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20 Etiquette Tips to Putting the “Gentle” Back Into the “Man”

Miss E — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:13:10 +0000

Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength. ~Eric Hoffer

1. Gentlemen are always well groomed. Good personal hygiene are critical but often overlooked elements of a professional appearance. For example, by taking the time and effort to press your clothing, you will add measurably to your overall appearance.

2. Dress-up! It is nice to dress up, really dress up. By wearing a nice formal business ensemble, you can set yourself apart in a very positive way. Dressing up for important meeting is always a good idea. But avoid overdressing everyday. It could be perceived that you are uptight or that you are struggling to overcome a poor self-image.

3. When it comes to jewelry, your watch, cuff links, and one ring is sufficient. Layers of gold chains are not likely to impress anyone. An open shirt showing off heavy gold medallions may be hip in some circles, but is not appropriate for corporate America.

4. Manners do matter. Good manners and proper dining protocol can make or break a business relationship. Good manners show respect for others and an awareness of social convention.

5. It’s better to give than receive. Look for ways you can be a benefit to the other person.

6. The power of charm. Charisma, chemistry and confidence are the characteristics of a ‘gentleman.’

7. Gentlemen treat everyone with respect and courtesy.

8. Gentlemen refer to others as ma’am or sir, no matter the age.

9. Gentlemen always removes their hats/caps when entering an elevator, someone’s home or restaurant. Hats are never worn during a meal or during the national anthem remove your hat and place it over your heart.

10. Gentlemen do not sag; showing your underwear is not ‘cool’.

11. A true ‘Gentleman’ does not swear (at least not in public). Swearing is crude and impolite.

12. Gentlemen do not spit in public.

13. Gentlemen are always discreet about their love life. They never kiss and tell.

14. Gentlemen open doors for ladies.

15. A gentlemen always addresses those his senior by their last name, unless given permission to use their first name.

16. A gentleman offers his seat up to a lady, or someone who needs it more.

17. Gentlemen never drop in on anyone unexpectedly. Always call ahead.

18. A gentlemen lets no one lose face.

19. A gentlemen is a diplomat.

20. Gentlemen do not stare. Your eyes should always remain from the chin up!

About the author:
Want to become more charming, persuasive and memorable? Increase your income, power and influence. Walethia Aquil is a certified image and etiquette consultant, with over 25 years experience, has helped thousands boost their confidence, improve their bottom line and business and personal relationships via television, radio, seminars and personal coaching. To receive your FREE copy of The Most Incredible Report You’ll Ever Receive, go to http://graceandcharm.com

SEO Etiquette – Minding Your Manners Online

Miss E — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:11:59 +0000

Would you get up at a funeral and shout an advertisement for your business? Would you run onto the field of the World Series at the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded to get in a word for your company? Would you stop the movie halfway through, turn on the lights, and make everyone sit through a presentation of your latest product? Of course not-at the very least, doing any of these things would get you thrown out. So why is it any different on the Internet? If you want to get back links to your site from blogs, websites, and other public online forums, it’s helpful to understand some SEO etiquette.

1.) Join the discussion. If you want to leave comments on a blog or forum that link back to your site, do more than just leave comments about yourself. Join the discussion. Add your thoughts about what people are talking about. Leave a few that make no mention of your site.

2.) Link to other people as well. If you link from another site to yours, give them a link in return. One-way links are important to building your image on Google; but return links are better for building goodwill. The more sites that get traffic from you, the more they will be eager to mention you.

3.) Go easy on the tweets. If you want to get attention from Twitter, don’t run around following everyone just for the sake of getting more followers. Only follow the types of tweets that relate to your site. And then, in line with the above, join discussions. Make it a practice to mention your site only once every few tweets. Any more, and you will find that no one wants to follow you-you’re just a Twitterspammer.

4.) Use clear links. Smart surfers never click on tiny urls. Spammers and malware writers use tiny urls to disguise their attacks. Instead, provide what is clearly a genuine link. Better yet, just give the name of your website and let visitors find it themselves.

