E-mail and Choices

From the moment you get up in the morning; you make choices. What to wear, what to eat — what you have to do and when.

You make choices when it comes to how you e-mail. Do you choose to be courteous? Do you choose to follow proper practices? Do you reflect consideration for the other side? Do you reflect an understanding of the very technology in which you are participating?

These too are choices you make every time you send an e-mail. You may make them subconsciously while others consciously choose to ignore proper practices or make the effort to be courteous and perceived favorably. Either way a choice is made.

Today I received a nasty e-mail stating who did I think I was to tell people what to do. Who am I to dictate what anyone should do with their e-mails? Well, I don’t “make” anyone come to my site — most seek it out or are sent here by those who know them. And, I don’t dictate — I am simply stating facts and suggestions so that those who do care can have a more enjoyable experience online.

For the record, which I’ve posted about before, Netiquette (NETwork etIQUETTE) was around way before most were online. The original reference document on the topic of Netiquette can be found here: RFC1855 Dated 10/24/1995.

What I started doing at that same time was to begin coaching my clientèle on the importance of proper use and practices to ensure they were perceived positively and professionally by virtue of their e-mail communications.

Over the years, I’ve expounded on the original Netiquette guidelines and evolved them where necessary to meet the trends and issues I saw onliners struggling with most. If I received a bunch of e-mails on the same dilemma, I wrote an article and/or incorporated it into my E-mail Etiquette 101.

Contrary to popular belief, E-mail Etiquette is not a profit center for me. Even the books I’ve written have been by request from Netizens hungry for information and resources on the topic of E-mail Etiquette. This is a topic I am passionate about and one that I will keep typing away about regardless of how many nasty e-mails I receive that are filled with visceral digs and comments about me personally from people who don’t know me.

We all make choices. And you do have a choice as to how you e-mail. Just don’t think that in doing what you want and disregarding the topics I cover on this site that there will not be negative ramifications. Make the choice to accept that fact as well.

Naming, Organizing and Sending Files

At this time of year as e-mail attachments increase there are some basics you need to be aware of when naming, organizing and sending your files by e-mail.

By being aware of a few little issues, you ensure your file can be opened, and that once on the other side’s hard drive, they’ll know what it is at a glance.

When sending Holiday photos or greeting attachments, read my article and learn How to Work with Files to have the best outcome. And I’ve even included a couple tips to help you organize all those Holiday photos you’ll be receiving by e-mail so you can view them easily in the future!

E-mail Forwarding Reflects on You!

With every e-mail that I send, I know that it could be forwarded to others without my knowledge. Even though you should never forward an e-mail sent to you to a third party without the original Sender’s permission, people do it all the time.

What you forward and how, speaks volumes about you as a person.

• If you forward one person’s e-mail to another especially in business to play one against the other is simply unprofessional. If you have questions for one provider based on another’s concerns, type a new e-mail and address those concerns. Don’t forward without the other party’s knowledge with a “See what they say?” tone. This just reflects a lack of respect for either potential partner and your extremely low level of professionalism.
  
• If you forward personal e-mails from one friend to another without the original Sender’s permission in an effort to say “Can you believe this?”, you are a not a friend and should be ashamed of yourself.
  
• If you forward jokes, silly forwards, or political commentary to everyone in your address book simply because you want to — you are narcissistic. E-mail is not all about what you want to do alone. If the forward doesn’t warrant you typing a personal note to the individual you are forwarding to because it applies to them, don’t bother. Your contacts will appreciate this extra effort and not miss all your do-good, feel-good e-mails.
  
• If you forward without comment, you come of as terse, rude and demanding. What do you think it says about a person who cannot take the time to type a Hello, brief instruction and a TIA? Bossy and discourteous.
  
• If you forward e-mails that are not appropriate for the work place and think that by putting NSFW (Not Safe For Work) in the subject takes you off the hook — it doesn’t. Doing so anyway shows you have no respect for your job and employer or that of whom you are sending to. Nice…
  

Every effort you make online, or feel is unnecessary to make will reflect upon how you are perceived. Think very carefully about how, what, when and who you forward to. Your reputation, integrity and character are literally at stake.

Time to Talk Attachments

This time of year gets crazy with attachments. Numerous attachments from procrastinating business folks sent without notice because their business is slow so they assume so is everyone else’s. Hosts sending large PDF invitations (or family update letters) because they don’t want to take the time to hand address classy invites or cards to their guests and excited families sharing their holiday photo activities as they occur.

Technology is a wonderful thing — when used properly with knowledge, understanding and courtesy. Unfortunately all too often it is used as a crutch without thought or courtesy to the other side and to cater to what we are unwilling to do otherwise.

For the record, not all businesses are slow at this time of year to send numerous 10M attachments (sometimes outside of business hours) because that is convenient for you. PDF invites and family update letters; well, I always enjoy getting a hand addressed unique invite or card in the snail mail — that is so much more thoughtful and enjoyable. And as far as all the photos back and forth, that just reflects how many have not yet learned just enough to understand how sending all those large photos all at once can shutdown the other side’s inbox.

There are just a few considerations everyone needs to be aware of when it comes to attaching files to your e-mails. By being cognizant of these important issues you will reflect an understanding of the technology you are participating in (tech savvy) and that you have consideration for the other site.

When it comes to attachments many just attach because that is what they want to do or what is convenient at that given moment. Not cool considering e-mail is not all about you; your e-mail involves the party or parties on the other side.

Why not brush up on attachment dos and don’ts with my article “Don’t Attach That!“?

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