Tips on protecting your career with proper email
etiquette
How savvy are you about using one of the world's
most powerful and pervasive communication tools
- email? If you're not, you need to get that way.
The author of Beyond Email Netiquette has trained
thousands of professionals in writing and other
success skills. He learned through decades of
working closely with business people that writing
was one of the workplace skills most in need of
improvement. Then along came email--and even many
people who know that writing is not their greatest
skill were having to put words to "paper"
for everyone to read.
People's careers can depend on their ability
to write well and communicate clearly, and it's
critical to carry those skills to the new electronic
medium. He decided to write a book to help. I'd
have to say he's done a pretty good job.
In a brief 43 pages, Al Borowski manages to talk
about all the important areas you need to be aware
of when using email, including:
1. The facts about email. You and your
company project an image by the emails that go
out. Even if you're not thinking about it, the
image is still being sent.
2. Structure. Consider the significance
of each component of an email. For example, the
subject line alone can make or break a communication.
He suggests ways to make yours more likely to
get read--like don't hit "reply" or
"forward" when you need an answer. Change
the subject line! Your most important aim is to
save your readers time.
3. The rules of writing. This may be the
most important section. What we write projects
that "image" very powerfully. Our bosses,
colleagues will form opinions about us by the
way we write. Promotions, raises and even your
career can depend on those opinions.
The author relates ALL of the critical principles
of good writing-in only 15 pages. I have read
books on writing that run to 200+ pages that contain
exactly the same points, so you can't lose by
studying this section.
4. Graphic presentation. Good ideas for
proper font selection (sans serif works better
on screen), color, underlining, and even judicious
use of emoticons (those silly symbols that show
you're smiling when you say this) are given in
simple language.
5. Mechanics. The technological capabilities
of email are powerful and easy to misuse. Things
like knowing when to use CC: and BCC: can have
powerful effects on your readers. For example,
using CC to "cover your carcass" by
copying a boss or other influential person to
prove something's been done can create very negative
feelings in other readers. And it can backfire
big time if your boss sees it for what it is and
doesn't approve of such tactics.
6. Common sense suggestions. It's helpful
to remember these tips as we rush through the
day. Reply promptly, remember to attach files
you promised, only use email if you'd be willing
to see it displayed on the company bulletin board
with your name attached, etc.
I've read a lot of books about writing,
and I'm impressed by the completeness and the
compactness of this little gem. You can probably
learn something even if you consider yourself
a career-building email expert. Worth having around.
Barbara Payne
Back
to product description
$12.00 (plus
S/H)
Buy
now
