that their businesses are not doing well. Hmmm… could there be a correlation here?

What type of person would you prefer to communicate with? Courteous, concise and considerate? Or, terse, confusing and cryptic?

Yes, e-mail can be informal (this is the excuse used by business onliners who put more effort into complaining about e-mail etiquette best practices than the actual effort it would take to apply said practices); informal applying only to personal e-mails.

There is nothing informal about Business E-mail Communications — think that at your own risk! What Business e-mail etiquette basically covers is a set of common courtesies everyone can follow to ensure they are perceived positively and are a joy to communicate with — and that equals more business!

To make the choice to ignore business e-mail etiquette practices says allot about a person. And what it says will be left to be determined by the folks who are the receiving end of those who feel it is not necessary to even apply the basics such as:

• Having short and concise Subject.
• Typing a nice greeting.
• Taking the time to spell check, use proper grammar and complete sentences.
• Taking the time to ensure one’s intent and tone are clear.
• Including a proper closing.

Yes, it is your choice to not make these minuscule extra efforts that reflect courtesy for those you communicate with while communicating as a business professional others want to do business with. Just as it is your choice to be concerned about how you will be perceived. Don’t feel either are worth the effort? Your competitors thank you!

“The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.”
George Eliot (1819 – 1880)

Some More Info for You:

1. Your E-mail IS You!
2. Business E-mail Etiquette = $$$
3. Is Your Business Worth a Little “BEE”?
4. Spell Names Correctly
5. Your Business E-mail Wardrobe