10 THINGS TO AVOID : EMAIL FAUX PAS, ETIQUETTE ET AL

Part 1 of 2

Email is so pervasive in our lives that many people, I’m sure, wouldn’t know what to do with themselves if someone pulled the Internet plug. A few short years ago, email was considered an “unreliable” delivery mechanism, meaning that if you had something of importance to say or send, you’d better use a backup plan to be sure your recipient got it.

No more. Email is routinely subpoenaed in legal cases. It’s considered in many courts to be as good as a written contract and there are several “contract” sites that rely on email for contract execution.

People now receive mail on their cell phones and blackberry’s. While some predicted that SPAM would be a major detriment to the email infrastructure, we’ve managed to handle it pretty well, both from a legislative and technical perspective.

Yet, I never cease to be amazed by what people “do” in email. Whether it’s forwarding something inappropriate or including a vast number of people on a “CC” list or replying to “all” instead of “one”…the list goes on. So, here is the current “Dave Segrove list of things to do and not to do” when it comes to email. Some are just ideas, some are common sense and others are…well, I’ll let you decide.

“DO NOTs”, “GOTCHAs” and other things(in no particular order)

1. WORK AND PLAY DON’T MIX

Do not confuse business and pleasure. In my mind, this has got to be the most ignored and fundamental “rule” when it comes to email. There are several “sub-categories” under this heading.

• Chain Emails

  I may be on your mailing list for some reason and I’m happy to be. But if my relationship with you is business-related, I do not want to see your chain emails. A “chain email” is one that you must forward to 10 or 100 people in order to get the message out, for good luck, to avoid bad luck, to sign a petition…the list goes on. SPAM still accounts for over 90% of all email traffic and chain emails are a big part of that.

  That’s not to say there is no place for some very good chain emails, but consider the recipient. Send it to your friends and family perhaps, but not your business colleagues.

• Jokes, Cartoons Etc

  I’m always amazed at the number of these I get from people I’d never have expected to. I like a good joke or cartoon as much as the next person, and if I get one from a friend or family member, that’s very different. I don’t expect (unless perhaps in rare cases) to receive these from business associates.

  Bottom line: you don’t know whether you might offend the recipient and you don’t know what that might result in.

  Many companies prohibit this sort of traffic as part of their policy, but I see it all the time.

• Pictures, Family Stories Etc

  Sorry gang, but business is business. If we’re friends, then by all means add me to your Facebook list or send me your photos or stories. As a colleague, client or vendor, I shouldn’t be copied on these.

2. DO NOT ASSUME PERMISSION

We may have communicated in the past. I may have received your business card from you in a meeting. Please don’t assume I gave you permission to add me to your mailing list. If you want to add me to your mailing list, send me an email or call me to ask.

In most cases, people are quite happy to join your list, but don’t take it for granted.

3. DO NOT BE CASUAL

If your email is business-related, keep the language thus. Don’t assume a “tone” you would not use in conversation. Email is very subject to misinterpretation, specifically because you cannot hear the voice inflexions of the sender.

4. NEVER EVER USE PROFANITY

’nuff said.

5. DON’T ABBREVIATE

Email is not texting. Sure, you may be emailing from your cell phone or portable device, but that’s your problem. Abbreviations are subject to interpretation. Don’t assume that someone will understand what TTYL or L8R means.

6. BIG ATTACHMENTS

As Internet “pipes” get bigger, so do email attachments. Unless someone’s expecting a big file, either give them some notice or find another way (FTP for example) of getting it to them. Many corporate firewalls and routers will block big messages. You run the risk of not knowing whether it was received or not. Not all email systems will tell you.

Big attachments also fill up mail boxes and may cost money in bandwidth, for either you or the recipient.

7. SHOOTING FROM THE HIP

“Flaming” is an Internet term for an attack on another. While these tend to happen in forum settings, they can happen in emails too. It’s very easy to take offense at a message, type a quick reply and hit send before you’ve had time to take a breath.

Now what?

Remember, in most cases you cannot take it back. You cannot “un-say”. If something upsets you, be careful before replying. In my case, I’ll often type up what I want to say in a word processor. That way, there’s little chance of me sending the message by accident (or on purpose). After I calm down, I can edit or delete what I’ve typed and then copy and paste it into an email.

