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Casual Articles - Email Etiquette: 7 Tips for Better Communication
How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online l from your client out of the blue that says: "Yes, I totally agree"--and nothing more. HUH? Avoid the confusion of a delayed and incomplete reply. Instead, leave the original remarks in so you can trail the path of communication! If the conversation is lengthy, you may want to copy a snippet from their email, add a response of your own in a different font or color, copy another snippet, so on and so forth. This ensures that you won't miss any questions or remarks that require further comments.Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local newspapers I spent my school and college vacations working in the editorial office. We used to amuse ourselves over our sandwiches at lunchtime looking through and trashing the endless press releases that would arrive in the mail each day, all beautifully produced with glossy photographs (this was in pre-internet days).We trashed them because all but the odd one or two were ill-considered, highly subjective, barely camouflaged advertising copy that had abo 6. Utilize your subjectline. The subjectline is there as a handy reference, so be Bad Managers are Costing You 73% of Your Employee Productivity Working for yourself is a little different than working for a company. You can't rely on HR to take care of the details. You're not going to run into someone in the break room where you can say, "Hey did you get my email?" You have limited chances to communicate with your clients and collaborators, so you want to be as clear as possible. Here are some tips on proper email protocol that will help foster your business relationships and help people to remember you as an exceptional communicator!This may come as a surprise but it is, unfortunately, the reality. According to a recent Gallup study, only 29% of the workers polled were actively engaged in their work. And what, you're probably asking, exactly IS employee engagement? That is a very good question, and simply stated, it is the level of connection your employee has with you, your company, and the work you have him perform.The really scary information about this poll is the fact that a full 59% of the workers polled by Gallu 1. Read the other person's email several times before writing your reply. Sometimes in our hurry to get things done, we glaze over important details and miss the message. Are you asking questions that someone already took their precious time to answer the first time around? Did you MISS their questions that require a response? Slow down, take your time, be thorough! Your clients will be glad for the specialized attention and great service. 2. Always include contact information at the end of your email. Even if you've talked to this person a thousand times before, they'll always appreciate easy access to your full company name, email address, phone and fax number. You want referrals, right? Think of how simple it will be for them to pass along your info to a new customer if it's right before their eyes! 3. Never assume that someone doesn't know something. Sure, you're a storehouse of handy information, but it's a little arrogant to assume that no one else on the planet knows what you know. If you want to offer an impromptu tutorial, great. But do tack on a friendly intro such as: "Maybe you already know this but," or "Ever try such-and-such?" If they haven't, they can say, "No... but thanks for the new ideas!" If they have, they can respond with an enthusiastic, "Yes I have, and I love it!" 4. Always let your colleague know that you've received an important message, and inform them of when you intend to respond. Example: "Thanks for sending the contract; I'll look it over this weekend and get back to you by Monday evening at the latest." Even if you're incredibly busy and not sure exactly when you'll be ready with an answer, don't leave anyone hanging indefinitely. For all they know, you never got the email! 5. Include the original transcript along with your reply. Imagine getting an email from your client out of the blue that says: "Yes, I totally agree"--and nothing more. HUH? Avoid the confusion of a delayed and incomplete reply. Instead, leave the original remarks in so you can trail the path of communication! If the conversation is lengthy, you may want to copy a snippet from their email, add a response of your own in a different font or color, copy another snippet, so on and so forth. This ensures that you won't miss any questions or remarks that require further comments. 6. Utilize your subjectline. The subjectline is there as a handy reference, so be c Six Sigma Tools in our hurry to get things done, we glaze over important details and miss the message. Are you asking questions that someone already took their precious time to answer the first time around? Did you MISS their questions that require a response? Slow down, take your time, be thorough! Your clients will be glad for the specialized attention and great service.Statistics are at the heart of Six Sigma’s powerful methodology for quality improvement. It pays to get to know some of the most important of the Six Sigma statistical tools.Control ChartsThe control chart is the fundamental tool of statistical process control; a proven technique for improving productivity. It monitors the variation of key characteristics and indicates the range of variability that is built into a system. Control charts provide diagnostic information about process capability t 2. Always include contact information at the end of your email. Even if you've talked to this person a thousand times before, they'll always appreciate easy access to your full company name, email address, phone and fax number. You want referrals, right? Think of how simple it will be for them to pass along your info to a new customer if it's right before their eyes! 3. Never assume that someone doesn't know something. Sure, you're a storehouse of handy information, but it's a little arrogant to assume that no one else on the planet knows what you know. If you want to offer an impromptu tutorial, great. But do tack on a friendly intro such as: "Maybe you already know this but," or "Ever try such-and-such?" If they haven't, they can say, "No... but thanks for the new ideas!" If they have, they can respond with an enthusiastic, "Yes I have, and I love it!" 4. Always let your colleague know that you've received an important message, and inform them of when you intend to respond. Example: "Thanks for sending the contract; I'll look it over this weekend and get back to you by Monday evening at the latest." Even if you're incredibly busy and not sure exactly when you'll be ready with an answer, don't leave anyone hanging indefinitely. For all they know, you never got the email! 