5.) Do credit others for the content you link to. If you provide a link to someone else’s site, be sure to say so in your link. Example: “Everyone Loves This Site (Reuters)”; or “Mythical BlogMonster Found in Transylvania (TechCrunch).”

If you follow these simple rules of SEO etiquette, you can be sure that your site will be mentioned often by others. The more mentions you get, the higher in search engine rankings you will go. And the higher you go in search engine results, the more people will come. It turns into a self-perpetuating cycle.

If you liked this article and would like to learn more information please visit http://www.magicseoservices.com.

Dementia Etiquette

Miss E — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:22:16 +0000

So, you’re going to see your mother. She has dementia — maybe Alzheimer’s, maybe something else — but anyway even her doctor agrees it’s dementia. She lives with your sister — about which you feel both guilty and relieved.

When you see her, things hardly ever go well.

“Hallo, Mom,” you say, “How are you?”

“Oh Vera!” she answers. “I’m so glad to see you!”

The enthusiasm is nice, but you aren’t Vera. Vera’s dead. She was Mom’s older sister. Been dead for nearly forty years now. Already you don’t know what to say. Then she makes it worse.

“Vera, have you seen Sam? He must have gone duck-hunting.”

Sam is your Dad. Was your Dad. Okay, is your Dad but now he’s dead, like Vera. Been gone about five years now. That’s why Mom is living with your sister. Now you’re wondering what you should say and this is exactly what makes you not want to visit your mother.

Okay, so this where dementia etiquette comes in. If you know the person you’re visiting isn’t always, or ever, sure who you are, begin by briefly and matter-of-factly introducing yourself. This isn’t weird, not when you’re dealing with dementia. It’s sensible and you’ll soon get used to it.

“Hi Mom, I’m your daughter Riva, how are you doing today?” would be a nice way to start.

Because, you see, your mother isn’t forgetting you as a subtle way to tell you that she doesn’t love you and that you’ve always been a very unsatisfactory daughter. No, she has dementia. That’s commonly what people with dementia do. They get lost in time and therefore lost in identification of others.

And it usually makes some kind of sense too. We forget that people with dementia often live in other time zones. Maybe for an hour, a day, forever. It is effective memory that anchors us to day, date, time. When that kind of memory fragments, then people with dementia may have no inner recall of what year this is, where they are and therefore who you are.

If you don’t believe this, remember when you were on vacation for that two weeks in Hawaii? On any given day, you might have had trouble knowing exactly what the date was. And you don’t even have dementia.

The time zone thing is a really interesting part of old age reconciliation with personal life story. Most elders spend a lot of time remembering and thinking about a much earlier time zone. It is very typical for even the most present of elders. They think about their early years, with family, in the family place, going over the things that happened. Those times when you surprise your grandmother deep in thought, she is probably deeply considering that past. You could always always ask.

This is not empty dwelling in the past. This is the great journey of old age. It is the journey of reconciliation, of finding peace and forgiveness before death. There is nothing morbid or weird about it. All of therapy is about that same journey, but without the awareness that death is after all guaranteed.

In that great life review, people can let go of what cannot be changed, they accept what happened and forgive themselves or others. From their long experience of life, they finally understand.

Interestingly, those with dementia also do this. Not as logically or as ordered, because they have dementia and fragmentation of memory function. However, whatever the state of your memory, you are never NOT the person to whom your life happened. An old woman who was abused as a child will often still have the startle response, the fear of the dark, the disturbing nightmares. An un-nurtured child now grown old, will still be un-nurtured. Life doesn’t un-happen because memory fails. We aren’t just a head, we human beings. We are all of our being.

So, when your Mom presents you with the past, how can you be comfortable there?

Well, first, know that you can’t fix Mom. You can’t hold back her illness or future decline. That means you aren’t obliged to drag her back into the present, this year of 2010. And, by the way, you won’t succeed in doing that anyway.

When you try to tell elders with dementia, living in the time zone of when they were sixteen, that this is 2010, they’ll be convinced you’re crazy. They’ll look at you as if you were both in that movie “Back to the Future”.

So, since you can’t put the time zone right for them, why not just join them there? Listen to their stories, ask questions, nod and smile politely — oh, for goodness’ sake, just enjoy yourself.