8. IT WILL OUTLIVE YOU

Copies of email messages are stored all over the place. Don’t assume an email conversation is just between you and the receiver. Don’t send something that might come back to bite you later. Email is legally admissible in many places as evidence. Just because you deleted it from “Sent Items” doesn’t delete it from the Internet.

9. REPLY TO “ALL” / FORWARDING

This can be amusing when it happens. It can also be deadly (business-wise). You receive an email from someone who has copied a group of people. You reply with a comment intended for the sender’s eyes only. You hit “send”.

Hang on, did you replay to “all”…? Uh oh…

I received an email recently from someone who forwarded an email from someone else and I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t supposed to see the original because it wasn’t very nice. In fact, it’s what prompted this article.

Be careful when replying to messages that were sent to a group. Ditto, be careful when forwarding a message to one or more people. Is there something that wasn’t intended for general consumption in there?

10. AN ADDRESS THAT ISN’T “PORTABLE” OR APPROPRIATE

Now, this last item may be determined by your company. If you work for a corporation and use their email system, you are probably expected to send and receive work-related emails with a company address. In nearly every case, you can’t take this with you when you leave.

So, if you are using your company address for something else, you might want to stop doing so. This may be against company policy to begin with, but if you can’t take it with you, are you going to have a problem if you leave?

Use an email address suitable for your business. If you want to use AOL or GMAIL or YAHOO, then do so, but use an address that works and that is appropriate. onehotguy@[emailsystem.com] may be cool for your personal life, but does it work for your new legal practice?

So, there you have it. I’m sure there are many other things that could be on the list. As email evolves, we need to as well. It’s no longer the casual tool a few years years ago.

If you made it thus far, you have my complete admiration. This wasn’t supposed to be a novel when it started…if you email it to anyone, you might want to just send a link…I think that’s appropriate

PERSONAL BILLBOARDS (AND CONVERSATION STARTER?)

I was working on my laptop the other day in at a Paradise Bakery in Phoenix (free Wi-Fi and an excellent "frequent flier" program) when I looked around at several other people, like me, all busily tapping away at their laptops.

Whether it was the potent mix of a particularly strong coffee coupled with a ray of sunshine that hit me just right I do not know, but I suddenly thought…"hey – all that advertising space".

• How many people have laptops?
• How many people use them in public places?
• How many people glance at them while walking by?

Imagine a simple ad on the back of the laptop lid…

"Ask me about…[insert product or service]"

or "Need [insert product or service]? Visit www.[insert website].com"

Nothing elaborate, and something that can be read from ten to twenty feet away. Buy a simple clear or white weatherproof label, print, stick and voila!

In this economy, anything’s worth a shot, right? Who knows what sort of conversation might ensue…

READ ‘EM AND WEEP

It’s funny what you can come across when browsing for something completely different, but then again, it shows what a good blog article title can do…

BLOGGERS BUSTED BY COURTS

The article on legalzoom.com (here’s the link), discusses the 2009 case of Liskula Cohen, a model, who was called some rather unpleasant things in several anonymous blog posts. She decided to sue. Since the poster was unknown, her attorney’s had to go after Google, owners of Blogger.com where the comments were made.

The case made it to the New York Supreme court where it was decided that the comments had been defamatory and Cohen had rights to claim compensation. More specifically, they quoted a similar Virginia case and stated that anyone suffering "damages" as a result of "tortious or other actionable communications on the Internet" should be able to "seek appropriate redress by preventing the wrongdoers from hiding behind an illusory shield of purported First Amendment rights."
Back in 1995, the US Supreme Court had ruled the opposite, citing that the First Amendment guarantees protection, is vital to any democracy and "Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority".

A quick Google search for “bloggers sued” brings up a host of results (add 2009 to the search for more current stories) from here and abroad. It that there isn’t a part of the world that doesn’t have a blog-related lawsuit in progress somewhere.

So, what does it all mean?

Well, other than I shouldn’t be so easily sidetracked, it goes to show that "anonymous" isn’t necessarily so. Of course, many of us already know that once we step foot into the Internet world, we’re about as anonymous as a polar bear at a penguin convention. Yet, that aside, it also goes to show that what you say really can matter online. What you say can come back to haunt you, whether it’s a comment you make on a personal level, or, I’m guessing, a professional one too. The "offense" may not have been intended, but that’s up to the "offended" party. There are, I’m sure, some very legitimate cases that deserve a look, but that has to be balanced by the First Amendment (or other freedom-of-speech laws around the world) and allowing people to say what they want to.

