4 time-saving email tips!

4 time-saving email tips!
Posted 12/19/2005 by Lee Hopkins (Business Communication Consultant)

Here's 4 great tips for making sure that you take advantage of your email client. The result? A powerful communication system that will save you lots of time and enable you to spend more time promoting and advertising yourself.

1. Know thy email program! Whilst all email programs exist for the same reason - to send and receive email - and whilst most of them work in roughly similar ways, it still pays you to spend 30-45 minutes with your email program to get to the nitty-gritty parts.

The sort of parts that mastering will enable you to cut valuable minutes off your day dealing with your inbox. Like how to set up an auto-reply, or a signature, or automatically save incoming and outgoing emails into different folders, like a well-organised filing cabinet.

Most email programs have very good 'Help' files - make use of them in your quest for more knowledge and more time. Once you've got a good grip on your email program, move on to tip 2...

2. Automation is vital! You should aim to spend about 85-90% of your time promoting your business, NOT answering emails! If, like me, you get over a 100 emails a day, not automating your emails can be a real killer as far as your personal productivity goes. Remember how in stage 1 I suggested that you get to grips with your email program and learn how to automatically save emails into folders?

Well, this is a key strategy I use to save myself time. Why should I waste precious time moving from subject to subject, looking at each incoming email in turn, when I can have my email program file my incoming emails automatically into subjects of my choosing. Subjects like each different project I'm working on, different clients, different business areas (marketing, sales, research, and so on).

With all of my incoming emails automatically placed into relevant folders, I can move from folder to folder, keeping my working memory focused on one area, with the result that I become more productive than if my attention was having to be spread across multiple areas. With many email programs you can even set up automatic replies (known as autoresponders) for each folder - so that when a new email gets 'dropped' into that folder a reply is automatically generated to the sender, allowing you to acknowledge their email and promise them a response shortly.

Without YOU having to lift a finger! How efficient and smart is that?!

3. Set up your signature. NOW! Oh, I know I bang on about this at every opportunity. But it really is a fundamental online self-marketing principle and if you don't have a signature you are missing out on the chance to advertise yourself to literally thousands of people. Thousands? Yes, because everyday emails get forwarded on to friends and business colleagues. Jokes, sad stories, news items, useful tips... all these types of emails and more get forwarded on to people you probably don't know.

If you don't have a signature set up, here's some examples. Note that they are a maximum of 8 lines long and each contain a compelling reason to DO something, like visit their website to grab a free report...
Example 1: .blah blah blah .text text text. Regards, John
==================================================
John Smith - Marketing Director - Your Company Tel: +61 8 8388 5171 Mob: +61 410 642 052 www.yourcompany.com.au john@yourcompany.com.au Visit our site and sign up for powerful FREE ideas and tips on marketing your business ==================================================

Example 2: .blah blah blah .text text text. Regards, John =================================================
John Smith Marketing Director www.yourdomain.com john@yourdomain.com Tel: +61 8 8388 5171 Mob: +61 410 642 052 Visit our site for a FREE copy of our 20 page report, 'Your Financial Freedom: what the insurance industry doesn't want you to know" =================================================

Example 3: .blah blah blah .text text text. Regards, Jeremy =================================================
Jeremy Lee Marketing Executive www.yourwealthinc.com/lee Tel: (08) 8388 5171 ATTENTION: if you are sick of your job and want to earn more money visit my site for information on how you can build financial freedom one brick at a time WITHOUT having to give up your day job. Within a few years you could be firing your boss! =================================================

Example 4: .blah blah blah .text text text. Regards, Michael =================================================
Michael Blox www.bloxareus.com Tel: (08) 8388 5171 Mobile: 0410 642 052 Blox are the latest, coolest toys around. Kids just LOVE THEM! Visit our site to grab the latest designs, colour schemes and accessories. There's FREE screensavers and sound files too! Go there!! =================================================

As I mentioned above, I get around 100 emails a day. If I attach my signature to every reply, that's 100 prospects a day who get my sales message! Every email program worth its weight allows you to attach a signature. You don't have any excuse. Start writing some email signatures today and test them out on your replies.
Some will be better than others at getting a response - you'll soon know.

4. Create templates to save even more time! I get over 100 emails a day and some of them are from different people asking the same question. How time wasting to re-type exactly the same reply to each different email! That's why I have created template responses - I can call up a pre-written response and just cut and paste it into a reply, adding any personalising features like the person's name.

Easy-peezy! I have dozens of templates, each answering a specific frequent request or question. These save me heaps of time! Each email program works slightly differently with template files, so I suggest you check out your email program's 'Help' files for more information. A useful product I've found for Outlook is ReplyMate - check it out at replymate.com So, there we are. If you follow these four tips, you'll find that you're able to spend less time as a slave to your inbox and more time promoting yourself.

Source: http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/communication/archives/4-timesaving-email-tips-6992

Digital etiquette slowly emerging among office workers

Digital etiquette slowly emerging among office workers

UK office workers are confused as to how and when they should use digital communication tools according to a recent study.
Almost half of UK office workers would consider it rude if they hadn’t received a reply to an e-mail within a morning and 5% would consider it rude if they hadn’t received a response within five minutes of sending it (see below).

Despite this apparent importance of immediacy, many people still felt instant messaging (IM) and text messages (SMS) were simply not appropriate for certain aspects of office work.

When is digital communication inappropriate?

Digital Etiquette, a study carried out by electronic communication provider ntl:Telewest Business and research company TNS, found that less than one in ten respondents felt SMS and IM were appropriate for HR issues, financial discussions and liaising with senior management.

There also appears to be a lack of tolerance when using SMS and IM: Two out of every five people expect a response to an SMS within an hour before considering it rude, and almost a quarter of people expect a response within five minutes to an IM. But many people have not yet formed a judgment on how long it’s considered rude to wait for a reply, implying that digital etiquette is still being formulated and confusion is rife.

Use guidelines to avoid etiquette issues

Stephen Beynon, MD, ntl:Telewest Business, called for firms to lay down some dos and don’ts for modern communication channels: “The British are renowned for their manners, so it’s important that as and when these tools become more widely known, businesses give guidelines to their staff on how to use them efficiently. People should be embracing these new technologies, not worrying about how and when to use them.”