By the way, when they call you by the name of your long-dead aunt, they actually are saying, “I know you’re family, I know we’re close, we belong to each other.” It is we caregivers who have to get over our ego demanding that we are always known, recognized, acknowledged, given the right name.

The interesting thing about the time zone shift is that often a person with dementia living in a different time zone gets everything right. They know who was there. They use the right names for them. They know who wasn’t there. And any event belonging to the future is simply not known.

It was this observation that alerted me to the fact that there was actually something important and real going on. If it was just the meaningless synapse blip of dysfunction, it would not be accurate or meaningful. The memory work takes people to the place where reconciliation needs to happen. Sometimes, thank goodness, it takes people to joy which they want to re-experience. Most often, however, it takes them to trauma, loss and pain.

Typically, it’s childhood and adolescence — that same area you and your therapist talk about. We go the zones that need our work. That isn’t an intellectual choice. It’s where the inward emotional pressure pushes us to.

Exactly the same for the person with dementia. They return to the place where emotional work is needed to help them heal.

“How many times,” asked one man at a workshop I was giving, “do we listen to my father telling us about his little brother drowning before his eyes when he was ten?”

It wasn’t really a mathematical question, of course. It was about endurance and loss of patience, of feeling that this was time wasted bringing up something that no-one now could help. But the whole of therapy is about the story being told, with a supporting witness. In dementia, as in life, we sometimes do our very best work by just standing with someone as they recall a time when they suffered alone or in silence or unacknowledged or abused.

So, what people repeat in dementia often tells us what is still unappeased. That means they have to tell that story until it no longer needs to be told. This may happen within their lifetime, or they may be repeating it to the day of their death. We can only listen and support.

“Gee, that must’ve been terrible, Dad. I’m so sorry, ” would be a good response. As often as necessary. Usually we caregivers only get irritated because we’re already under lots of stress. It’s not usually really the behavior, it’s us. It’s us not feeling good, not resting enough, being alone and frightened with the burden.

Sometimes, however, what people repeat may just be a little brain tag that represents something else.

“When is your father coming home?”

“Did you got to work today?”

“Has the cat been fed?

Repeated over and over, these make family members crazy. However, although the repetition is very annoying, maybe it can tell you something. A woman who asks about her mother, is also saying she feels unmothered.

In the words of a spiritual, sometimes they do feel like motherless children. Because people with dementia are needy and lost and lonely and, as old as they may be, they need what a mother ideally could give.

Patience, acceptance, an “uh-huh” or a “yes, honey”. Just, as, letting them be acceptable just as they are. Because they don’t have a lot of choices about that. Recognize that this is a person with dementia doing their imperfect best to reach out.

One family was being made very angry about their mother saying the same thing over and over. I suggested they tried ways to defuse their own stress and tension about it. In the end, they came up with a family betting pool and the person who got nearest Mom’s score for the day would get money from everyone else. Very silly, but heck, whatever works kindly is fine.

With questions you prefer not to answer — as in “Where’s my mother?” requiring the factual answer “Dead!” — it’s fine to evade, avoid, re-direct attention, offer a bribe in the form of good food or even bad food or start up some different activity. Take Mom for a drive, go for a walk, pet the dog.

I never lie to people with dementia but I’m fine with carefully applied evasion. The great thing about them is that you can practice until you find what works, because they won’t remember but you will.

And that is true of many things in the dementia relationship. Bring order to your own inner emotional turmoil by making lists, noting down what works, bringing a variety of entertainment with you from lotions to DVDs and paying attention to the other person more than to yourself.

Often, if we give ourselves away like that, we get something meaningful back. Visiting doesn’t need to be a big deal. It’s very okay to sit on a sofa beside your family member, wrap an arm around them and watch some dumb TV. It’s only about what closeness you can bring to your time together.

Good luck.

Frena Gray-Davidson is an Alzheimer’s caregiver, support group facilitator and author of five books on caregiving including her latest, “Alzheimer’s 911: Hope, Help and Healing for Caregivers”, available from http://www.amazon.com. Frena presents direct care staff training in dementia behaviors and educates family caregivers at seminars and conferences nationally and internationally. You can find her website at http://alzguide.com/ and you can email her with your caregiving issues or have an-line dementia consultation through her website. She has a newspaper column titled The Caregiver Coach dealing with hands-on care matters involving seniors and old age issues.

