E-mail & First Impressions

Probably several times each week through one of my Blogs or postings out there online, someone gives me a hard time about how I am too sensitive when it comes to e-mail etiquette and that I make a “big deal” out of nothing. They go on to say how all this “e-mail etiquette stuff” really doesn’t matter. Who do I think I am? (I’ll save the answer to that for another post!) At least a couple each week state they don’t care what others think of them based on their e-mails.

Really? There is nothing wrong with caring about how you are perceived. Most normal folks get up in the morning, take a shower, iron their clothes, groom their hair — all because they care about how they look. Not necessarily because of what others may think but because you want to put your best foot forward.

When you send an e-mail in all small case, filled with typos and grammatical errors, what is the person on the other side of the screen to think? Well, those who know you very well will probably shrug their shoulders and wonder why you don’t make these simple efforts. While those who don’t know you will form an impression about the type of person you are.

Some of these impressions include what level of education you may not have (educated folks communicate in an educated manner) and why you do not seem to care about how others will view you by simply communicating properly. Neither of which are positive impressions.

First impressions happen and you can control what they will be. Why not make the simple effort to practice proper E-mail Etiquette? The benefits are many and believe me — it won’t hurt!

At your service,
Judith