Style and Substance Archives - Business Email Etiquette

The Truth About “i”

When you want to be viewed as a professional, you need to communicate as though you desire to be taken seriously. When you type "i" when it should be "I" -- you appear uneducated and/or lazy. Perception is the Only Reality Today alone, … [Read more...]

You Know What Happens When You Assume?

I see it every single day in e-mail communications. Assumptions flying all over the place! When it comes to your business e-mail communications you can not, should not, must not assume. Just one wrong assumption can cost you business, … [Read more...]

Office E-mail “Gunfights”

In the cowboy movies gunfights usually end when there is only one person left standing. Office gunfights are a bit different. While not life threatening they can have a negative impact on careers. You know what I am talking about. E-mail … [Read more...]

Stating What You Want; Ignoring What You Don’t

Have you run into emailers who ignore what you have requested to only reply with additional demands? Or how about those emails with questions requiring answers and if you do get a reply the questions are ignored. If these contacts were … [Read more...]

If You Wouldn’t Do It on Business Letterhead …

Then don't do it in a business e-mail! I do print and radio interviews all the time. These requests increase when an e-mail faux pas hits the mainstream media due to someone messing up at work or causing trouble by doing something with e-mail … [Read more...]

Stay Away from Sarcasm in Business E-mail

Sarcasm with the written word is skill; a skill many of us do not have. The problem is using sarcasm in your business e-mail can be incorrectly perceived as being rude, terse or worse. If you are not careful, that sarcasm can be amplified by a … [Read more...]

How to Write Succinct, Efficient and Effective Emails

Your business e-mails are not the venue for rambling random unorganized questions or your latest overly wordy sales pitch or manifesto. In business time is money and efficiency matters. Study after study proves out that long e-mails do not get … [Read more...]

Forums & Blogs Not the Place to be Incognito

When it comes to forums, blog comments or message boards, using a nick-name or "handle" is an accepted practice. Many times these nick-names reflect your industry, hobby or interests. In these venues that is just fine for personal discussions -- … [Read more...]