Internet Tip of the Week: Mistakes Count Against You

Before the advent of email most of us, other than sending out cards for special occasions, would write very few letters. If we did write a letter, it was carefully prepared, and considerable thought went into it. Today, with computer access available to most people, we have tremendously increased our amount of written communication, and sometimes fall into a trap. There are seven words that will serve as our guide and help us to communicate more effectively.

Perhaps the first word to consider is "Brevity" - we receive and respond to more mail each day, than we would in a year, before the advent of the Internet. As we became experienced with email, we found certain shortcuts that we would never use in "pen and ink" communications.

Many people simply copy the entire note to which they are responding, and make their comments. Others might lift a pertinent paragraph and respond. This is acceptable practice. Let's face it - unless you are socializing with a friend, if someone asks a question, they want an answer, and don't really care if you had rain last night. But, you can be too brief in your replies. I get email all the time, and don't have a clue as to what they're referring to.

Criticism, whether perceived or real is probably next on the list. Some people write with a negative style, and while they are truly not being critical, their wording comes across that way. If you are making a suggestion to someone, or reporting a problem, if you expect positive results, be sure to couch your note in positive terms.

Patience - I had a person write me 4 times in one day about a perceived problem. Now, most of us are not sitting at the computer 24 hours a day just waiting to receive email. A person must be given ample time to respond. This may take a day or so, or even longer. When I didn't "immediately" respond, the notes got nastier and nastier. If you act this way, you may be simply written off as a "crank" or a "pain in the neck", and never get an answer. Patience pays - and if you do send a reminder, be civil.

Audience - since the web is truly world wide, remember that you may be speaking with a person limited in your primary language. While you don't want to appear condescending, your email should be written in short, concise sentences that are easy to understand. Words that have several meanings such as wound, produce or refuse should be avoided.

Morality is always a big issue. What may be acceptable to one person may not be to another. Never use language that is even border line. Many people think that if someone uses words that are not acceptable in "polite" society, you might not know how to express yourself any other way, and be considered ignorant.

Never use a "double entendre". We had a police chief of a neighboring town use the term "guido" in an internal memo to his staff. To many, the term "bennie" or "guido" simply means a summer resident. But this term was highly offensive to the Italian American community, and he quickly learned to choose his words more carefully.

Sarcasm - this is always a double-edged sword. While something may be said with the best of intentions, another may interpret it the wrong way. Your best bet is to avoid it. While on the subject, the use of humor has to be done very carefully. What may be extremely funny to you, could be extremely offensive to someone else.

Spam - most people get a number of emails every day, and much of it is unsolicited commercial email, which is immediately deleted. Always title your note so it doesn't blend in with all the other junk they receive. The spamsters are becoming more creative in this regard however, so you should probably try to give this a little extra attention.

There are of course many other things, which should be avoided, such as spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and the use of ALL CAPS. Try to couch your communications so you are not guilty of making these basic mistakes. This is especially true if your email is going to multiple people. The anonymity of the web doesn't always allow us the luxury we enjoyed when all we wrote was with "pen and ink" and knew exactly who would be reading it.

Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine the "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web Site? Great Business and Computer Tips ? Monday. Wednesday. and Friday. Instructions on how to place an ad are in the Newsletter.

Subscribe at: http://adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm.

More Email Marketing Articles

Internet Tip of the Week: Seven Rules of Email
Now there is no law that says you have to follow these rules, but if you are in business on the Web, you should definitely pay attention.Rule #1 - Turn off your CAPS LOCK - Some people seem to feel that if they write their E-mail in ALL CAPS it will be more effective.

Kick-Starting E-mail Profits Growth From One Single Shot!
Perhaps the most critical step in guaranteeing the success of your e-mail promotions is to send your messages to a targeted list of opt-in subscribers who have specifically requested to receive information on a particular topic from you. That's your "in-house" email list.

Email Builds Brands
Email - today's preferred business communication tool - provides you a simple, powerful, affordable way to develop, manage and maintain relationships as well as sell products and services. Let's briefly examine how permission-based email marketing positively affects:* Brand Awareness* Market Intelligence* Web Traffic* Prospect Leads* LoyaltyBuild Brand Awareness.

Reports of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated -- Email Marketing
Recently, there has been a lot written about email and its (impending) death. From what you read on forum boards and in newsletters from well-known internet marketers, email marketing is dead.

Build Your Opt-In List Today
There are many services available to help your with building a opt-in list. I am going to show your how to start building your opt-in list starting today right now this very minute.

Using Emotional Triggers in Ad Writing
Writing ads for either your own products or affiliate products is a large part of a marketing plan. You need to find the emotional "triggers" that will excite your prospects and get them to buy.

Consumer Thinking and Email
In an article based on research done by emaillabs, MarketingSherpa reports that on average, readers spend between 15-20 seconds reading email they chose to open.The article also reports, readers span about 50 words, fewer if there are graphics to view.

Three Phases to Email Sensitivity
The neurophysiological dynamics of understanding each email message are very complex. From that complexity, three basic phases float to the top that you will want to become familiar with.

Explode Your Sales By Building Your Own Opt-In List!
------------------------------------------------- Top 10 Ways to Quickly Build Your List -------------------------------------------------Have you ever wondered how many times you have heard this comment/suggestion/mantra from the gurus:"YOU HAVE TO BUILD YOUR OWN LIST"If you are trying to market on the internet; probably,too many times for you to count.Unfortunately, it's also true - the real successful marketers build a loyal and faithful list of subscribers.

Learn The Five Key Steps To Getting Free Publicity For Your Internet Site and Products
1) Website FocusMake sure your site is focused on a specific category of products. I cannot stress this enough.