Email Etiquette

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First Impressions Happen!

Probably several times each week through one of my Blogs or postings out there online, someone gives me a hard time about how I am too sensitive when it comes to e-mail etiquette and that I make a "big deal" out of nothing. They go on to say how all this "e-mail etiquette stuff" really doesn't matter. Who do I think I am? (I'll save the answer to that for another time!) At least a couple e-mails arrive each week from onliners stating they don't care what others think of them based on their e-mails.

Really? Do you truly not care if you leave a unfavorable impression? There is nothing wrong with caring about how you are perceived. You get up in the morning, take a shower, iron your clothes, groom your hair -- all because you care about how you look. Not necessarily because of what others may think but because you want to put your best foot forward.

When you send an e-mail in all small case, filled with typos and grammatical errors, what is the person on the other side of the screen to think? When you forward e-mails with no comment and no thought as to whether they are a scam or if the person on the other side will actually interested, how does that make you look? Thoughtful? Doubt it. Those who know you very well will probably shrug their shoulders and wonder why you don't make the simple effort to reflect a little courtesy. While those who don't know you will form an impression about the type of person you are and what is important to you based on the efforts made.

Some of these impressions include what level of education you may not have (educated folks communicate in an educated manner) and why you do not seem to care about how others will view you by simply communicating properly. You could be perceived as a fish out of water when it comes to proper technology use or worse yet someone who is so narcissistic that they are unable to think about those on the other side of the screen. None of which are positive impressions.

First impressions happen and you can control what they will be. By understanding the nuances of proper technology use and making the miniscule effort required to reflect knowledge, courtesy and understanding. Why not make the simple effort to practice proper Business E-mail Etiquette? The benefits are many and believe me -- it won't hurt!

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