The Top Twelve E-Mail Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Career

Written by Lydia Ramsey


Continued from page 1

7.WRITING THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL. E-mail is meant to be brief. Keep your message short. Use only a few paragraphs and a few sentences per paragraph. People skim their e-mail so a long missive is wasted. If you find yourself writing an overly long message, pick uprepparttar phone or call a meeting.

8.FORWARDING E-MAIL WITHOUT PERMISSION. Most everyone is guilty of this one, but think about it. Ifrepparttar 104632 message was sent to you and only you, why would you take responsibility for passing it on? Too often confidential information has gone global because of someone’s lack of judgment. Unless you are asked or request permission, do not forward anything that was sent just to you.

9.THINKING THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL EVER SEE YOUR E-MAIL. Once it has left your mailbox, you have no idea where your e-mail will end up. Don’t userepparttar 104633 Internet to send anything that you couldn’t stand to see on a billboard on your way to workrepparttar 104634 next day. Use other means to communicate personal or sensitive information.

10.LEAVING OFF YOUR SIGNATURE. Always close with your name, even though it is included atrepparttar 104635 top ofrepparttar 104636 e-mail, and add contact information such as your phone, fax and street address. The recipient may want to call you to talk further or send you documents that cannot be e-mailed. Creating a formal signature block with all that data isrepparttar 104637 most professional approach.

11.EXPECTING AN INSTANT RESPONSE. Not everyone is sitting in front ofrepparttar 104638 computer with e-mail turned on. The beauty of Internet communication is that it is convenient. It is not an interruption. People can check their messages when it suits them, not you. If your communication is so important that you need to hear back right away, userepparttar 104639 phone.

12.COMPLETING THE “TO” LINE FIRST. The name or address ofrepparttar 104640 person to whom you are writing is actuallyrepparttar 104641 last piece of information you should enter. Check everything else over carefully first. Proof for grammar, punctuation, spelling and clarity. Did you say what needed to be said? How was your “tone of voice”? If you wererepparttar 104642 least bit emotional when you wroterepparttar 104643 e-mail, did you let it sit for a period of time? Did you includerepparttar 104644 attachment you wanted to send? If you enterrepparttar 104645 recipient’s name first, a mere slip ofrepparttar 104646 finger can send a message before its’ time. You can never take it back.

E-mail makes everything easier and faster including making a powerful business impression and establishing positive professional relationships. The businessperson who usesrepparttar 104647 technology effectively and appropriately will seerepparttar 104648 results of that effort reflected inrepparttar 104649 bottom line.

Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL – ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The Wall Street Journal, Investors’ Business Daily, Cosmopolitan and Woman’s Day. For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site:www.mannersthatsell.com


Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words

Written by Lydia Ramsey


Continued from page 1

The angle of your body gives an indication to others about what’s going through your head. Leaning in says, ”Tell me more.” Leaning away signals you’ve heard enough. Adding a nod of your head is another way to affirm that you are listening.

Posture is just as important as your grandmother always said it was. Sit or stand erect if you want to be seen as alert and enthusiastic. When you slump in your chair or lean onrepparttar wall, you look tired. No one wants to do business with someone who has no energy.

Control your hands by paying attention to where they are. Inrepparttar 104631 business world, particularly when you deal with people from other cultures, your hands need to be seen. That would mean you should keep them out of your pockets and you should resistrepparttar 104632 urge to put them underrepparttar 104633 table or behind your back. Having your hands anywhere aboverepparttar 104634 neck, fidgeting with your hair or rubbing your face, is unprofessional.

Legs talk, too. A lot of movement indicates nervousness. How and where you cross them tells others how you feel. The preferred positions forrepparttar 104635 polished professional are feet flat onrepparttar 104636 floor or legs crossed atrepparttar 104637 ankles. The least professional and most offensive position is resting one leg or ankle on top of your other knee. Some people call thisrepparttar 104638 “Figure Four.” It can make you look arrogant.

The distance you keep from others is crucial if you want to establish good rapport. Standing too close or “in someone’s face” will mark you as pushy. Positioning yourself too far away will make you seem standoffish. Neither is what you want so findrepparttar 104639 happy medium. Most importantly, do what makesrepparttar 104640 other person feel comfortable. Ifrepparttar 104641 person with whom you are speaking keeps backing away from you, stop. Either that person needs space or you need a breath mint.

You may not be aware of what you are saying with your body, but others will getrepparttar 104642 message. Make sure it’srepparttar 104643 one you want to send.

Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author of MANNERS THAT SELL – ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been quoted or featured in The Wall Street Journal, Investors’ Business Daily, Cosmopolitan and Woman’s Day. For more information about her programs, products and services, e-mail her at lydia@mannersthatsell.com or visit her web site: www. mannersthatsell.com


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