What's your digital communication type?

TNS surveyed over 1,400 office workers aged 16-64 across the UK on behalf of ntl:Telewest Business for the Digital Etiquette study. Three main digital communication types emerged from the study, which it categorized as follows:
1. OATs - Old Age Technologists - not necessarily old in age, but OATs have dated attitudes towards new communication technologies.
2. ESBOs (Easily Sociable Behavior Online) – completely at ease with IM and SMS in the office, ESBOs have whole-heartedly embraced modern office communication tools.
3. SToIC (Slow to Implement Change) - SToICs follow established etiquette rules so don’t stray from their accepted comfort zones like fax.

IM and SMS are most subject to misinterpretation, but other communications are less ambiguous

Digital communication facts

• IM and SMS are most subject to misinterpretation, but other communications are less ambiguous – 56% of people had never had misinterpreted a fax, and 46% had never misinterpreted a letter (see above).

• IM continues to be used primarily for gossip and socializing, a third of respondents said this was what they used IM for most.

• E-mail is the most highly regarded tool in the office: 78% of respondents claimed they couldn’t live without it in the workplace. It’s used for the widest range of tasks, from gossip and socializing to personnel, HR and financial discussions.

• Nearly a third of respondents said they still use fax and letter every single day, whilst less than one in five use SMS daily and only one in ten use IM every day.

• 61% of respondents admitted to considering a person’s seniority before sending an e-mail, changing the language of their message accordingly.

The digital communication gender divide

The study also found there’s a gender split in communication etiquette: On average, only 35% of women are happy to gossip over e-mail compared to 38% of men, while only 45% of women compared to 56% of men use work e-mail for socializing.

Overall, women are more timid with new digital communication and remain more comfortable with traditional routes like fax and letter; 34% of female office workers cannot live without letter writing while 30% cannot live without faxing. Women are also less addicted to phones, leaning towards relying on paper trails at work. While 27% of male office workers cannot live without their phones, only 20% of women are phone addicts.

The indication, the study concludes, is that etiquette offers women a tried-and-tested code of conduct they prefer to stick by, while men are mavericks using new methods of communication that haven’t yet been clearly defined by etiquette.

source: Internal Comms Hub

What To Do (And Not Do) When Emailing Recruiters

What To Do (And Not Do) When Emailing Recruiters

By Jared Flesher

With many job postings now requiring candidates to apply via email,first impressions are made not with a handshake but with words on acomputer screen. How formal should your first email to a recruiter be?

Just as it's usually a good idea to dress your best for aninterview, emails also should be professional and polished, sayhiring managers. If you decide capital letters aren't worth yourtime, you might be in for a long job search.

Kristen O'Hara, a senior recruiter for Dallas-based AffiliatedComputer Services Inc., an information-technology outsourcingcompany, says she has seen it all, including emails with funky fontsand distracting backgrounds."

Honestly, there are some emails that have completely ruined acandidate's chances for me," she says.To avoid sabotaging your job search, here are some tips to followwhen sending cover letters by email:

1. Forget what Instant Messenger has taught you.Job recruiters report that young professionals are the applicantsmost likely to send too-casual emails.Liz Shupe, interim director of the career-development center at theUniversity of Richmond, offers one explanation: "They're treating itlike an IM."When using Instant Messenger with friends and acquaintances, it'sacceptable to use abbreviations and incomplete sentences and toforgo capital letters and punctuation. In business correspondence,however, stick to the rules your English teacher taught you."We tell our students that an email is the same exact thing as acover letter, without the addresses on top," says Ms. Shupe.

2. Don't be cute.Your adorable email background of puppies snuggling with kittens hasgot to go."I remember a particular email written in that 'comic' font," saysMs. O'Hara. "That's just not professional to be sending to a workcontact." She recommends plain-vanilla fonts, such as Times NewRoman and Arial, and black text on a white background.

Ms. O'Hara also warns against sending emails from quirky emailaddresses. Slackerboy@ or Sexgoddess@ might not get the chuckle youhope for. If you leave your cellphone number as a contact number,make sure your voicemail message is appropriate, and that means itshouldn't include music, she says.

3. Customize your cover letter to the job.Wynne Billings, a corporate recruiter, says many of the emails shereads show a lack of effort on the part of the applicant."It's like they just cut and paste the same cover letter toeverything they're doing," says Ms. Billings, who works for ApexSystems Inc., a technology-staffing firm based in Glen Allen,Va. "It's so not catered toward our job."It's a big plus if applicants can show they know a lot about theposition they're applying for, Ms. Billings says. She recommends jobhunters use part of the job description they feel matches theirskills or experience to explain why they'd be good for theposition. "Nine out of 10 people don't do that," she says.

4. Don't ramble."Get to the point," says Hank Stringer, a former high-tech companyrecruiter in Austin, Texas. He doesn't like it when candidates usegimmicks to try to attract attention, citing as an example a missivefrom one applicant that blathered on about high gas prices. Messagesshould be straightforward and concise, he says.Mr. Stringer, who founded Hire.com, a recruitment-managementsoftware and services firm, says recruiters often have only secondsto devote to each cover letter they receive, and many are lookingfor just three things: the titles of the positions you've held, thecompanies you've worked for and your educational background.

Anything else, such as a long story about yourself, can get in theway, he says.

5. If attaching a cover letter, write a brief note in your email.There's no rule about whether a formal cover letter should beattached to an email or whether the email itself can serve as acover letter.If you attach your cover letter, the text of your email can say: "Ireally want to work for your company, please see attached resume andcover letter," says Ms. Billings. "Even maybe just tell me brieflywhy you want to work for my company, just give me a sentence, thenI'm going to open that cover letter and resume."

Mr. Stringer also warns against being too creative in the subjectline of an email. He recommends: "Experienced candidate seekingposition as [name of position]" or "Experienced candidate seekingposition with [name of company].""Use one word to describe yourself, but do not go overboard," hesays.-- Mr. Flesher is an intern at CareerJournal.com.

Source : www.careerjournal.com

Email Reflections: 10 Simple Courtesies

Email Reflections: 10 Simple Courtesies

Are you lax on how you respond to emails? Here are some very important tips you will want to know -- ten ways to be respectful and courteous to your receiver -- before you respond to another email. You just never know where the email is going to end up! The email could end up on your next prospect's or bosses desk.

