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The Truth About “i” in Business Emails

Business emails and small case typing.

To be viewed as a proper business professional, you must communicate that you want to be taken seriously. Every little detail between contacts will be viewed through the lens of trust and credibility.

When you type “i” when it should be “I, ” you appear uneducated and lazy. The same goes for “u” vs. “you.” You know what I mean — you most likely see this with other people you communicate with. But that doesn’t mean you follow suit.

Perception is the Only Reality

In my business emails, I receive inquiries where the person on the other side of the screen didn’t feel it was worth the effort to hit the caps key to capitalize “i.” Like most business people, I am involved in many business email conversations daily and need to determine who I can offer my limited time. It’s called time management.

When I receive an inquiry without proper capitalization or sentence structure (I’ve talked about this before here.), I hesitate.

Why do I hesitate? Off the top of my head…

  • If they do not care how they are perceived in email, do they have what it takes to understand the importance of perception when it comes to their website? Or will they take shortcuts there, too?
  • If they do not think it is essential to communicate like a professional when inquiring about another professional, what will be the chances that we can form a professional partnership?
  • If they think that little things like this do not matter, what else do they underestimate and assume does not also matter?
  • What will it be like to coach and work with someone on the complexities of online business and marketing when they aren’t willing to use their grade school education in an email?

You get the idea… When you email professionals, you also want to email as though you are one.

Use the Shift Key

When I type about anything in which I refer to myself, I capitalize “I.” What is tricky about capitalizing “I” or typing out “you?”

I don’t cut corners or try to “save time” by not hitting the shift key. (What minuscule amount of time is saved?) I have never even considered not using the shift key when appropriate.

Besides proper sentence structure, punctuation, and grammar, capitalizing “I” shouldn’t be underestimated. Perception is the only reality online, and how you type will reflect on you — good, bad, or indifferent.

Why not take one little step forward today and use the shift key? If you have an education, use it.

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
Albert Einstein
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