Teaching Your Toddler Basic Etiquette

Miss E — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:02:53 +0000

As parents, we should always act as examples to our children. Children learn by looking at us so we need to make sure every action we make in front of them is worthy of emulation. Good manners are initially taught and learned at home. Parents bear the biggest responsibility of influencing their children with proper behavior and conduct.

Chewing. Let children learn the importance of chewing quietly. Instruct them to chew with their mouth closed. This is not only a good sight but also a means to prevent food from falling of the mouth while eating. Also ask them to place food on the spoon without spillage. Too much food to swallow would mean bigger mouth opening which may be difficult for the to do.
Talking. Let children refrain from talking when chewing or when the mouth is full. Also instill that they can talk only if they are asked to or if the conversation calls for their opinion. If in case they are not asked to say something but they feel the need of saying so, tell them to raise their hand or to quietly whisper while asking for permission to speak.
* Utensils. Never let utensils scrape off the plate and make a tingling sound. This is disturbing to other people on the table.
Courtesy. The table calls for a respectful child. Teach your children to ask for more food properly. Always say please when asking for something to be handed to them.
At the end of the meal, allow your child to independently take off his own plate, utensils and glass from the table towards the sink
Teach your child to cough away from another person’s face by turning his head on the other direction or by covering his mouth with a handkerchief or a tissue paper.
Let you child ask for permission when leaving a conversation or when borrowing another person’s possession. Also emphasize the importance of returning to the owner something that has been borrowed.

Parents are the primary backbones of the child’s development and maturity. Teaching etiquette early on would make them better individuals who are responsible for their own actions. Etiquette would mean sensitivity to the feelings and needs of other people. A child with good manners is someone who grew up with good parents. A compliment for the child is achievement for the parents.

About the Author: Elaine invites you to find out more on positive parenting tips, book and toys reviews, pre-childhood education in her parenting website.

Social Networking Marketing Etiquette

Miss E — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:50:03 +0000

Social Networking Marketing Etiquette… What is it?

For many people the whole concept of Social Networking is new and definitely misunderstood. If a person were to take a look and study those that have been successful using social media and the approach that they take in building a large following of people, I’m sure they would typically see a common theme. Those that are successful always introduce themselves as a leader and someone who offers value first.

What do I mean by that?

If you were to meet someone new in your personal life, whether it is at church, at the park, or even on the side walk, and you both introduce yourselves to one another, and the next thing out of their mouth is “I’m a business owner and I can help you accomplish your financial goals.” What would you think?

I personally would immediately go on the defensive, and more than likely from that point forward disregard everything else he/she has to say and find my nearest escape route. Even if what he/she had to offer really could benefit me, I would not be interested. Because it comes across as someone who has “Their” best interest at heart and not mine.

But let’s say that person took the approach of getting to know me first. taking time to understand who I am and what I am lacking. Offering me helpful tips and suggestions along the way of building a relationship. Taking the approach as a leader and as someone of “value”. Now I’m more likely to be ready to hear all about his/her business or service.

This is the same approach one must take when establishing their presence on social media sites. Coming across as someone who offers value and is willing to give before taking. Once people recognize you and your approach as someone who is contributing to their well being they will listen to what you have to say and take into strong consideration whatever it is you are now offering.

Be a person of “value” to your followers first, and show them your product, service, opportunity second. This is what I call “Social Networking Marketing Etiquette.” Take this approach and you will see a dramatic increase in response to your offer, which ultimately leads to an increase in profits and personal success.

Be sure to live by this principal and never break it…

Always be “giving” way more than you are “taking.” People will respect that and in return will respect your opinion when the time comes to get them to take action and look at what you are offering.