5. Include the original transcript along with your reply. Imagine getting an email from your client out of the blue that says: "Yes, I totally agree"--and nothing more. HUH? Avoid the confusion of a delayed and incomplete reply. Instead, leave the original remarks in so you can trail the path of communication! If the conversation is lengthy, you may want to copy a snippet from their email, add a response of your own in a different font or color, copy another snippet, so on and so forth. This ensures that you won't miss any questions or remarks that require further comments. 6. Utilize your subjectline. The subjectline is there as a handy reference, so be Why It Pays To Have A Solid Plan When Having To Multi-Task In Your Small Business mber. You want referrals, right? Think of how simple it will be for them to pass along your info to a new customer if it's right before their eyes!Often in the small business there are only a few other employees besides the owner/manager. Because of this the owner and employees have to be able to multitask to take care of all the business needs. This is often referred to as wearing many hats. One day the hat might be accounting and the next it will be customer service. The best way to deal with employees who have to wear many different hats is to have a firm plan.A small business is usually thought of as someone's baby. It is often difficult fo 3. Never assume that someone doesn't know something. Sure, you're a storehouse of handy information, but it's a little arrogant to assume that no one else on the planet knows what you know. If you want to offer an impromptu tutorial, great. But do tack on a friendly intro such as: "Maybe you already know this but," or "Ever try such-and-such?" If they haven't, they can say, "No... but thanks for the new ideas!" If they have, they can respond with an enthusiastic, "Yes I have, and I love it!" 4. Always let your colleague know that you've received an important message, and inform them of when you intend to respond. Example: "Thanks for sending the contract; I'll look it over this weekend and get back to you by Monday evening at the latest." Even if you're incredibly busy and not sure exactly when you'll be ready with an answer, don't leave anyone hanging indefinitely. For all they know, you never got the email! 5. Include the original transcript along with your reply. Imagine getting an email from your client out of the blue that says: "Yes, I totally agree"--and nothing more. HUH? Avoid the confusion of a delayed and incomplete reply. Instead, leave the original remarks in so you can trail the path of communication! If the conversation is lengthy, you may want to copy a snippet from their email, add a response of your own in a different font or color, copy another snippet, so on and so forth. This ensures that you won't miss any questions or remarks that require further comments. 6. Utilize your subjectline. The subjectline is there as a handy reference, so be Proposals: Following Up an respond with an enthusiastic, "Yes I have, and I love it!"Readers frequently write and ask: How does one follow up on a proposal when each time you call, you only get voice mail?Excellent question! Try this:Always have your calendar or Palm Pilot with you and easily available. When a prospect asks for a proposal, part of your conversation must be about how and when you will deliver that proposal. Once you have established the time frame for delivery, take out your calendar and say, “Let’s pencil in a time for me to come by with the proposal, and we’l 4. Always let your colleague know that you've received an important message, and inform them of when you intend to respond. Example: "Thanks for sending the contract; I'll look it over this weekend and get back to you by Monday evening at the latest." Even if you're incredibly busy and not sure exactly when you'll be ready with an answer, don't leave anyone hanging indefinitely. For all they know, you never got the email! 5. Include the original transcript along with your reply. Imagine getting an email from your client out of the blue that says: "Yes, I totally agree"--and nothing more. HUH? Avoid the confusion of a delayed and incomplete reply. Instead, leave the original remarks in so you can trail the path of communication! If the conversation is lengthy, you may want to copy a snippet from their email, add a response of your own in a different font or color, copy another snippet, so on and so forth. This ensures that you won't miss any questions or remarks that require further comments. 6. Utilize your subjectline. The subjectline is there as a handy reference, so be The Ambush of Mugs! l from your client out of the blue that says: "Yes, I totally agree"--and nothing more. HUH? Avoid the confusion of a delayed and incomplete reply. Instead, leave the original remarks in so you can trail the path of communication! If the conversation is lengthy, you may want to copy a snippet from their email, add a response of your own in a different font or color, copy another snippet, so on and so forth. This ensures that you won't miss any questions or remarks that require further comments.Drinking tea or coffee in an interesting beverage ceramic mug and a conversation gets more interesting if the subject happens to be pottery. No mugging story when involved in the illustrious tea ceremony Cha-no-yu that essentially means water for tea. A tea ceremony based on the etiquette of serving tea.Cha-no-yu literally means tea and hot water and refers to the Japanese Tea Ceremony. An elaborate ceremony, where the tea gets prepared gracefully, with expertise and practiced motions, where the powd 6. Utilize your subjectline. The subjectline is there as a handy reference, so be consistent. Let's say you're sending a draft of web copy. Choose a naming convention, such as: Web Copy Draft 1, and stick with it. Your next draft should be named, Web Copy Draft 2 using the exact same punctuation and capitalization. Why? Because you'll be able to sort your emails later on and extract what you need when you need it. 7. Know when the conversation is over. We're all busy, so as much as you want to be attentive to your client's needs, you don't want to pester them incessently, either. Suppose you've already had five or six email back-and-forths. All relevant points have been made and you're dwindling down to "Thanks alot" - your cue that This Conversation is Ending. If they say, "OK, thanks-- I'll be in touch," don't reply with "Great! When?" Just let it go until next time. Email is a handy tool that can make or break your professional relationships. Use it to your advantage with clear and concise correspondence. If you do, you'll be sure that clients and colleagues alike will regard you as an excellent communicator! Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
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