It is a new year and a new opportunity to focus on professionalism. In today’s plugged-in world, your reputation goes far beyond what you show people in person. Communicating via e-mail, especially on the international level, requires proper preparation. Fortunately, there are several helpful electronic communication tips that can have us all looking more polished, both in our country and beyond.
Write clear subject lines. Describe your request in the subject line. For example, say, “one item for agenda, please,” “available appointments Friday?” or “three questions before board meeting.” Avoid subject lines with “hi,” “touching base,” “FYI” and the like, and do not leave a subject line blank.
Use a proper salutation and reply within 24 hours. Strive to avoid jumping into the heart of the matter without a professional greeting. You do not want to develop a reputation as a clod before your offshore or near-shore business associates have even met you in person. Remember, “hi” and “hey” communicate immaturity and a lack of professionalism. Begin your e-mail with phrases such as “good morning,” “good afternoon” and “good evening.” “Good day” and “greetings” are other phrases used frequently in the international arena.
Write clear requests. State the bottom line early in your e-mail. Include important material you expect to be read in the first few sentences or paragraphs. Provide backup data in the following paragraphs in case the recipient needs more information. Avoid “LOL,” TTYL” and other acronyms and abbreviations.
Avoid negative comments. It is not appropriate to send negative comments in an e-mail. Negative or antagonistic words are referred to as “flames” in cyberspace. Do not send e-mails in uppercase letters, as this connotes anger. These antagonistic messages can cause awkward situations long after the e-mail has been sent and received. If you must relay bad news via e-mail, please use objective words and state the facts. Face-to-face communication is best.
Restrict ccs to only those with a need to know. Sometimes people are so proud of their work product that they add a dozen recipients in the cc line and then bask in the limelight of afterglow when everyone comments about how much they are doing. This may be interpreted as a slick boasting maneuver.
Use caution with bccs. A bcc sends your e-mail, and possibly a confidential communication, to another recipient in secret. Questions have arisen regarding this practice. If you need to share an e-mail with someone else, courtesy should require you to seek permission from the original recipient first. When you send your own message secretly to another, it is far safer to paste your message into another “FYI” e-mail than to add a person as a bcc. Keep in mind, when you add a bcc recipient, this individual may reply to all, which will reveal your blunder and cause embarrassment.
Think twice before hitting “reply to all.” When the C-Suite (CEO/COO) or administrative assistant sends an e-mail to 10 staff members requesting volunteers for a community service project, reply to the admin – not to all 10 staff members. Why make 10 other staffers delete your e-mail? “Reply to all” is a function for on-going deliberations where folks are communicating back-and-forth on a particular subject.
Keep attachments to a minimum. When you attach a file, be kind enough to take a few extra seconds to paste it into the e-mail, as well as make it an attachment. This shows consideration to the recipients by saving them time in opening attachments. Is this more time-consuming for you? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes.
Let the recipient know if your message does not need a response. By doing so, you will stop the e-mail cycle from continuing in perpetuity. Close with “no reply necessary,” “thank you again,” “see you at the board meeting Tuesday” or “e-mail if I may assist further.” End your e-mail with a closing such as “best,” “best regards,” “sincerely,” “thank you” or another appropriate phrase.
Remember that e-mail is not private. Please be aware that e-mail is public. Even though you delete an e-mail, online services and software programs can access messages on the hard drive. Before you click “send,” consider what may happen if a business colleague, your competitor, an employer or anyone else reads your e-mail. Think of it this way: How would your e-mail look if it were posted on a highway billboard or on Facebook with your name on it?
Avoid blinking images and emoticons [:-)]. Those little blinking icons in an e-mail require a longer period of time for the recipient to download. Blinking icons and emoticons may divert e-mail to a spam filter or junk mail box. Be cautious using a picture of your actual signature if you hold a position where pilfering your signature and using it on an unauthorized letter or form may cause challenges.
Follow specific guidelines for international e-mail. It is best to address the recipient formally and use a title such as Mr. or Ms. until you have been invited to refer to recipients by their first names. Be careful to avoid using idioms, slang, acronyms, abbreviations and other U.S. verbiage. Use metric measurements, followed by U.S. equivalents, as well as times, dates and monetary references that correspond to a particular country (14-02-11 vs. Feb. 14, 2011; 1500 hours vs. 3 p.m.; and U.S. $ vs. € Euro). And finally, indicate the time zone and where you are located (10 a.m. CST [Central Standard Time, Texas]).
In the United States and abroad, communicating with e-mail intelligently will put the recipient at ease. It will also boost your business savvy and help you avoid an e-mail faux pas. Polish your professional skills in 2011!
For more information on corporate training, contact Sharon Schweitzer, J.D., Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol Consultant and founder of Protocol & Etiquette Worldwide, LLC. You can also call 512-306-1845 or visit protocolww.com or facebook.com/protocolww.