Okay, you are super busy or you are down to your last email before heading home. Maybe it’s first thing in the morning, you have a full in box to read and handle, all before your meeting starts in 10 minutes. It’s easy to be in a rush and dismiss the little things, however...
...have you ever thought how your email looked from a receiver’s viewpoint? Of course you have, every day, haven't you? It is so easy in our fast-paced lives to let the little things go.
When you receive a poorly formatted email and you don't know where each paragraph starts or finishes -- the thoughts are scattered and jumbled -- here’s the reader’s self chatter in action: "What the heck, it'll take me hours to decipher this. I don't have time for this. Can't X be respectful? I'll just pretend I didn't get it and maybe their follow-up email will be clearer." Click and delete. Of course, you have never done this -- chuckle.

By chance, your next email receiver is nicer and doesn't delete and pretend. They just move onto the next email and leave yours for the "someday in the future" stack. And maybe it will or will not ever be answered. Their response may even miss your point entirely or only provide feedback to half of the items that need addressing.

If you have difficulty getting quick responses or any response at all, the receiver could be sending you a silent message. They could feel that you are wasting their time or do want to educate you on common email courtesies.

Recently, after receiving ten emails in one day from separate independent professionals, with their personal pronouns "i's" in lower case besides other items. I asked them to enlighten me about their lax protocols. I received a wave of negative responses. In order to keep this a family-available article, here are a few responses cleaned up: "i don't have time, too many emails." A few others added, "i do it to everyone." I particularly loved the "to" in the last two emails -- I do it "to" everyone.

A human resource director client shared with me that every day she deletes ten or twelve applications, about 12% of the total number she receives daily, that omit common email courtesies. A majority come from individuals with higher degrees. I chuckled at the irony. She didn't and just heavily sighed. She found it even more serious on the number of emails she received from recruiters that also lacked these simple courtesies.

"Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" is a book I read a few years ago if I recall correctly. Normally I wouldn't care much about the small stuff either. However, coherent communication, whether verbal or written, still represents who we are and shows respect. Using history as an indicator, communication started and stopped wars.

Recently, I attended a speaking engagement with Michelle Singletary, author, "7 Money Mantras," and columnist, The Color of Money, for the Washington Post. In the presentation, she mentioned several times, "You had better sweat the small stuff." Of course, her reference was to money. Yet, it was an important point. It takes pennies to develop into dollars, dollars to add up to ten, and so on up the monetary ladder. Doesn't it hold true that if we leave out the small common courtesies and respect in emails, will it not block the dollars -- directly or indirectly?
When thinking over the given benefits for taking care of the "small stuff" in emails, here are three powerful mantras:
* A professional email attracts a professional response.
* When you respect other people’s time, they usually will respect yours.
* When communication is thought through and clear, the chances increase significantly that the response will be returned in the same manner. Stinkin’ thinking attracts the same.


10 Simple Courtesies, gathered from reading 2,000 emails, and feedback from the human resource director:
1. Focus on one topic per email. Keep the email simple so the receiver can focus in fast and easy. This improves the chance of a faster response, maybe any response. If you write to someone regularly, ask what he or she prefers.
2. An appropriate subject line will help reduce accidental deletion. It will also help locate that specific email faster if needed. When forwarding or responding, change the subject line to reflect your response. You can also add your first name in the subject line as an added identifier. I like to start mine with: "Personal note from Catherine" or follow after the subject with: "From Catherine." If you are dealing with deadlines add: "Please respond by."
3. Keep each paragraph to one thought even if the paragraph turns out to be one fragmented sentence. You will want to limit email paragraphs to six sentences. A natural way of reading from a computer screen is with a scan-read process. Screen reading dries out the eyes and reduces blinking causing eyestrain.
4. Add subheader titles into the email when more than three paragraphs are in the email or more than three paragraphs follow the subheader. You can add subheaders as you type or while rereading. This keeps the eyes moving fast and easy. It also allows the mind to shift from topic to topic without developing cobwebs.
5. Re-read your email no matter how long or short. We always think faster than our fingers can type. Thus, what is typed isn't always what was swarming around in our mind.
6. Does the subject flow or was it choppy? Flow in an email isn't the same as flow from one chapter in a book to another. Flow allows the reader to easily transition and comprehend the material. If choppy, the reader might daydream or take a break and formulate a different answer that might not fit the material, creating additional emails on your part to clarify. Frequent places to check for flow in your material are where you start or stop a message or submessage.
7. Is there any type of priority or order needed to follow so that the receiver follows along with the material? Are there steps or information that build on the previous message? Before you can pour a glass of milk you might want buy the milk -- chuckle. When we are extremely familiar with how to do something, it’s easy to write past something, a common mishap by IT experts. Do you know the receiver and their level of knowledge or experience on the topic? My favorite saying is, "When in doubt, write it out."
8. For goodness sake, turn on the spell check feature on. If you want to write pronouns in small letters, at least let spell check catch them for you.
9. Who are you? You would think that this one was common sense, at least I did. Yet, every week I receive 10-15 emails asking me a general question without telling me who they are or giving me some background. They are huge, open- ended questions that would take me years to answer. This falls into the lack of respect category.
10. What do you need or want? Forwarding an email that doesn't ask for what you need makes the receiver try to guess. Not cool. Speak up, don't be shy. If you take rejection personally, hire a life coach to work on this with you. Statements don't automatically ask anything. Questions do. My dad had a saying, "Squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you can't ask, squeak somewhere else. I can't guess what type of oil you need." A little harsh yet it makes its point. Go ahead and ask, and no this isn't a reflection on you.

We all believe we have good communication skills. There could be some real surprises when you start practicing these 10 Simple Courtesies. Take your time, slow down in order to speed up. Tackle it slowly so that the lessons stick. You will be glad you did. The next email you send might be to your next boss, client, or forwarded to the President. You never know. It happened to me and it could happen to you.