The legal lines are very shaky in this regard. Quite literally, the jury is out when it comes to what’s okay and what’s going to end someone up in court. As an enthusiastic blogger and writer myself, I hate the thought of censorship at any level, but such is the world we live in. It’s going to be interesting to see how it develops, but in the meantime…if it’s something I wouldn’t say I loud in a public forum, it might be worth keeping to myself…that makes sense to me.

Oh – and this blog is my opinion and is not intended to offend anyone…sigh.

I write about different marketing strategies and techniques, both traditional and non in my online newsletter Webby’s Updates which you can read at www.JDELtd.com and subscribe to if you so choose. You can download this and other articles from by Small Business GENetics site, www.sbgenetics.com

A GOAL A DAY…

What is it about that "Friday Feeling"? The anticipation of two days of no work? Having survived another week of the rat race? Sleeping in? Happy hour?

What ever the underlying cause for that slightly excited 4pm sense of excitement, many people feel a sense of accomplishment; and many wish they could feel that way every day. While this post comes under the broad heading of "marketing", it can apply to other aspects of personal or professional life.

The old proverb "an apple a day keeps the doctor (or dentist) away" has some conventional wisdom within. Take the proverb and substitute "goal" for "apple" and "apathy" for "doctor" and we’re on to something.

Last week I posted an article comparing a marketing campaign to a military one (see VENI, VIDI, VICI). In the article I illustrated that, like it’s military counterpart, a marketing campaign is comprised of a series of goals, each building on the former to achieve the ultimate goal.

Okay Dave, but what’s this got to do with-

Hang on – I’m getting there.

Take a look at your marketing campaign plan. Hopefully it’s broken down into strategic milestones, monthly or weekly goals. If not, perhaps you could consider doing so, and while you’re at it, break into daily goals too.

That’s a lot of work, Dave…

Is it really? The more detail you can break a plan down to, the easier it is to adjust the smaller components. But most importantly, you can set daily goals. This might be something as routine as "complete 10 marketing calls" or "5 ideas for flyers", but at the end of the day, it can be something you can put a line through and say "done". It’s a part of your campaign. You’re a step closer to reaching your goal and getting where you want / need to go.

Is it a "Friday Feeling"? Perhaps not quite, but you can look back at the day with a sense of having achieved something relevant to you and your business.

Happy Friday.

I write about different marketing strategies and techniques, both traditional and non in my online newsletter Webby’s Updates which you can read at www.JDELtd.com and subscribe to if you so choose. You can download this and other articles from by Small Business GENetics site, www.sbgenetics.com

IS THERE ANYTHING POSITIVE ABOUT NEGATIVE MARKETING?

I supposed I had best define what I mean by "negative marketing". By this I mean, quite literally, making your product / service / self, look better by providing negative feedback about the competition.

Political campaigns are full of it (and not just negativity). "Attack ads" are commonplace, dare I say "normal"? The idea behind these are simply to make the opponent look bad. While commercial advertising may seem less aggressive, you do see comparisons made, especially in some auto ads…

"…we have 24 cup holders, that’s twice as many as you’ll find in a comparably-priced [insert name]…"

Some, I’m sure, would argue that comparing the benefits of your product / service / self with the competition allows you to demonstrate why yours is better. It’s an argument that has merit, but not one I completely agree with.

But heck, who put me in charge, right?

When you’re marketing yourself / product / service, I think you do yourself a disservice by "going after" the competition with negativity. I could be wrong, but if you can’t stand on the benefits of your product / service / self without resorting to pointing out what the competition doesn’t, then does your product / service / self really hold water?

There are going to be plenty of times when you are in a competition. Personally, I’ve found that by being positive and complementary about the competition tends to result in a more favorable impression made on the audience…thus the client.

Leave the competition to fight among themselves. If you believe in your product / service / self, you won’t need to do any negative marketing at all.

I write about different marketing strategies and techniques, both traditional and non in my online newsletter Webby’s Updates which you can read at www.JDELtd.com and subscribe to if you so choose. You can download this and other articles from by Small Business GENetics site, www.sbgenetics.com

MAGICJACK : 12-MONTHS LATER…

Well, it’s been a full year. My subscription expired yesterday. I wrote the following back when I first received the "as seen on TV" gadget that looked pretty amazing.

