Signature File Graphics

A site visitor wrote about a dilemma they were experiencing that prompted this post as well as a revision of one of my articles.

Apparently an increasing number of business e-mailers are including a graphic in lieu of, or in addition to, a plain text signature file. Most likely the folks who do this do so because it adds their logo or helps to make otherwise plain old e-mails a bit more spiffy.

The problem comes in when that graphic is identified as an attachment by Outlook and handled as such. This means your spiffy logo or graphic isn’t displayed in the e-mail as you intended. It also then lands in the recipient’s attachment folder. When they go to the folder to find attachments they do want to view, they then have to weed through your numerous sig attachments. This can be frustrating and annoying to those you e-mail. Not a way to make a good impression.

So here again we have an instance of doing something in an e-mail that inevitably defeats the purpose of your e-mail. To be readable and to leave a professional impression.

Review my updated article: Signature File Dos and Dont’s

Lemming or Leader?

I was in a coaching session with a client yesterday where I was instructing them on the nuances of E-mail Etiquette in their day to day communications. You know, all the things I talk about here and in my books.

They were very receptive and open to understanding the issues we were discussing. At one point stating “I never thought of it that way…” Their next comment hit the bulls-eye in describing why I see otherwise intelligent educated folks type like they didn’t make it out of the sixth grade…

“…I know it isn’t right, but it’s normal.”

There you have it. Are we a culture of lemmings? That’s why everyone thinks it’s O.K. to not be courteous, not pay attention to detail, not to type properly by taking the time to choose our words carefully to relay our true intent and tone. Because it’s normal not to — because the majority are not doing so.

Life should be all about deciding what you feel is important to you. Not what everyone else is doing to determine what efforts you should make or not. If you know its not right — then don’t make it right by calling it normal! I also tell Web development clients all the time — just because a site is doing a certain thing doesn’t mean it is the right thing to do. Think for yourself, use the information available to lead not blindly follow.

With technology one cannot be a lemming. That’s a recipe for disaster. Thinking all you need to do is make the minimal efforts so many others are only willing to make shouldn’t an acceptable train of thought.

Forget about what everyone else is doing or not doing as your guide. Look smart; be smart! Make a commitment to learn how technology works, why it works the way it does and then use it properly with “knowledge, understanding and courtesy.”

Are you a lemming or a leader?

Professionalism in E-mail

It is important the one take into consideration with each and every e-mail what is appropriate from choice of words, to level of formality as well as intent and tone.

Yes, for business e-mail, there should be the highest concern for these issues. But what about e-mail that are not business oriented but require you be professional as well?

How about communicating with your children’s teachers and school personnel? These may not be “business” e-mail per se, however, how you choose to communicate with educators will give an indication as to what is important to you as a parent.

Do you IM in curt or incomplete sentences? Does your tone reflect you feel your time is more important than theirs? Do you come off as one-sided or demanding? What do you think that says about your parenting style if you don’t take the time to use your education to communicate with courtesy with those responsible for your child’s education?

I understand that the IM environment is not conducive to much more than short blasts. Then, rather than risk being perceived as demanding, rude or terse, pick up the phone or send a full fledged e-mail where you can take the time to communicate in full, grammatically correct sentences.

Showing courtesy and respect in your e-mails and IMs when communicating with professionals, especially those involved in the education of your little ones, will speak volumes about you as a parent.

Why not review my article Instant Messaging Etiquette?

E-mail Response Time

What is the rule for how fast you should be responding to e-mails?

The short answer: As soon as you can.

The long answer: It is obvious that some e-mails will be more important to you than others. It also is clear that we only have so much time in a day and there will be days where you will be unable to reply to any e-mails at all. So, you do the best you can to reply to everyone as soon as you can.

Onliners look at e-mail as an instantanious medium. They know that their e-mail is in your inbox waiting to be downloaded or ready for you to read usually within minutes to hours of clicking Send.

By not making the Sender aware you are away with a courteous away message, the Sender will assume their e-mail is received and if not responded to promptly, in your view, not a priority.

If you are so busy that you cannot respond at all (you’re there but not “away” to require an away message be in place), you are in fact deciding to ignore the Sender — even if for the time being — and that’s exactly what they will assume. You’ve made a decision that their e-mail is not important to you or you would have responded.

There really is no gray area here. Perception is alive and well in regard to how quickly you respond to those who take the time to e-mail you. Of course, this does not include spam or irresponsible forwarders.

That is why it is so important to have a informative away message in place if you are not available at all. Senders will then understand if they don’t receive a prompt reply from you.

If you are simply swamped or have other responsibilities that keep you from responding in detail, a short message stating your situation and that you will respond in detail as soon as you can is highly recommended.

Remember, e-mail isn’t just about you, how busy you are or what you feel is important to you at that point in time. There is another human being involved (the Sender) on the other side of your screen who e-mailed you for a reason and is expecting your prompt response.

Showing the courtesy to keep those you communicate with informed as to your status can ensure you are a person that is looked at as a pleasure to communicate with and avoid misunderstandings and hurt feelings in the process.

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