Catherine Franz is a Marketing & Writing Coach, niches, product development, Internet marketing, nonfiction writing and training. Additional Articles: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

as published in ImpactFactory

Top 6 Rules for Using a Cell Phone at Work

Top 6 Rules for Using a Cell Phone at Work

From Dawn Rosenberg McKay – about.com

Cell phones are useful but they can be so disruptive. Your friends and family can reach you anytime, anywhere, which can sometimes be annoying. When you're on your own time, the choice to turn off your cell phone is entirely yours. When it comes to using your cell phone at work, however, you have to be mindful of your co-workers and your boss, not to mention your own ability to get your job done. Here are some rules you should follow when it comes to using your cell phone in your workplace.
1) Turn Your Cell Phone Ringer Off
If you don't want to turn off your cell phone completely, at least set it to vibrate. The sounds of different ring tones going off all the time can be very annoying to others. In addition, you don't want your boss to know how often your phone rings.
2) Use Your Cell Phone Only for Important Calls
What should you classify as an important call? The school nurse calling to say your child is ill, your children calling to say they've arrived home from school safely, and family emergencies that you must deal with immediately should be considered important calls. Your friend calling to chat, your child calling to say the dog had an accident in the house, or your mom calling to tell you your cousin Tilly is engaged should not be considered important.
3) Let Your Cell Phone Calls Go to Voice Mail
If you are in doubt about whether an incoming call is important, let voice mail pick it up. It will take much less time to check your messages than it will to answer the call and then tell the caller you can't talk.
4) Find a Private Place to Use Your Cell Phone
While it's okay to use your cell phone for private calls during breaks, don't stay at your desk. Find somewhere else to talk, where your conversation can't be overheard, even if what you're discussing isn't personal. You may be on a break but your co-workers have a job to do.
5) Do Not Bring Your Cell Phone Into the Restroom ... Ever
Why? Well, if you must ask — you never know who's in there; the person on the other end of the line will hear bathroom sounds, e.g., toilets flushing; it is an invasion of your co-workers' privacy.
6) Don't Bring Your Cell Phone to Meetings
Even if you have your cell phone set to vibrate, if you receive a call you will be tempted to see who it's from. This is not only rude, it is a clear signal to your boss that your mind isn't 100 percent on your job. All calls can wait until your meeting is over or until there is a break. Remember, there was a time before we had cell phones.

answer your phone

Etiquette rules apply to cell phone owners

By Cynthia Grosso

With the popularity of convenient, portable tools, good manners have taken a beck seat.

Have you ever noticed, that although we have more conveniences then ever before, it seems that we have less time then ever before. How ironic! Time has become our most valuable asset. As we spend much of our lives racing against the clock, most of us seek ways to help manage our minutes wisely. The cell phone has become a necessary tool to most of us in managing this effort. It has proven itself, not only for its unprecedented convenience and time saving capabilities, but also for its safety features.

Since the “Attack on America”, people are viewing cell phones as personal security devices and the use of them is at an all time high. Although statistics show the highest use of cell phones is for personal purposes, they are still an important business tool. Cell phones, now with the capability of text messaging and photography have become, without a doubt, one of the most common and widely used inventions of the time.

However, with all that being said, cell phones can also be the rudest invention of our time as well. In our effort to get “Connected”…we sometimes disconnect from manners and respect for other people. We regularly hear ringing phones during meetings, meals and even theatre performances and worship services. We often are subjected to hearing people’s conversations and affairs, making the impolite action of ease dropping, inevitable.

With all that has been written about cell phones, it is amazing to me how there is still so much rudeness going on…..I was recently at a conference, where the speaker asked people to turn off their phones or put them on vibrate. Two times, one woman's cell phone directly behind me rang loudly - not once, not twice….but three different times. This is the same lady that was talking so loudly to the person next to her all morning that I often could not hear the speaker. I moved myself to another seat during the first break. This goes back to the premise of my business; her manners are not an action, but an attitude…an attitude that follows her through all aspects of her life. So the question is…how often has your cell phone rung loudly in a “quiet” zone?

Here are 10 techno etiquette tips on the use of cell phones

• When you are speaking with someone personally, a ringing cell phone should not take priority.
• If your phone rings while talking to someone in person and you must take the call, excuse yourself before answering it.
• Do not intrude on the people around you to have to listen to your calls. Excuse yourself and go to a private or outside area.
• If you must take a call during a meeting, let them know up front that you are expecting a call. Put your phone on vibrate and when called, excuse yourself from the room and keep the conversation short.
• Put the volume level of your cell phone on low and speak softly when talking.
• Get voice mail and caller ID so you do not have to worry about lost calls that you are not able to take.
• Leave your phone off or on vibrate during meetings or meals.
• Make sure your phone is off when in church, synagogue, theatre performances, waiting rooms, court rooms, etc.
• Statistics show that most cell phone use is personal. Limit your personal cell phone use at work.
• Refrain from asking to use a friend’s cell phone

I suggest to people to keep their phone on vibrate at all times if possible. This eliminates the intrusion of the phone ringing at unexpected or uninterruptible times.

Be mindful of answering a cell phone call while engaging in personal conversation. This interruption can send the message that the incoming call is more important. No one enjoys feeling less important. This is a very negative gesture in business.

Statistics show that cell phone use increases the risk of car accidents by over 30%. If at all possible, pull over and stop the car to talk. If that is not possible, it is better to keep the conversation short because your concentration is less, your signal can fade and you are a more of a hazard to others on the road.

The etiquette of cell phones, as with a lot of the techno etiquette of today, is new.

It is important however, that we learn to abide by the new rules, as our behavior speaks about us loudly….as loudly as the ringing of the cell phone itself.

http://www.charlestonschoolofprotocol.com/N5_News_Detail.asp?pid=68&ID=227

cell-phones, again ;)

In Jacqueline Whitmore’s new book, Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work, she offers the following eight tips to those who want to improve their cell phone savvy:

1. Let your voicemail take your calls when you’re in meetings, courtrooms, restaurants or other busy areas. If you must speak to the caller, use the e-mail or text messaging feature or excuse yourself and find a secluded area.

2. Speak in your regular conversational tone and don’t display anger during a public call. Speaking loudly or showing emotion may distract those around you.

3. Use your vibrate function or turn off your phone in public places such as movie theaters, religious services, restaurants, etc. Many wireless phones now have environmental settings that automatically adjust the phone and its features so you do not disrupt your surroundings.

4. If you are expecting a call that can’t be postponed, alert your companions ahead of time and excuse yourself when the call comes in; the people you are with should take precedence over calls you want to make or receive.

