Consultant qualities: Top ten qualties

Consultant qualities: Top ten qualties: There are certain qualities that help a consultant to succeed. The good news is that these qualities can be developed. Here is my Top Te...

Best Practices

Best practices on emailing etiquettes


WE SUGGEST TO PRACTICE FOLLOWING 10 best practices WHILE USING AN EMAIL:

1. Be concise and to the point.
Do not make an e-mail longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading an e-mail is harder than reading printed communications and a long e-mail can be very discouraging to read.

2. Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation.
This is not only important because improper spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad impression of company, it is also important for conveying the message properly. Outlook has a spell checking option, why not use it?

3. Answer swiftly.
People send an e-mail because they wish to receive a quick response. If they did not want a quick response they would send a letter or a fax. Therefore, each e-mail should be replied to within at least 24 hours, and preferably within the same working day. If the email is complicated, just send an email back saying that you have received it and that you will get back to them. This will put the sender's mind at rest and usually sender will then be very patient!

4. Use proper structure & layout.
Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the structure and lay out is very important for e-mail messages. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points, number them or mark each point as separate to keep the overview.

5. Do not write in CAPITALS/red color.
IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITALS OR IN RED COLOR IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING. This can be highly annoying and might trigger an unwanted response in the form of a flame mail. Therefore, try not to send any email text in capitals and refrain from using red color in email in any form.

6. Read the email before you send it.
A lot of people don't bother to read an email before they send it out, reading your email through the eyes of the recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid misunderstandings and inappropriate comments.

7. Do not overuse Reply to All.
Only use Reply to All if you really need your message to be seen by each person who received the original message.

8. Do not forward chain letters.
Do not forward chain letters. We can safely say that all of them are hoaxes. Just delete the letters as soon as you receive them.

9. Do not use email to discuss confidential information?
Sending an email is like sending a postcard. If you don't want your email to be displayed on a bulletin board, don't send it. Moreover, never make any libelous, sexist or racially discriminating comments in emails, even if they are meant to be a joke.

10. Use a meaningful subject.
Try to use a subject that is meaningful to the recipient as well as yourself.
Lets follow these simple rules to have an efficient and effective communication as the motivational speaker Les Brown says “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers."

ADVANTAGES OF ADOPTING best practices:

a) Professionalism: by using proper email language we will convey a professional image.

b) Efficiency: emails that get to the point are much more effective than poorly worded emails.

c) Protection from liability: Our awareness of email risks will protect your company from costly law suits.