I Have Been Marketing Online Now For Over 4 Years And Have Helped Thousands Of People In That Time Period To Better Understand Online Marketing. If You Would Like To Learn More About Me And What I Am Doing To Generate A Passive Income From My Home, Visit My Site At: http://www.BoydHoffmann.com

Etiquette and Teen Texting

Miss E — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:08:21 +0000

There seems to be some confusion about our role as parents and educators regarding our children’s use of technology. In other words how do we teach technology etiquette to Gen Y-ers who are characterized as “knowing it all” especially when it comes to technology. After all, they aren’t called the Net Generation for nothing!

Let me start by start by saying that yes, most definitely, we as parents and educators have a responsibility to teach our kids how to use technology responsibly and respectfully.

Messaging is probably the most frequently used method of communication among the Net Generation. It is easy, cheap, simple and portable. Probably the number one reason why it is so popular is that “everyone does it”. It is virtually impossible to underestimate the importance of peer acceptance in the pre-teen and teenage years.

There are, however many pitfalls to using messaging for communication.

It is very easy for harmful miscommunication to occur when you don’t have the benefit of facial expressions or tone of voice to help you interpret the intent. A way around that is to only use messaging to communicate unemotional data. It is a great tool for making plans… not so much for expressing your feelings. Emoticons just don’t cut it.

Messaging can be very addictive. Research conducted at the University of Queensland in Australia determined that text messaging is equivalent in addictiveness to cigarette smoking. It feeds on a person’s need to feel connected.

Constant messaging can be disrespectful to others. Even if everyone does do it, it’s best to keep your extensive texting to when you are alone. Your friend or family member that is physically present may be made to feel less valued than the “virtual friend”. No one likes to be interrupted; it makes him or her feel unimportant.

Lastly, constant interruptions make it harder to focus on present task or live conversations. A 2006 Liberty Mutual Insurance Group study of more than 900 teens from over 26 high schools nation wide reported that 37% of students found texting to be “very” or “extremely” distracting. Even more disturbing is that an Triple A nationwide survey of 1000 16 & 17 year old teen drivers revealed that 46% admitted text message while driving.

These pitfalls do not mean that teens should not be texting. On the contrary, here are three easy Rules of Etiquette for Messaging that parents and educators can easily teach the net generation so that they can get enjoy the benefits of texting while avoiding the pitfalls.

3 Easy Etiquette Rules for Texting

Establish Family Phone-Free Times.

Protect the time that is most conducive for live communication such as dinner time or time together in the car. No exceptions.

Respect the Hierarchy.

There is a hierarchy of communication. The rule of thumb is the greater the number of senses involved in the communication, the more important the interaction. First is in person, then video chat, then telephone and lastly text. If you feel you must attend to the message, ask permission of the one you’re with to respond to your device. Then tell the person on the device that you are in the middle of something, or busy and that you’ll get back to them.

Be mindful of what you are modeling.

This is the most important rule. Parents and educators teach by example.

If you don’t want your kids to obsessively check their devices or to text during dinner or conversations, than you need to refrain from those behaviors as well. Practice what you preach.

When you live by the Top 3 Etiquette Rules for Texting, you’ll find that you will no longer view technology as an interruption or an addiction. Texting, when practiced responsibly and with respect is a very convenient mode of communication that can be enjoyed by all generations.

Aviva Shiff is the co-founder of Spark Training and Coaching Associates Inc. (SparkTac). SparkTaC http://sparktac.com/

works with organizations and individuals to discover and spark their talent through revealing assessments, innovative training and inspirational coaching.

Gym Etiquette is Crucial to Going Public With Your Workouts

Miss E — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:52:07 +0000

When I first stepped into a gym I really had little to no idea what kind of etiquette I should be using. So of course I made many mistakes. Looking back it seems like common sense and logic. At the time though it sure did not. I want to go over some basic gym etiquette or “rules” that if you are just starting out in the gym you may have over looked. These are not set in stone. They are just a courtesy, and highly prized notions of integrity.

Let us start with leaving your ego at the door. No Ego Lifting. This is a big mistake that you can make at any level of training. Ego lifting is when you consciously lift more than you know you can handle with proper form. Most of the time this is done to show off and impress your friends or a member of the opposite sex. Nothing will make you laugh more than somebody doing squats with too much weight on the bar. But seriously, this behavior can lead to injury.