5. Avoid interrupting meetings, social gatherings or personal conversations by answering your wireless phone or checking your voicemail. Discreetly excuse yourself if you must take the call.

6. Use discretion when discussing private matters or certain business topics in front of others. You never know who is within hearing range.

7. When walking and talking on your wireless phone, be aware of your surroundings and remember to respect the rights of others.

8. Practice wireless responsibility while you are driving. Place calls when your vehicle is not moving. Don’t make or answer calls while in heavy traffic or in hazardous driving conditions. Use a hands-free device in order to help focus attention on safety. And always make safety your most important call.

http://www.etiquetteexpert.com/cell_phone.html

another ..

CUBICLE ETIQUETTE

By Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP - Bremer Communications

Is your current workspace a cubicle? Is a move into a cubicle in your near future? Life in a cube presents certain challenges. And if you’re being moved out of an office into a cube farm, the change can be emotional, as well. Working in a cubicle does have some upsides, such as developing an open and connected staff and creating a feeling of camaraderie. However, studies show that most workers are not thrilled with the idea of working in a cube because of the lack of privacy and the increased noise. Here, then, is a set of ground rules that will help cube dwellers remain both productive and neighborly.

PRIVACY

· Never enter someone’s cubicle without permission. Behave as though cubicles have doors. Do not enter before you have eye contact “permission” from the occupant.

· Try not to sneak up behind someone in a cube. Announce yourself at their doorway or lightly knock on the wall.

· Post a sign or flag at your cube entrance to signal when you can be interrupted. Avoid making eye contact with people if you don’t want to be interrupted.

· Don’t “prairie-dog” over the tops of cubes or peek in as you walk past each one.

· Don’t loiter outside someone’s cube while you wait for him or her to finish a phone call. Come back at another time.

· Never read someone’s computer screen or comment on conversations you’ve overheard. Resist answering a question you overheard asked in the cube next to you!

· Keep your hands off a cube dweller’s desk. Just because there’s no door doesn’t mean you can help yourself to their paper clips.

PHONES

· Try to pick up your phone after one or two rings. Set the ringer volume at a low level.

· Limit the use of speakerphones. If you must use one, keep the volume as low as possible. Use a meeting room for conference calls.

· Watch your volume when talking on the phone. A headset can help keep your voice low.

· When you leave your cubicle, turn your phone ringer off and let it go to voicemail or forward your phone number to your new location.

· Never leave your cell phone behind in your cube without first turning it off or to vibrate.

· With personal or sensitive calls, be aware that your neighbors can hear your end of the conversation.

TALKING

· Use your “library voice”.

· Don’t talk through cube walls or congregate outside someone’s cube. For impromptu meetings, go to a conference room or break room.

· Don’t bring clients to your cube to meet with them. Go to an office or conference room.

· Don’t yell across the “cube farm”. Get up and move to the other person’s location.

GENERAL NOISE

· Use email or instant messaging to communicate silently with your coworkers.

· Play radios at low volumes or use a headset.

· Set your PC volume to a low level and turn off screensaver sound effects.

· Set pagers to vibrate.

· Work out an arrangement with your neighbors to take lunch breaks at different times. This will give each of you some quiet time in your cube.

· Eat quietly. Avoid gum-popping, humming, slurping and pen tapping.

SMELLS

· A good rule of thumb is to never eat hot food at your desk. Food odors can bother your hungry or nauseous neighbors.

· Perfume and cologne should be avoided in a cubicle arrangement. Your neighbors may have allergies.

· Keep an air freshener handy.

· Keep your shoes on!

http://www.bremercommunications.com/Cubicle_Etiquette.htm

cellular phone usage

No Escape From Ringing - commentary on cellular phone usage - Brief Article

Jolie Gorchov

Tired of seeing (and hearing) people on their cell phones everywhere you go? Get used to it. There's not much anyone can do, except request that folks not use them.

Cell phones have become commonplace -- and not just at restaurants and concerts. Some places that would seem more inappropriate than others -- like college classrooms, libraries, emergency rooms, courtrooms and even chapels and gravesites - are popular places for people to whip out their phones.

Most colleges and universities have strict classroom policies concerning electronic device use. And the UCLA Law School library outlawed cell phones during finals last year because there were so many complaints.

But smaller colleges have a harder time controlling use. "Some of the instructors don't do anything at all about it," said Matt Trujillo, a Santa Monica Community College student. "The cell phones go off all the time -- just last week, I had two classes where people were just talking on the phone, like making plans for later, and no one said anything. I'm just mad though, because my phone doesn't work in those classrooms."

Donna Burroughs was a juror on a trial recently at the criminal courthouse downtown, when the public defender's cell phone went off. "It was weird. It was so out of context, because it was a murder trial and we were looking at photos at the time. It sounded like he was talking to his wife about one of his children," she said. The trial went on without comment, but the defendant lost the case.

Even funeral services are not immune. A spokesman at a major L.A. cemetery who asked to remain anonymous said it's become more common to hear pagers go off during services in chapels, and to see people on cell phones at gravesites during burial services.

"There's no policy. It's not the kind of thing we could try to enforce, but it does happen," he said. "You'll hear pagers go off. If they're in a chapel, people will get up and go outside to use their phone. But at the gravesites, you see people actually talking on the phone. It's really amazing. It's gotten worse within the last few years."

COPYRIGHT 1999 CBJ, L.P.; COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group; http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_46_21/ai_57951680

Techno Trends

TechnoTrends: cellphones, blackberries … what's not to like?

Andrew Ackerman

I suppose it was inevitable. In a society that increasingly prides itself as being always accessible--always "plugged in"--it was only a matter of time before campers started showing up at camp with cellphones and wireless e-mail devices (e.g., Blackberries). Is this really such a bad thing?

Actually, it is a problem on a number of levels:

* Child development Camp is a place where children gain independence and learn to stand on their own. A lifeline back to home can easily become a crutch.

* Breakage Let's face it, things break at camp. Camp by its very nature is a rough environment, and these are electronic devices that can cost several hundred dollars. Even if a parent understands that this is no fault of camp, there's still a lingering unhappiness.