• Magic Jack : Does it work? after six months.

So what’s the verdict?

I’m pleased to announce that it is GUILTY of working almost flawlessly!

But didn’t he say "almost"?

Yes, he did. The few "bumps" I’ve had have been more due to the PC or Internet that the device. For the past 12 months, I have used my MagicJack on two different laptops, one with XP and the other with Vista as well as three different desktops also with different Vista/XP combinations. Here’s a list of my findings:

• Regardless of the operating system, the "plug-and-play" feature seems to work just fine. When you plug the MagicJack for the first time, it self-installs the software and you’re up and running.




• Transferring the 911 location (very important) is a snap, just go the the MagicJack website, log in, and change your location. I do hasten to add that I’ve not had to use the 911 feature, so it’s not been tested in the field.




• Overall performance has been very good, for local and long distance. International calls are fine too. If you wish to make international calls, you do have to keep a balance on your account. Incoming international calls are not affected.




• Occasional "Max Headroom" like effects do happen, making the other person sound a little as though they’re trying to rap. This primarily happens when the Internet connection is being heavily used by other programs or the bandwidth is low.




• I’ve used MagicJack on wired and wireless computers with comparable results.




• On the current computer, the MagicJack has been running continually for about 2 months with only 1 reboot (required for service pack updates).




• The telephone number is tied to the MagicJack, not the computer, so if you plug the MagicJack into a new PC, the number transfers with it.




• The control panel on the screen is very simple to use. You can see outgoing and incoming call history, use it to dial or save numbers to your phone book.




• The voicemail is so-so. It’s usable, but not great, but it’s there if you need it.

I’ve heard mixed opinions about tech support and area code availability – two areas I’ve not had to experience problems in.

So, I’m certainly not saying it’s totally flawless, but on the whole I am delighted with my experience. For $50 you get a dedicated telephone number (plus you pick your own area code). Just add handset and Internet. I have just renewed my subscription for 5 years ($60).

For the price, the ease of use and quality is incredible value. Wherever you go, you take the same number with you. It’s perfect if you change locations like I do, or transfer from PC to laptop and back.

Personally, I am very hapy and will continue to use MagicJack and even get another…and no, I still don’t own stock in the company

You can learn more at www.magicjack.com.

LEANER, MEANER…AND QUITE DIFFERENT

In a recent conversation with a colleague, I commented on how I felt the business dynamic was changing. Permanently. I went as far as to predict that:

In a few years, there will be a handful of "mega corporations" responsible for everything from food production to financial services and media. Many of the "big corporates" today are learning the "merge or die" lesson, just look at the headlines that would have been unbelievable just five years ago. In my (very humble) opinion, these large corporate entities are going to form the basis for our economy. They will be the foundation, or "backbone".

"Brick and mortar" firms are changing too. They are either being swept up like rocks in a glacier, or going out of business. Sure, some are changing, but only then to become part of the "corporate glacier".

I think the "traditional" job will change. I see things such as benefits (healthcare, pensions etc) go by the wayside. I’d even hazard a bet that in the foreseeable future, "W2" style employees will be much rarer than 1099. After all, it makes sense for companies who need to be leaner, contain costs and reduce risk. Shift the burden of benefit costs to the employees.

On the flip side, employees can become business owners in their own right. Now, at least in theory, they are "vendors" who can charge for services provided. Work 40 hours, bill for 40 hours. Work 45 hours, bill for 45 hours. With no benefits to pay for and seeing the "employee" as a "vendor", even overtime becomes a cheaper option for companies than worrying about the "encourage unpaid overtime" that anyone who has worked in corporate knows about.

Not everyone is going to want to, or necessarily be able to, set up their own company or be a self-employed entity. Hence, for a while at least, traditional W2-style employment will be the norm, but, as we’re seeing, there will be fewer jobs with fewer benefits.

It doesn’t have to be all negative. Companies can (and already do) form organizations with collective bargaining power to obtain half-decently priced benefits such as healthcare. Personally, I see this as a help rather than a hindrance. Group insurance will be a little different, but it may be an option to self-employed people who belong to associations who are able to get "group" rates.

With so many self-employed / small companies, out there, there will be room for innovation and even more specialization. Consider this: a company wants a product. They hire a small company that is a specialist in developing a product. The small company gets a mandate and goes out to bring in just those resource companies that can develop the product. At the end of the project, everyone goes their own way. No expectations beyond the project. You’re paid for what you do, and off you go.

