Communication Etiquette

COMMUNICATION ETIQUETTE

Introduction to Business & MarketingFebruary 24, 2012

Quick Review!

Communication is the process of… The term “communication skills”

refers to these four things… The six elements of communication

are… List examples of barriers to

communication. Common channels of communication

in business include…

Objectives

Understand general etiquette rules for various communication channels.

Distinguish between professional and personal communication.

Analyze written emails for professionalism.

Telephone Etiquette

Answering Your Phone Identify yourself! Speak clearly &

enunciate your words.

No eating or chewing

Conclude all calls.

Taking Messages

Have a current and clear greeting on your voicemail box.

Take complete messages & deliver them promptly.

Computer Etiquette

Sharing Computers

Keep a tidy work area.

Keep computer noise down.

Respect privacy & be courteous.

Log off when you are finished /leave.

a.k.a. “netiquette”Email Etiquette

Netiquette Rule #1

Do not mix personal emails with professional emails!

Email belongs to the organization – it is NOT private.

Professional Emails

This is not a casual message you would send to a friend!

Be very careful with humor. Proofread! Be extra careful about

spelling and grammar. Use polite & courteous language. Be conservative with abbreviations

and emoticons.

Personal Emails

Never forward personal messages. Jokes Email chains Personal opinions

Be careful of spamming!

Netiquette Rule #2

DO NOT USE ALL CAPS FOR MESSAGES!

This comes across as yelling.

If emphasis is needed, try italics, bold, underlining…

Netiquette Rule #3

Be courteous and conscious of the other person’s time.

Make your messages short and clear.

Netiquette Rule #4

Never write something that you wouldn’t want your boss (or co-workers) to see.

Assume that any email could be forwarded at any time.

Netiquette Rule #5

Always include a signature.

Include your contact information.

Sometimes your signature may be informal.

Other Netiquette Tips…

Reply

Reply only to those who need feedback.

Use the Reply All button sparingly.

If you receive misdirected emails, let the sender know.

Subject Lines Be descriptive! This may be the

only part of your email that the recipient sees.

Never leave blank.

The Message

Use short sentences and short paragraphs.

Use bullet lists to break up long passages.

Be professional! Grammar & Spelling Punctuation Capitalization

Tone

Be aware of tone Short, curt

responses may indicate anger.

Sarcasm does not work well without body language indicators.

Know when to stop!

Beware of the emotional reply! Before sending an angry email,

wait a few hours. Sometimes the phone is better!

Never let email get in the way of good communication. Know when to choose another

communication channel.

Looking for professionalism…

Email Etiquette Activity