* Homesickness Even the happiest camper has a down moment. Says Scott Fiedler of Brookwood Camps in New York, "So the kid has a bad day--twenty minutes later he's out playing ball--having fun. But if he has a cellphone, it's 'mommy take me home!' Now I have to spend an hour on the phone calming the mother down and convincing her not to take her son out of camp."

The good news is that most parents will understand all of this. But you can't "just say no." The expectation of instant access is still there, and if you don't find a way to address the underlying desire in a way that is compatible with camp, they'll keep trying to smuggle in those cellphones and blackberries. Fortunately, there are ways.

As camp consultant Bob Ditter, M.Ed., L.C.S.W., puts it, "Saying, 'well, we can't do that, but how about this?' is a way to move forward while maintaining your mission or values--yet giving parents something they can feel good about."

So what do parents really want to know? When all is said and done, parents want to know that their child is having fun. So why not just show them?

Bob Ditter often recommends that camps use online photos to show parents that their child is safe and having a good time. According to Bob, "A photo or video gallery can be a one way window into camp."

Photo/Video Gallery

Posting camper pictures is a great way to reassure parents without intruding on the camper's experience. Every parent who sees his or her son smiling by the waterfront or daughter enjoying archery is one less nervous parent phone call you have to field. Director Audrey Monke of Gold Arrow Camp in California uses online photography to share experiences with parents. "We're receiving lots of positive comments from our parents about the pictures."

Some camps like Camp Chi in Wisconsin have taken this a step further by posting video footage on their Web site. Online video is more work for the camp and requires more advanced technology, but there's no better way to make a parent truly experience your camp. Director Brad Finkel says, "Our video gallery definitely decreases the communication gap. Video really gives parents a chance to see their kids in action. Parents love it."

TIP For your campers' safety and privacy, camper pictures posted online should always be password protected.

Communication from Parents

An online photo or video gallery is only half the answer. These let you get information from camp to the outside world, but what about the other direction? How do you provide parents with a way to communicate from the outside into camp--to communicate with their children--without falling into any of the traps we discussed?

The simplest way is still the humble letter--but it lacks two features that are increasingly important in today's "wired" world:

1. Speed

2. Convenience

In general, a parent is lucky if a letter she mails today reaches her child at camp three days later. If your camp is particularly remote, mail can take five or more days. Sometimes this is just an inconvenience. For others, it can be much more. Numerous camps with one-week sessions have told us that regular mail is just not an option for them. The mail just does not get to camp in time to matter.

Furthermore, your parents have gotten used to the ease, speed, and convenience of e-mail. There are some parents who are lucky to find five minutes to spare in the middle of the day to simply type a letter--forget about a hand-written note. For them, the mere thought of finding a stamp, addressing a letter, and dropping it in a mailbox is challenging.

Giving campers e-mail access is not a solution. Few parents want their campers to be sitting in front of a computer reading e-mail. So, camps are increasingly being forced into accepting e-mail that they then print and hand out at mail call. This solution is far from ideal. Camps find themselves deluged with e-mail that they have to individually print, manually sort (and how do you route an e-mail from "Mom" to "David?"), and distribute. Add in 2 MB photo attachments of Fluffy the cat, unsolicited e-mail ("spam"), and various viruses--and pretty soon you need a staff person dedicated to incoming e-mail.

Fortunately, there are a number of one-way camper e-mail solutions. While details vary, these services are generally password protected, pre-sort the incoming e-mail for you, and often give you the option of charging parents per e-mail so you can recoup the cost of paper and toner. So now you can give the parent the speed and convenience of e-mail without the downside.

And when you combine pictures with (one way) parent to camper e-mail, the affect is especially potent. Imagine this--A parent logs onto your (password protected) photo gallery. She finds a great picture of her beaming daughter who has just won her leg of the Color War relay race. She immediately attaches that very picture to an e-mail to her daughter with her congratulations, and her daughter has that note and picture in her hands the next morning. What could be more effective than that?

The Future Is Available Now

Before you object that this is a techno-fantasy, you can do everything I just described above at no cost to camp--with no programming required. For instance, there is a service that lets parents send one way email from any computer with Internet access to camp. Parents can attach pictures or personalize the note with a decorative border. The camp receives a single e-mail the next morning containing the ten, twenty, or 100+ camper e-mails sent the night before, presorted by cabin and camper.

The bottom line is that you can meet the expectations of the Communications Age without surrendering control of the camp experience or conceding totally to the wishes of parents--but only if you satisfy your parents' underlying needs some other way. There are simple, cost-effective ways to provide the communication parents require.

And remember, a happy parent won't try hiding a cellphone in a can of his child's tennis balls!

COPYRIGHT 2004 American Camping Association, COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Cell Phone Etiquette - Technology Information

Cell Phone Etiquette - Technology Information

There was a time when mobile telephones were somewhat rare--when having one of those handheld status symbols lent the user an air of importance. But that was then and this is now. Today, cell phones are just about as commonplace as traditional "landline" phones. There are an estimated 100 million cell phones in use in the United States, and the number continues to rise with some 46,000 new users signing on daily.

As cell phones become more affordable and thus more widely deployed, nobody's as impressed with them as they once were. Nor are they impressed by the ostentatious behavior once associated with cell phones--and often intended more to impress those around the user than the person with whom the user was speaking. In short, mobile phone users are finding it necessary to adopt a little tact and clean up their act.

Just as the behavior we expect and tolerate from children becomes more tightly defined as they mature, society is expecting a higher level of behavior from cell phone users as that market matures. The proliferation of mobile telephones has fostered a backlash against rude cell phone users.

Perhaps the most infamous incident of cell phone intolerance came in March 1999 when actor Laurence Fishburne stopped in the midst of a stage performance of A Lion in Winter to berate an audience member allowing a cell phone to ring. The chastened viewer hastily exited the theater, and the performance resumed following an ovation from the remaining audience members.

Public sentiment would seem to be on Fishburne's side. A poll conducted by Luntz Research on behalf of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM found 62 percent of Americans think "talking on a cell phone at a theater or event" is downright rude, and 49 percent say owners of cell phones should be removed from theaters if their phones ring during a performance.

