Sandra J. Paluzzi
The Bead Peddler®

Email can be a very important part of your business communications - as long as you follow the rules.

1)  Answer all emails promptly, preferably within 24 business hours of receipt.  Thank the person for the inquiry, order, or whatever in the first sentence of your email.

2)  Use proper grammar and correct spelling in all your emails.  Most email programs have a spell checker.

3) Use a descriptive subject.  JKO Jewelry at Craft Fair on November 28th is a good subject.  It gives the reader a clear idea of what's in the body of the email. 

4)  Do not use all CAPS in either the subject or body of your email.  Caps are considered screaming.

5)  Whenever possible, address the person by their name.  If you're doing a group email, this may not be possible.  Otherwise, first names are good.  Dear Jane is a fantastic greeting.

6) Do be aware that emotions don't come through in an email.  There are no facial gestures or tone of voice to give people context for what you are saying.  Therefore, it is not a good idea to use sarcasm.  If you're on the receiving end of an email, don't jump to conclusions about the person's intentions.  If something can be taken several different ways, ask the writer what they intended to say.

7) If you're replying to an email, don't resend the whole original message.  Just send the pertinent parts.

8)  Give enough information in your signature so people know who you are and how to contact you.  Sandy is not a sufficient signature unless you're writing to a close friend.  Instead, use something like: 

Sandy
The Bead Peddler
http://www.beadpeddler.com
410-882-5973

9)  Do not forward jokes, prayer requests, or any other heartwarming stories or warnings.  These tend to annoy many people and clog up the email channels.

10)  Do not put people on your email list unless they request inclusion.  Someone handing you a business card with their email address does not mean they want to be included in your newsletter.  A signup sheet at a craft fair can have a box people check if they want to be included in your email list.

11)  Give people an easy way to take themselves off your email list.  Include instructions for removal from list in every newsletter you send.

Is there an aspect  of marketing that you'd like to see discussed?  
Would you like to share some of your marketing knowledge with other beaders?  Click here to email your questions or article proposals