E-mail is without a doubt
best business-building tool to hit home-based business arena since fax! Why? Because it is low cost, instantaneous, flexible and absolutely anyone who can type can learn how to use it to their advantage. But just because you know how to open, write and send an e-mail doesn't mean you are making most of this incredible tool. In fact direct sellers who fail to follow simple e-mail etiquette may be doing more harm than good. Check these Ten Commandments of Proper E-mailing to see how you measure up.
1. E-mail netiquette: > Thou shall not SHOUT (all caps) > Thou shall not flame (profanity) > Thou shall not SPAM (unsolicited junk e-mail) > Thou shall not attach large files (or more than one at a time)
2. Be Brief And To The Point - Messages should be concise and to point. Think of it as a telephone conversation, except you are typing instead of speaking. Nobody has ever won a Pulitzer Prize for a telephone conversation nor will they win one for an e-mail message.
3. Always Use The Subject Line - The subject line of your e-mail determines whether it will be read or not, so make it compelling. Including an appropriate description in subject line is a courtesy that will be much appreciated by clients who need to store and easily reference previous e-mails.
4. Include a Signature - A custom signature, automatically added to your outgoing e-mail is one more opportunity to promote your business and invite people to your website. (In Outlook, you must first open a blank e-mail and then select Tools, Options and General tab. At bottom right corner you'll see a button that will allow you to create as many signatures as you want).
5. BCC - (This stands for Blind Copy) - Don't expose your friends and relatives to risk of receiving future unsolicited e-mails. When sending an e-mail to numerous contacts, place your name on TO: line and rest of e-mail addresses in BCC line. This way, your friend's and family's e-mail address is not distributed along with message.