This more "modular" type of company / project / service scenario will suit the upcoming generations who are used to the technology and cultural mindset that will be required.

Of course, this prediction is open to suggestions of being rather "Orwellian" or, dare I say "socialist"? Except I see it evolving already. Look around you at the number of smaller companies, self-employed people and the number of "super corporations" that are getting bigger and bigger.

This isn’t intended to scare anyone, in fact the opposite. It’s just my opinion, but the business world is changing. We can fight or we can do what we do best: adapt and innovate.

A GUARANTEED WAY TO GENERATE INTEREST

If you’re reading this, then it worked. A thought-provoking or challenging "hook" is the first step in getting attention. What you do with it after than, of course, is up to you.

In social media, products like Twitter rely on interesting "tweets" in order for people to converse. Tweets that are considered good are "retweeted". There are even awards ("Shorty Awards") for the best one-liners.

A captivating lead-in can make a huge difference, no matter what product or service you’re offering. Sometimes, the difference between you and your competition might just be getting someone to stop at your store or website and not the next guy’s.

For example, which sounds more interesting?

• EXPERIENCE IS AS IMPORTANT AS QUALIFICATIONS




• YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR : ASK ABOUT EXPERIENCE

Now, perhaps these aren’t the best of tag lines, but if you are trying to stand out from the crowd by virtue of your experience, both are adequate. However, in my opinion, the second tag suggests a slight "challenge", possibly that cheap isn’t always good…? Both articles or websites, blogs, flyers, brochures or whatever could have very much the same contents, but giving the prospect something to think about could be the margin you’re looking for.

When you’re writing your next article, blog post, advertisement, web site…etc, consider asking a question that people might not have thought about. Take a different view on an everyday subject. Be controversial. Stimulate discussion. Make them wonder what mysteries are inside

Bear in mind, that the content is important too.

I’ve written about being #1 on the major search engines (see SO YOU MADE IT TO THE TOP OF GOOGLE). Have a great seo-friendly site that gets you placed is important, but it’s no use if people aren’t staying on the site.

Ditto anything else. The content is as important as the title, but having a good lead-in certainly helps.

FAMILIARITY DOESN’T ALWAYS BREED CONTEMPT

This post idea came to me after I read a very good entry on Steph Adamo’s blog titled "Tropicana Redesign", in which Steph points out that there was nothing wrong with the "old" Tropicana carton design and that the "new" look is in fact, rather awful.

The post has since been featured on Yahoo! and other places. From the reaction to this comment, I think most people agree that, at least in this case, Tropicana (or rather Pepsico) should have left it alone.

But this raises a point. Especially in these turbulent times, people are looking for something different. Marketing is no exception. Whether it’s a new look or new approach, different gets noticed is conventional thinking. As a marketing consultant, I can agree and attest to this…to a point.

Sometimes tradition is also good. Take the upcoming 4th of July. Could anyone imagine it much different that it’s been pretty much since the first Independence Day? How about Thanksgiving? Of course we don’t want to change these things, the way we celebrate is traditional! Shame on me for even talking about it!

In these rapidly changing days and weeks when everything is moving so quickly, change can be positive, but so can stability.

Looking at the old Tropicana carton I see something that is very familiar. The new one isn’t. Did they really need to change it? Well, someone at Pepsi thought so, but how about marketing tradition instead of change? Something along the lines of "everything is changing, but some things don’t" or "we got it right first time, why change". You get the idea.

I call this concept "remarketing". Look at many small companies (and some large ones). You see things like "serving the community since 1982…" or longer. That implies a tradition, familiarity and a tried and true method. Why not advertise the fact?

Sometimes change isn’t the way to be different. Sometimes being the only one that doesn’t change can be just a unique.

I write about different marketing strategies and techniques, both traditional and non in my online newsletter Webby’s Updates which you can read at www.JDELtd.com and subscribe to if you so choose. You can download this and other articles from by Small Business GENetics site, www.sbgenetics.com

WEBBY’S : JULY 2009 ONLINE

The July edition of Webby’s Updates is now online at www.JDELtd.com. Simply visit the site and click on the “news” button to read it.

This month features include two marketing pieces, JDE client reviews, news, new website launches and, of course, Webby’s Trivia.

Happy 4th of July!