Not putting weights away when your done with them is also something that occurs a lot in all gyms. It can be difficult to be aware of when training hard. Nobody wants to put your weights away so they can begin their own routine. This is a pet peeve of mine. When I am at a station I want it neat. So I put away all the weights and dumbbells. It can be dangerous too. Someone could come along and trip over them. So do not leave your weights around.

One of your fitness goals when going into a gym should be to get the best workout possible. I understand that socializing may be part of going to the gym. Just make sure that it is always second to your workout. You should not be carrying on full length conversations in between sets. That will seriously disrupt your training. Also remember that other people are there to workout. Make sure you are not taking them out of their zone by trying to talk to them. There is no way that you can focus on a workout when you are engaged in small talk.

Of course free weight training is the most effective form of training in the gym. It is also the most dangerous. When you are new to an exercise with free weights always use the bar collars, because you will have balance issues to address at first. You do not want the weights to slide off the bar injuring yourself or someone else.

Not only will this help you out reaching your goals of muscle gain, but it will also prevent you from getting injured. It will also prevent you from looking like a rude jerk. Be a contributing member of your gym community. Make sure you are helpful.

Check out the following site to learn 7 weird foods that burn stomach fat, unusual tips to lose belly fat, and even a cool “trick” that can prevent junk food cravings: http://www.AbdominalFat101.com

Here’s to wishing you a leaner, healthier, stronger body!

Cellphone Etiquette

Miss E — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:03:23 +0000

There are very few people in this world who posses the kind of social graces intrinsic to the characters in an Austen novel. Some would argue the children of the “information revolution” lack social propriety altogether. Despite the rumours that etiquette is dead, many of us do manage to exercise a little common courtesy toward our fellow man. After all etiquette exists simply to make the whole society caper a little less confrontational.

The introduction of wireless communication has taken social interaction to an unprecedented level. Mobile technology allows people to communicate regardless of time or location, giving rise to a raft of contemporary etiquette concerns. Foremost among these concerns is consideration for the sensibilities of those in our physical presence when we take a call. Is it impolite, for example, to conduct a phone conversation whilst engaged in a carnal act? The contemporary socialite must also extend courtesy to the absent caller. Is it offensive to conduct a telephone conversation whilst using the toilet? This article offers guidance to the bewildered and brutish.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that cell phones must be switched off in the theatre. There is absolutely no excuse. Offenders shall be tarred and feathered. Obviously, this also applies to the cinema, the symphony and spoken word and performance art. Rock concerts and hip-hop shows are generally considered exempt, however, a punter with his fingers in his ears screaming “Huh? huh? huh?” into his cell is a frightful sight.

When piloting an automobile, use a hands-free device or resist answering incoming calls. Not only is it dangerous to talk and drive, it is illegal in many countries. Care should be taken not to incite road rage in other motorists. Furthermore, chatting vacuously on your cell while mounting the footpath will pique pedestrians.

Conducting loud cell phone conversations on public transport should be avoided at all costs. To believe that other commuters ought to be interested in your conversation is narcissistic at best, to subject travelers to your confabulation is an indulgence. Moreover, as one clever blogger puts it, there is a special circle of Hell reserved for people who, upon buying a new phone, cycle through every available tone on the bus or train on the way home.

When in the company of others, neither take nor make telephone calls. Nothing is more irksome than being spurned by a friend whose frequent cell phone conversations take precedence over live tete-a-tete. Answering an incoming call in an interview or business meeting is a faux-pas that is to be avoided at all costs.

To observe basic cell phone etiquette is neither difficult nor inconvenient. Technology such as cell phones create many possibilities for the advancement of society; society is founded upon mutual regard for one another. Always refer to the fundamental principle of good manners: treat others as you yourself wish to be treated. As for holding a cell phone conversation on the toilet…ignorance is bliss.

About the Author:
Emily Sims has published several articles on http://ringtones.foovely.com ringtone culture, and mobile content related issues. Emily contributes to a weblog, http://blog.foovely.com The Foovely Files, which she hopes someone, somewhere is reading.

