October 25, 2014
Communication is the bridge to success of any business. Technological advancement has made it possible to send messages to thousands of clients cost effectively using email. This has greatly helped small, medium and global businesses to expand their clientele and deliver quality services that resonate with the needs of their customers.
Here are business email etiquette best practices to help you send information effectively and without compromising your reputation and professionalism.
1# Check the Subject Line
Most people decide whether to open or discard an email by just reading the subject line. Hence, it’s very important to take time when writing it to be precise and convey clarity. For business-oriented communications, it will should be directly related to the information that you intend to convey. 2# Get a Professional Email Address
This is one of the most important yet foregone aspect that you must put into consideration if you decide to use email as the main communication tool in business. If you work for a company, always use its email address. On the other hand if you are self employed, have an email address that contains your name. This will help the recipient to know exactly who has sent the email even before they read it.
3# Avoid Using “Reply All” Option Unnecessarily
It goes without saying that most people find it irritating to receive emails whose content does not relate with them at all. Based on this fact, it’s recommendable to only use this option only when sending content that is important to everyone in your mailing list. Otherwise, you will end up tarnish your business credibility and lose potential customers.
4# Use Exclamation Points Only When Necessary
Some entrepreneurs are tempted to add exclamation marks at the end of every sentence. The main essence of using these marks is to convey excitement and joy. However, excessive use of the same can make you appear too immature and emotional. Bottom line, use exclamation marks sparingly when writing emails.
5# Be Wise When Using Humor
There is no guarantee that the recipients will respond positively to your jokes. Be on the safe side when sending professional emails by leaving out humor. This does not mean that your emails should be boring. You can use words to elicit recipients’ emotions without necessarily tickling them. Remember, something that you feel is funny may be annoying to someone else.
6# Use the Right Language
Language is a common barrier that hinders growth in businesses that wish to operate globally. Cultural difference is another major problem which if not handle well can lead to miscommunication. This means that you should consider the recipient’s cultural background when writing the email.
7# Keep Short
Time is a limited resource that needs to be well managed. No one wants to spend hours reading one email. Your emails should only contain important facts or information. Use short sentences and paragraphs to breakdown the subject if need be. Be sure to proofread it before sending to rectify errors.
8# Reply Emails in Timely Manner
Well, it’s almost impossible to reply to each and every message that you receive, but you should try to even if you feel that it was not intended for you.
Contact us today for more professional business email etiquette tips to grow your business to its full potential.