"Cell phone abuse is the most common and most disliked e-etiquette faux pas in today's technological environment," says pollster Frank Luntz. "Though their bad behavior still remains an annoyance to the noncell-phone public, those with cell phones nevertheless hold roughly the same opinions about proper cellular etiquette as the general population. They just don't practice what they preach."
According to the survey, other places where it's considered rude to allow a cell phone to ring include during an important meeting (83 percent) or a religious service (82 percent). Lesser infractions include talking on a cell phone while riding in a car (23 percent) or at a store (15 percent) and participating in a conference call via cell phone (12 percent).

Just as many restaurants and other public gathering places now restrict smoking to specified areas, restrictions on cell phone use are beginning to be imposed in some upscale eateries, theaters, libraries, museums, hospitals, and other public places. Some establishments are creating cell phone lounges or designating specific areas for cell phone use. Others are banning cell phone use altogether. This is especially common in hospitals where cellular transmissions can interfere with sophisticated medical equipment. The Federal Aviation Administration bans cell phone use on airplanes because their signals can interfere with navigation equipment.

Words from the woods

Even the great outdoors isn't safe from the onslaught of mobile phones. Where once people followed the call of the wild to get away from civilization, many now stay connected to it when they go--making and taking calls in the wild. Cell phones can be annoying to hikers and campers more interested in chirping birds and babbling brooks than chirping phones and babbling callers, but they pose a greater concern for park rangers who now find themselves fielding a plethora of frivolous phone calls from visitors with minor emergencies. Although rangers may decline to send a helicopter to pick up a hiker whose new designer hiking boots have rubbed blisters on his or her feet, the time it takes to process such calls can slow response time for true emergencies, some of which are reported on cell phones.

The industry weighs in

The push for responsible and courteous cell phone use is finding support among a variety of cell phone industry players. Service provider U.s. Cellular has published a list of seven wireless etiquette tips on its Website and distributes them in its retail stores and sales kiosks in Wal-Mart stores. The list advises users to focus on safety, observe wireless-free quiet areas, respect others in crowded areas, speak in low conversational tones, make amends gracefully for the occasional cellular faux pas, use available technology to avoid the aforementioned faux pas, and to think first of the people in close proximity instead of those on the other end of the phone.
Nokia has teamed with San Diego Mayor Susan Golding in promoting courteous cellular phone use.

The San Diego initiative began in response to an online poll in which Golding asked citizens if they would support restrictions on cell phone usage in certain places. The nearly 5,300 respondents overwhelmingly favored cell phone restrictions in theaters and classrooms.
The partnership between Nokia and Mayor Golding's office began in 1999 with Cellular Phone Courtesy Week and has expanded into a multiphase nationwide program. The most visible aspect of the program is the Quiet Zone logo posted in businesses across the country to identify those businesses as cellular-phone-free places.

Nokia officials were particularly interested in curbing "cell yell," the habit of talking too loudly on a mobile phone. Microphones on cellular phones are far more sensitive than most users realize, and it's unnecessary to raise your voice above normal conversational tones to be heard.
LetsTalk.com, an online cellular telephone store, interviewed more than 450 cellular telephone users and also conducted person-on-the-street interviews in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta to gauge attitudes toward cellular phones and to create a five-point Cell Phone Bill of Rights. Forty-one percent of the respondents characterized cell phones as a great convenience and time-saver, 29 percent said they were a necessary evil, 26 percent said they don't use their mobile phones, and 3 percent characterized themselves as "addicted" to mobile phones.
When asked whether they favored legislation banning mobile phone use in classrooms, theaters, and restaurants, 57 percent were in favor of the idea and their cell phone use was fairly consistent with that sentiment. Fifty-seven percent said they turn their cell phone off when in a theater, and 43 percent said they do so when in restaurants.

Those favoring legislative bans on mobile phone use while driving a car (45 percent) were a bit on the hypocritical side, since 73 percent of the respondents said they keep their phone on and take calls in the car. When it came to public transportation, respondents were more consistent. Sixty-three percent opposed a ban on mobile phone use in some areas of public transportation, and 50 percent said they keep their phone on and take calls while using public transportation.
In the supermarket, 56 percent said they keep their phone on and take calls, whereas 29 percent turn their cell phone off. Things were more evenly split in the bathroom, where 43 percent said they turn their phones off and 36 percent continue to take calls.

In its oddly named Cell Phone Bill of Rights, "designed to establish protection for all citizens from the rude, uncivil, and discourteous use of cell phones," LetsTalk.com characterizes cell phones as a "technological privilege" and admonishes users to refrain from taking calls while in a theater, to respect restrictions on cell phone use by business establishments and airlines, to be mindful of others' personal space when using a cell phone in public, and to act responsibly when using a cell phone while walking or driving a vehicle.

Hang up and drive!

While it's more an issue of safety than courtesy, perhaps one of the most controversial aspects of cell phone use today is an area in which it first gained popularity--car phones. Although cell phones came into popularity well after his time, the Doors' lead singer, Jim Morrison, had a valid point when he sang the words "Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel." According to the New England Journal of Medicine, talking on a cell phone while driving increases the likelihood of an accident fourfold, roughly the same as driving while legally intoxicated.

"It was bad enough when people were shaving and putting on lipstick while driving," says Tom Magliozzi, cohost of National Public Radio's Car Talk. "But now, they're trying to dial the psychic hotline while changing lanes at 65 miles an hour!"

"And La Toya Jackson should be telling them, 'I see an airbag deployment in your future,'" says his brother and cohost Ray Magliozzi.

The two are vocal opponents of cell phone use while driving. In addition to their radio show and syndicated newspaper column, the Magliozzis get their message across by distributing free "Drive now, talk later" bumper stickers. The initial run of 30,000 stickers was exhausted in just two weeks, and more than 60,000 have been distributed to date.

Although legislation against using a cell phone while driving faces an uphill battle in the United States (it has so far seen only limited success in small municipalities), it's gained stronger footholds overseas. In Japan, for instance, drivers face stiff penalties for using a cell phone while driving--especially if they're involved in an accident while doing so.

Although the mobile phone industry by and large opposes legislation limiting or banning cell phone use while driving, many industry players are advocating the use of hands-free devices in the car, such as headsets and speakerphones.

Edwin Powell (edwin@advi.net), who has never used a cell phone, is senior editor of OfficeSolutions.

