Text, E-mail, and

Netiquette
Learning Objectives
1.Discuss the role of text messaging in business communication.

2.Write effective e-mails for both internal and external

communication.

3.Demonstrate the appropriate use of netiquette.

• Text messages and e-mails are part of our communication
landscape, and skilled business communicators consider
them a valuable tool to connect.
• Netiquette refers to etiquette, or protocols and norms for
communication, on the Internet.
Texting
• Written communication in the form of brief messages, or texting, has
become a common way to connect.
• It is useful for short exchanges, and is a convenient way to stay
connected with others when talking on the phone would be
cumbersome.
• Texting is not useful for long or complicated messages, and careful
consideration should be given to the audience.
 You can tell how old someone is by how he/she
inputs a phone number on a cell phone.
• If the person uses his or her thumb while holding the digital device, that
person may have been raised on video games and be adept at one-handed
interfaces.
• If he holds the digital device with one hand and inputs the number with the
other, he may be over thirty, or may be less comfortable with some
technological devices.
 Of course, there is no actual
correlation between input and age,
but it is a useful example to use when
considering who your audience is
when writing a text message.
• If the person is a one-hander, and
knows all the abbreviations common to
texting, you may be able to use similar
codes to communicate effectively.
• If the person is a two-hander, you are
better off using fewer words and
spelling them out.
 Texting can be a great tool for connecting while
on the go, but consider your audience and your
company, and choose words, terms, or abbreviations
that will deliver your message.
Tips for Effective
Business Texting
• Know your recipient
; “? % dsct” may be an understandable way to ask a close
associate what the proper discount is to offer a certain customer, but if
you are writing a text to your boss, it might be wiser to write, “what %
discount does Murray get on $1K order?”
• Anticipate unintentional misinterpretation.
Texting often uses symbols and codes to represent thoughts, ideas,
and emotions. Given the complexity of communication, and the useful
but limited tool of texting, be aware of its limitation and prevent
misinterpretation with brief messages.
• Contacting someone too frequently can border on harassment.
Texting is a tool. Use it when appropriate but don’t abuse it.
• Unplug yourself once in awhile.

Do you feel constantly connected? Do you feel lost or “out of it” if

you don’t have your cell phone and cannot connect to people, even for
fifteen minutes? Sometimes being unavailable for a time can be healthy—
everything in moderation, including texting.
• Don’t text and drive.

Research shows that the likelihood of an accident increases

dramatically if the driver is texting behind the wheel. [1] Being in an
accident while conducting company business would reflect poorly on
your judgment as well as on your employer.
E-mail
• Electronic mail (e-mail) is quite familiar to most students and workers. It
may be used like text, or synchronous chat, and it can be delivered to a
cell phone.
• In business, it has largely replaced print hard copy letters for external
correspondence, as well as taking the place of memos for internal
communication.
• It can be very useful for messages that have slightly more content than a
text message, but it is still best used for fairly brief messages.
• Many businesses use automated e-mails to acknowledge
communications from the public, or to remind associates that
periodic reports or payments are due.
• You may also be assigned to “populate” a form e-mail in which
standard paragraphs are used but you choose from a menu of
sentences to make the wording suitable for a particular
transaction.
• E-mails may be informal in personal contexts, but business communication
requires attention to detail, awareness that your e-mail reflects you and
your company, and a professional tone so that it may be forwarded to any
third party if needed.
• Remember that when used for business, it needs to convey
professionalism and respect. Never write or send anything that you
wouldn't want read in public or in front of your company president.
Tips for Effective
Business E-mails
 Proper salutations should demonstrate respect and avoid mix-ups in
case a message is accidentally sent to the wrong recipient.

For example, use a salutation like “Dear Ms. X” (external) or “Hi

Barry” (internal).

 Subject lines should be clear, brief, and specific. This helps the recipient
understand the essence of the message.

For example, “Proposal attached” or “Your question of 10/25.”

 Close with a signature.

Identify yourself by creating a signature block that automatically contains

your name and business contact information.

 Avoid abbreviations.

An e-mail is not a text message, and the audience may not find your wit
cause to ROTFLOL (roll on the floor laughing out loud).

 Be brief. Omit unnecessary words.

 Use a good format.

Include line breaks between sentences or divide your message into brief
paragraphs for ease of reading. A good e-mail should get to the point and
conclude in three small paragraphs or less.

 Reread, revise, and review.

Catch and correct spelling and grammar mistakes before you press “send.”
It will take more time and effort to undo the problems caused by a hasty,
poorly written e-mail than to get it right the first time.
 Reply promptly.

Watch out for an emotional response—never reply in anger—but make a

habit of replying to all e-mails within twenty-four hours, even if only to say that
you will provide the requested information in forty-eight or seventy-two hours.

 Use “Reply All” sparingly.

Do not send your reply to everyone who received the initial e-mail unless
your message absolutely needs to be read by the entire group.
 Avoid using all caps.

Capital letters are used on the Internet to communicate

emphatic emotion or yelling and are considered rude.

 Test links.

If you include a link, test it to make sure it is complete.

 E-mail ahead of time.

If you are going to attach large files (audio and visual files are often
quite large) to prevent exceeding the recipient’s mailbox limit or triggering
the spam filter.

 Give feedback or follow up.

If you don’t get a response in twenty-four hours, e-mail or call. Spam

filters may have intercepted your message, so your recipient may never
have received it.
Netiquette
 We create personal pages, post messages, and interact via
mediated technologies as a normal part of our careers, but how we
conduct ourselves can leave a lasting image, literally. The photograph you
posted on your MySpace page may have been seen by your potential
employer, or that nasty remark in a post may come back to haunt you
later.
 Some fifteen years ago, when the
Internet was a new phenomenon, Virginia
Shea laid out a series of ground rules for
communication online that continue to
serve us today.
 Virginia Shea’s Rules of Netiquette
• Remember the human on the other side of the electronic communication.
• Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.
• Know where you are in cyberspace.
• Respect other people’s time and bandwidth.
• Make yourself look good online.
 Virginia Shea’s Rules of Netiquette
• Share expert knowledge.
• Keep flame wars under control.
• Respect other people’s privacy.
• Don’t abuse your power.
• Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes.
 Her rules speak for themselves and remind us
that the golden rule (treat others as you would
like to be treated) is relevant wherever there is
human interaction.
Key Takeaways
 A text message is a brief
written message sent and received
using a digital device. It is useful for
informal, brief, time-sensitive
communication.
 E-mail is useful for both
internal and external business
communications. The content and
formatting of an e-mail message
should reflect professionalism and
follow the rules of netiquette.
 Social customs that exist in
traditional, live, human interaction also
influence the rules and customs by
which we interact with each other in
the online environment.
..END