10 Business E-mail Etiquette New Year’s Resolutions

Miss E — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:00:03 +0000

Happy New Year! New attitude? New habits? The last year brought many changes, unfortunately, when it comes to proper technology use, many still do not take their business e-mail habits and activities as seriously as they should.

Everyone can improve on their skills — if they are willing. Remember, perception is the only reality online! Those you communicate with will form an impression about you based on how you choose to use technology – positive and negative alike.

For whatever reason, these issues in particular, are those that I notice are neglected by too many on a daily basis. Make a commitment to improve in these areas and you may find your business online activities to be more enjoyable as well as more profitable and effective. Trust me, it won’t hurt; rather it will only add to the positive impression you will make with those you communicate with and are out to impress.

Many who may never have the pleasure of meeting you in person will only have your use of technology to form their opinions about who you are and what you feel is important, what you will be like to do business with or form a relationship with. The perception of the type of person you are, as well as whether you are a fish out of water online, will certainly be apparent by the efforts you choose to make or neglect.

I will not forward an e-mail unless it specifically applies to the person I am sending to. I will include a personal note to that person so they know why I am forwarding that particular e-mail their way. If I must send or forward the same e-mail to a group of contacts, I will do so only when I put their e-mail addresses in the BCc: field to protect their privacy (especially if they don’t know each other).
I will use the Cc: and BCc: features prudently by only including e-mail addresses that “need to know” the content of the e-mail and will not use these options for CYA or e-tattling purposes thereby causing increased and unnecessary e-mails to others. I will also make a point of down editing my e-mails to remove any text that is irrelevant to the ongoing conversation.
I will take the time to make sure that my sentences are complete, capitalized and include proper grammar and punctuation. Not all caps; not all small case. Using proper sentence structure and taking the extra time to ensure that my intent and tone are clear, will do nothing but reflect positively on me. Making these efforts will go a long way to certify that communicating with me is easy and reliable while having the added benefit of helping to avoid any misunderstandings.
I will not send an unannounced large attachment of any kind until I ask first when would be the best time to send them to the intended party and what format they prefer to ensure they have the necessary software to view my files. I will never send unannounced large attachments to business contacts outside of business hours when they may not be available to keep their inbox clear. This way, I do not fill their inbox causing all their other e-mail to bounce.
The fact is I do not know what the other side’s e-mail activity is like to assume my attachment will not cause any unnecessary problems for them. Think of the other side, not just of what is more convenient for you at the moment.
I will ensure that the Subject: field will include a brief and concise description of the content of every e-mail I send. I will modify or change the Subject: field when necessary to better display what my e-mail contains when a conversation has moved off the original topic.
Every e-mail I send will be courteous and include a proper greeting and closing which includes my name. Typed properly too! Names in small case or all caps reflect either a lack of education or tech savvy; neither of which is a good thing when it comes to building trust in business. Nice greetings and closings avoid my e-mails being perceived as demanding or terse and reflect that I understand common courtesies.
I will not post e-mails that were sent to me privately for any reason in a public forum or forward them to a third party without the original sender’s permission. Forwarding of business e-mails indented for your eyes only is poor behavior and reflects you are not to be trusted.
I will be very respectful about how I use my employer’s technology resources understanding they are paying the bills and I am on their time. I also understand that I should not assume any level of privacy while using company equipment, connectivity or e-mail resources. I will make a point of reviewing my employer’s policies so that I am familiar with them and can avoid any future problems.
I will refrain from formatting my e-mails with colored text, bolding and/or italics because I know it may not look as I intended when received on the other side. I will not include embedded graphics, photos or logos that can easily cause networks to block my e-mails for security reasons. Refraining from formatting guards against my e-mails not being misidentified as spammy and blocked from getting to their intended party.
I also understand by making the extra effort to add emphasis to my statements by using formatting, it may be taken the wrong way or even over-emphasized by the recipient. I will learn to relay my thoughts clearly with the written word rather than having to rely on red text, caps or bolding. I understand if I take the time to choose my words carefully and reflect on how I use them, formatting is not necessary to communicate with clarity.
When I sign up for a Web site service, newsletter or am sending an inquiry, I will take the time to add that site’s e-mail address to my address book, white list or approved senders list so that the response to my inquiry can get through any spam blocking software my ISP, online service or that I may have in place. I understand that if I don’t make this effort, the response to my request or subscription may not make it to my inbox.
I will make a point of understanding each online service or Web site I choose to use by reading their Frequently Asked Questions, Terms of Service and Help area. I understand that I need to eliminate my actions or lack thereof first as a possible cause of a perceived problem before pointing fingers at others and sending e-mails that require someone’s time to respond.
If in fact something does appear amiss, e-mailing with courtesy and asking for assistance in resolving my difficulties rather than making blunt demands or accusations based on my assumptions alone is a wise approach. Using this methodology will cinch a speedy response. In addition, you just never know who can be your next customer!

