Can you actually lose business opportunities as a result of poor e-mail etiquette? The answer is a resounding “you betcha”. A networking acquaintance with an impressive presence and an awe inspiring professional background recently provided an example of this. When I ran into her at an event and mentioned that I would be interested in using her service, she promised to e-mail me with the information that I requested. Weeks went by and I did not receive the e-mail. When I sent her an e-mail to inquire about the information, she responded that she had sent it, but that she typed in my e-mail address incorrectly and the result was that it did not go through. She forwarded the original e-mail with her note. No apologies or contrition included. How did I feel as a potential client? Well, not excited to do business with her. However, I was still willing to move forward based on what I knew of her from our networking encounters. My enthusiasm soon waned as our e-mail correspondence continued and she did not use salutations or sign-offs, misspelled my name and communicated with a decidedly terse tone. She had communicated a business persona that was both unappealing and unprofessional with her correspondence. We do business with people that we like and this likability factor extends to the way that we present ourselves through e-mail. By the way, I ended up working with someone who e-mailed with grace, knew how to spell my name and who was not afraid to use the occasional exclamation point to show her enthusiasm for working with me!

This is not a stand alone story; people share their views on the difference that great e-mail etiquette conveys on a regular basis. If you care about your professional image…focus on your e-mail etiquette as much as on the clothes that you wear…maybe even more if most of your time is spent behind your computer!

I recently recorded a podcast for the NJ Society of CPAs on Common E-mail Pitfalls in Business….www.njscpa.org

When was the last time that you received a hand written note or (gasp) letter? You probably do remember because they are so infrequently sent. It is always such a pleasant surprise when a note with real handwriting appears in our mailbox in the midst of credit card solicitations and sales notices. Not sure about you, but it is always the first piece of mail I open. In ancient times, (I am, of course referring to more than 10 years ago) people would send thank you notes after receiving a gift or after attending a dinner party or any kind of gathering…on a fairly regular basis. Now, however, in the age of e-everything, the thank you note is the white unicorn of communication; a rarity.

So, why wouldn’t you want to use this super secret weapon in business communication? It gives you an edge, makes you and your message memorable…and is such a bargain…even at $.44 for a stamp! There is nothing wrong with an e-mail note of appreciation or even a text or Facebook message of gratitude…but nothing compares to the real thing. You are sending so much more of a message than the words in the card communicate. You are saying, I care enough about you to have taken the time to write this out, locate your address, purchase a stamp, walk this to a mailbox and send it off. The time, care and attention also communicate a great level of respect. Who in the world wouldn’t want to be treated with such value?

Make your mark, distinguish yourself as more than the ordinary and dare to break out the pen and paper the next time you want to leave a great impression!

Jonna Martin
AdvanceMe Associates
www.powerofimage.com
Jonna@powerofimage.com