The Ten Commandments of Cell Phone Etiquette
1. Thou shalt be courteous to those around you for they desireth not to know thy business.
2. Thou shalt not suffer thy cell phone to ring in a theater.
3. Thou shalt not suffer thy cell phone to ring in a restaurant.
4. Thou shalt not suffer thy cell phone to ring during an important meeting.
5. Thou shalt make use of thy cell phone's silent/vibrating ring option in situations where a ringing phone would be disruptive.
6. Thou shalt make full use of thy cell phone's caller ID feature to screen incoming calls.
7. Thou shalt let voice mail take those calls that are not urgent.
8. Thou shalt use text messaging if available.
9. Thou shalt not shout into thy cell phone--its microphone is sufficiently sensitive to pick up normal conversational tones.
10. Thou shalt not use thy cell phone while driving--if thou must make a call, pulleth thy car over or at least useth a headset (in other words, keepeth thine eyes upon the road and thy hands upon the wheel).

By Edwin Powell ; COPYRIGHT 2001 Quality Publishing; COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FAU/is_3_18/ai_72517455/pg_2

EMAIL, PHONE, AND FAX ETIQUETTE

EMAIL, PHONE, AND FAX ETIQUETTE

By Jill Bremer, AICI, CIP

Bremer Communications

The use of telephones, cell phones, speakerphones, voice mail, email and faxes has become a way of life in business. However, the rules of etiquette have not always kept pace with the innovations of technology. Here, then, is a primer on the “do’s and don’ts” of techno-etiquette.

EMAIL

Email has become the preferred method of communication for many people in business, but if not used properly, can become hazardous to relationships and careers. Email is a silent form of communication. One can neither see you as you say the words nor hear your vocal inflections; the message is contained entirely in the words you choose to write and send. Because the reader misses out on the nuances of your verbal and visual delivery the results are often miscommunication and misunderstandings.

Before you hit the send button, it’s important to proof the content for spelling and grammar mistakes. But it’s also important to read the message aloud; it’s the only way to check the tone of your message. Does it sound polite, brusque, respectful, mean? Say it out loud and you’ll be able to hear how it will sound in the recipient’s head when he or she reads it. Don’t forget to add “please” and “thank you”. Those two phrases can transform the snippiest of demands into a polite request.

Email is best used for short, simple and straightforward information. Any message longer than about half the computer screen is too long. If your content is long, consider introducing the subject in a short email and sending the details as an attachment or fax. Keep in mind, though, that you should first ask permission before attaching any large files. I also suggest that you send break up emails with multiple ideas into single-subject emails. This means that you may be sending two or three emails to someone instead of one, but in the long run, several single-subject emails will be more convenient for the recipient to file, forward and respond to than one long one.

The use of email has become important in business because it provides, in writing, information that one needs quickly. But never let the convenience of email overshadow the value of a phone call or face-to-face meeting. The “human touch” is often missing from our communications and customers and co-workers alike will appreciate the time and effort it took for you to call or stop by. Try doing both at once – send an email, but call as well to give the recipient a “heads up”. Hearing your message will enhance their reading of it.

· Assume any message you send is permanent and may likely be forwarded to others.

· Start with a salutation. Continue to use salutations until the relationship is well established.

· Respond to all questions when returning e-mail.

· Do not use email to send trivial, confidential or sensitive information. Anything truly sensitive or urgent should be telephoned.

· Never use email to reprimand someone.

· Never express political or religious opinions via email.

· Use humor and sarcasm sparingly. Recipients may not “get” the joke.

· Use industry or email acronyms, abbreviations, or emoticons sparingly.

· Define your subject in the subject line.

· Use upper and lower case when writing.

· Use signatures with complete personal contact information.

· Allow 1-2 days for a response. If you need an immediate response, call as well.

· Respond to your incoming emails within 24 hours. If you need more time to respond, call or email that you are looking into it and will get back to them ASAP.

CELL PHONE/BEEPER

We all have a love-hate relationship with cell phones. They’re wonderful when we need them, but annoyed when we hear someone else’s cell phone ring or are forced to listen to their side of a conversation. Conducting a cell phone conversation in a public place is only appropriate in an emergency. Remove yourself to a private location before placing any cell phone call.

I believe the time is soon approaching when ringing cell phones in public will be considered inappropriate and unlawful. Laws are already being passed to restrict cell phone use in cars. Can cell phone noise pollution guidelines be far behind? There’s really only one correct way for cell phones to ring, and that is not at all. Turn all phones and beepers to vibrate only. End of discussion.

TELEPHONE

· Answer incoming calls quickly identifying yourself by first and last name.

· Identify yourself whenever you place a call – first and last name, company, and nature of call.

· Speak slowly and clearly.

· Listen attentively and add verbal agreement.

· Use honorifics: Mr., Ms., Dr., Sir, Ma’am.

· Return messages within 24 hours.

· If you're in someone else's office when they get a phone call, offer to step outside.

· Don’t take any calls when someone is in your office, unless it’s urgent.

· Don’t talk to anyone else while you're on the phone.

· Don’t do any other work or eat while on the phone.

· Holds – ask the other party if they are able to hold. Never keep someone on hold for more than a minute. Each time you return, thank them for holding.

VOICEMAIL

· Your outgoing message should include your name, title and company name.

· Keep your outgoing voicemail message current. Update the message weekly or daily.

· When out of town, state in your message when you’ll be back, whether you’ll be checking in for messages, how to contact you or who to contact in your absence.

· When leaving voicemail for others, give your name slowly with proper spelling, company name and phone number. Briefly specify the purpose of your call. Let them know the best time to reach you. Leave your phone number again at the end of the message.

· Try not to ramble when leaving voicemail. Messages should be no longer than thirty seconds.

SPEAKERPHONE

· Use speakerphones sparingly. Whenever you use one, always ask the other party’s permission to do so and identify everyone in the room with you.

· During conference calls, participants should identify themselves whenever speaking.

· Consider picking the phone up periodically during the call to add a “human touch” to the conversation.

FAX

Faxes have the potential for being quite public; they can be read by anyone who happens across them at the machine. As with email, be careful never to fax admonishments or sensitive content. If you need to send confidential information via fax, call the recipient and ask that they wait by the machine at their end. Sending thank-yous, congratulatory notes, or any kind of inappropriate jokes or pictures is considered tacky and bad form.