 For sales professionals, poor e-mail skills can be a career killer-yet it is surprising how many e-mail gaffs occur in a given day. Here are four BIG mistakes that salespeople and other professionals make with their clients and employers-and how to avoid them.
Poor E-mail Etiquette:
- Not double-checking before you send: Always take a moment to check spelling, content, and e-mail addresses to make sure the intended name is in the "To" field. If you do not have an automatic spell-check set up on your e-mail, please add it right now! Also, be sure to check the attachments you send each and every time you attach them. Sending the wrong price list or the older version of your cover letter can be sales suicide-and you cannot take it back.
- Unnecessary CC: Ask yourself this question: Is this e-mail completely relevant to the person on copy (CC) or blind copy (BCC)? If used judiciously, the CC or BCC can be a useful tool in today's business environment. But overused, it is simply annoying and will cease to get the recipients' attention. (Important tip: BCC is ideal for forwards-if you must forward-since it protects your e-mail recipients from being bombarded by your well-meaning friends and colleagues).
- Overuse of REPLY TO All: Same as Unnecessary CC
- Hiding behind e-mail during conflict: If you feel very strongly about something, pick up the phone to say it or go and see the person face-to-face. E-mail is not the right venue for resolving conflict. On the contrary, the speed of it creates an exaggerated potential for misinterpretation and can add to the conflict. Think twice before you send that snippy response; the momentary satisfaction you feel from hitting SEND is probably not worth the dent you will make in your reputation as a professional.
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