| According to a Pitney Bowes study, the average | | | | important communications, I suggest a break between |
| corporate executive receives upwards of 375 calls, | | | | drafting and this final read. Sometimes a trip away |
| voicemails, e-mails, faxes and letters each day. With | | | | from your PC to get a drink or use the facilities will |
| such a deluge of information, is it any surprise that | | | | make you "fresh" for the final review and help you |
| survey after survey indicates the time available to | | | | catch those typos or grammatical errors even spell |
| capture anyone's attention is only a few | | | | checkers miss!- Formatting Counts. Formatting does |
| seconds?Let's face it, who has time to listen to a five | | | | count and every e-mail message should contain proper |
| minute rambling voicemail full of umms and ahhs or | | | | formatting, punctuation and grammar. Think back to |
| scroll through a six page e-mail? Along with annoying | | | | those grade school days of essay writing and give |
| the recipient, long winded messages that are not | | | | each message a greeting/opening, middle, closing and |
| deleted are usually flagged for review at a later time, | | | | signature too. Remember, every message should |
| slowing the process and in some instances removing | | | | contain enough information for the recipient to |
| the productivity of digital communications altogether.So | | | | understand what you need or what they need to do in |
| how do you effectively use the digital communication | | | | response to your communication. As a courtesy, it |
| tools of today? Here's a few tips I've learned during | | | | should also include copies of any documents or |
| my five years of working virtually:- Slow Down. Just | | | | previous communications referenced, if not overly |
| because you can shoot off an e-mail within seconds | | | | large.- Ask and Ye Shall Receive. Receive permission |
| of having a thought or leave a voicemail immediately | | | | before sending any large attachments (movies, |
| following a question entering consciousness, does not | | | | pictures and sound files are notoriously large). Sending |
| necessarily mean you should! All messages should be | | | | large attachments may cause some inboxes to reach |
| short and to the point and respectful of the recipient's | | | | their size limit. If this happens, the recipient must log in |
| time. By taking a few moments to mull over your | | | | and download or delete your message in order to |
| message, you may stumble across a resolution or | | | | receive any further e-mails from any source - almost |
| additional points which need to be addressed may | | | | guaranteeing they will not think kindly of you from that |
| come to light.- Be Professional At All Times. Yes, that | | | | point forward.- Be Considerate. Make sure to say |
| joke your buddy sent you last night was a hoot, but | | | | "grab a pen" or to repeat your return telephone |
| you should never forward such communications to | | | | number twice when leaving a voicemail. Of course, |
| business contacts. To protect against spam, you also | | | | speak up, speak at a reasonable rate and articulate. |
| should not disclose your recipient's e-mail addresses | | | | You can even stand up or smile right before speaking, |
| when sending to a group. Using the "bcc" (blind carbon | | | | which has an enormous effect on the tone of your |
| copy) field for multiple addresses and placing your own | | | | voice and message. Also, when using a cell phone, |
| e-mail address in the "To" field shows you are | | | | walk away from your PC or any other equipment |
| respectful of your contacts' privacy. It also provides | | | | which may cause interference with the signal and |
| you with a "proof" copy of what you sent to check | | | | therefore gaps in your message.- Be Polite. In e-mails, |
| formatting or other issues which can affect the | | | | do not use all CAPITALS as it is considered shouting.- |
| message by transmission through the Internet.- | | | | Be Clear. Do not use acronyms or cryptic shorthand in |
| Carefully Use "Forward to All" and "Reply to All" | | | | your messages. Not only will the recipient not |
| Functions. I have witnessed embarrassing moments of | | | | understand your message, in many times they will feel |
| others (and recall my own painful "oops" in this regard) | | | | "stupid" for not being able to figure it out!- Keep The |
| when messages intended only for the original sender, | | | | Subject Line Intact. When replying to messages, |
| are, in fact, sent to everyone who may have been | | | | especially to groups and list servs, do not change the |
| cc'd or even bcc'd on the original message or post. | | | | subject line. Many e-mail applications allow a sort by |
| Best not to use either button at all. If you wish to | | | | subject, giving subscribers the ability to follow a |
| respond to a message, hit "Forward" and fill in the | | | | particular discussion "thread" provided the subject line is |
| addressee(s) as any other e-mail.- Consider Your | | | | not altered.No matter what your life circumstances, it is |
| Voicemail Message Before Dialing. In today's world, 9 | | | | hard to escape the need to use some form digital |
| times out of 10 a caller is transferred to voicemail, so | | | | communication. I hope these pointers are helpful to you. |
| why not prepare something intelligent to say in | | | | Comments and feedback always appreciated: Andrea |
| advance? This is never a waste of time since taking a | | | | Cannavina, Master Virtual Assistant and President |
| few minutes to think about what you want to convey | | | | CEO of LegalTypist, Inc., helps sole practitioners, law |
| in a voicemail, can also be used as an outline for what | | | | firms and companies which service the legal industry |
| you need to cover in the call, should you actually get | | | | upgrade their dictation processes to digital in order to |
| through to your intended party.- Do A Full Read Of | | | | get more done with less (less employees, less |
| Each E-mail - With each e-mail, always read through | | | | equipment and less stress). To learn more visit: While |
| your message from start to finish before hitting "Send". | | | | there, subscribe to The Legal Connection, a quarterly |
| This last reading is crucial in catching any missing | | | | newsletter, full of how to's, reviews and insights to |
| information or attachments and allows you to get a full | | | | working virtually. |
| understanding of the "tone" of your message. On | | | | |