There you have it! Your Ten Business E-mail Etiquette New Year’s Resolutions to work on for the year ahead. Remember, your business e-mail activity is all about forming relationships and “communicating with the knowledge, understanding and courtesy” necessary to relay what a joy you will be like to do business with. Use this knowledge to your advantage!

Wishing you all a prosperous New Year!

Author:
Judith Kallos: WordPress Consultant and Producer of
the Business E-mail Etiquette Blog

Facebook Manners – Proper Facebook Etiquette For Your Business

Miss E — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:29:33 +0000

Facebook has become a universal fetish for teens, college students, moms, dads, business people, musicians, artists, baby boomers, grandmas and grandpas…there is no limit to the reach of Facebook. Frightening?

Naaaahhh…but one must realize that this social movement requires you to learn some Facebook manners! (especially if you’re looking to do any marketing on Facebook or if you’re trying to make money with Facebook).

So what’s this “Facebook Etiquette” thing all about? Well, it might be easier to start by talking about what NOT to do on Facebook so you can avoid getting labeled as a “spammer” or as so many people call them today an “idiot marketer”. To remain in what many “Facebookers” would call appropriate Facebook marketing etiquette, DO NOT:

1) DO NOT: Post on your wall 5, 10, 20 or 50 times a day about whatever it is you’re trying to market. This is the worst thing you can do and you’ll only have people on Facebook “un-friending ” you if you keep this crap up.

2) DO NOT: Send out your friend request with a link to your business or site…Think about it…Facebook is about relationships and you’re already labeling yourself as the sleazy salesman/saleswoman…no one wants to be friends with people who are just looking to take your money.

3) DO NOT: Spam people’s inboxes with whatever it is you think is “soooo” great or “soooo” important. Just because you enjoy what you’re doing, doesn’t mean everyone else on Facebook wants to do it. Oh, and definitely don’t send these spammy emails everyday! We can’t stand you people! This is the fastest way to get black balled in the Facebook community.

If you’re getting hit with hard with marketing messages by people that you’ve met on Facebook, do these people a favor…

TELL THEM TO STOP! You don’t have to put up with bad Facebook Marketers and poor Facebook Etiquette. What I suggest, you tell people is…”Hey, we just met. You’re coming on a little heavy with the marketing. I’m here on Facebook to create relationships and to meet people. Slow down.”

Think of it in the “dating” context. You’re not going to go out on a date with a hot chick or a hot guy and try to get to third base on the first date (unless your goal is to get slapped and walked out on). If you just met someone you have to talk to them, ask questions, share info about your likes and dislikes…you can see where I’m going with this. The same rules apply in the world of Facebook. Don’t try and hit one out of the park when you just meet someone. Take the time to create a relationship and get to know people. This takes a little bit of work, but it will pay off. By creating healthy, “real” relationships you will be able to share ideas, network, and find the right people to buy into what it is you have to offer.

That’s it. Pretty simple. Just stay away from the “short cuts” and easy temptation to just blast out your marketing to every kid, mom, grandpa, business person, and everyone else you meet on Facebook. Do it the right way and have some Facebook Manners!

Find out the hottest marketing strategies and techniques free of charge at their Online Marketing Blog. Brian Horwitz is part of an elite group of Internet Entrepreneurs who teach proven ways to make money online with pay per click, SEO, Article Marketing and much more.