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Quick Tips Are you looking for a quick info-fix on a particular communication topic? Click on your topic of choice (on the left) for top tips, short articles, or snippets from our workshop notes. All Quick Tips are PDF format and are less than 25kb unless stated otherwise Here’s a sneak preview: Think before you click – Online etiquette By Louise Ralph Most of us probably feel we can’t survive without our email. It is efficient, immediate, and conversational. But the advantages of email can quickly turn to pitfalls if we don’t pay attention. We need to remember online communication has no vocal clues, no body language – and is sent in the click of a mouse. Following some basic rules of email etiquette can make our electronic communication more relevant (and pleasant): 1. Avoid using exclamation marks!!! in the subject line. Junk mail filters often knock these messages out. 2. Use meaningful subject lines 3. Using capital letters is e-SHOUTING – so avoid it where possible 4. Always address the person by name and sign off with your own name 5. Include at least one meaningful sentence 6. Avoid short answer replies like “yep”, “no”, “probably not” 7. Making jokes can easily be misunderstood on email. Add in brackets (joke) (only kidding) (hahaha) or use the cyber-wink ;-) 8. Avoid unnecessary cc’s – unless everyone absolutely has to be in the loop, you can risk desensitising people to important information 9. Use the “blind cc” option when sending to long lists of recipients (who usually prefer to remain anonymous) – to set up the Bcc option, open a new message, select “view”, then click on “all headers” 10. Beware of writing or forwarding offensive, illegal or confidential emails 11. Think twice before signing up for email lists – what may seem a great idea at the time can quickly become annoying, especially if there is no unsubscribe option 12. Put a dot point summary at the beginning of longer emails so readers can see if it’s relevant to them without scrolling down 13. Never flame people on email lists – phone or email the person directly if you have a problem/issue to discuss 14. Email is not a private conversation – it can be read by others, and forwarded on either accidentally or deliberately. If you don’t want your private business made public, don’t put it in an email message. 15. Think before you send that angry email. Save it to your draft box to give yourself time to cool down or just hit the delete button. Finally, remember the phone? Making a call can be faster and more effective than the email roundabout. Face-to-face communication is even better – especially if you work in the same building! Use email as a tool for communication but don’t let cyber-space be the only place you do business. ©Econnect Communication, 2002
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Econnect Communication Pty Ltd, 1988-2004
