News To Use

Welcome to the September 2007 edition of ChamberExpress™ News to Use. Our goal:  provide ideas, information and news to help chambers of commerce succeed online.

In This Edition

1. Best Practice:  Email Etiquette Still Vital Yet Lacking
2. Tools of the Trade: Is Your Site Ready to Rock?
3. News from ChamberExpress™: 

1. Best Practice:  Email Etiquette Still Vital Yet Lacking

Learning “email etiquette” can provide your company with that all important competitive edge. Also, by educating employees as to what can and cannot be said in an email, you can protect your company from awkward liability issues. Here are 10 top tips for using email professionally and efficiently.

a. Be concise and to the point. A long e-mail can be discouraging to read.

b. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions. Not answering all the questions in the original email will result in further emails, which will waste your customer’s time and cause frustration. Also, if you pre-empt further questions, your customer will be impressed with your efficient customer service.

c. Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation.  Improper spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad impression of your company. Correct usage also is important for conveying the message properly.

d. Make it personal. For this reason, auto replies are usually not very effective; however, templates can be used effectively in this way (see next tip).

e. Use templates for frequently used responses. Save the response text to frequently asked questions as response templates and paste these into your message when you need them.

f. Answer swiftly. Customers send an e-mail to receive a quick response, therefore, e-mails should be replied to within at least 24 hours. If the email is complicated, send an email saying you have received it and will get back to them as soon as possible.

g. Do not attach unnecessary files. Sending large attachments can annoy customers and even bring down their email system. Wherever possible, compress attachments and only send attachments when they’re productive.

h. Use proper structure and layout. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points, number them or mark each point as separate.

i. Do not overuse the high priority option. If you overuse the high priority option, it will lose its function when you really need it.

j. Do not write in CAPITALS. IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITALS IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING.

2. Tools of the Trade: Is Your Site Ready to Rock?

Because Internet technologies, techniques and standards change so rapidly, even a website that seems cutting-edge when originally designed can look obsolete a year or two later. Or maybe your company started out with a simple, cost efficient website , but now you have the resources to take it to the next level. Here is a website checklist to see if you website is where it needs to be.

• Compatibility: Will your website display correctly for most people regardless of their hardware, operating system, browser or monitor resolution? Also, if any features require certain browser plug-ins, provide a download link.
• Completeness: None of your website should be "under construction.” If you must include pages that aren't complete, include some informative content on the page to motivate people to check back later.
• Content: Is your content current and accurate? Could it be written more clearly or succinctly? Could your site be more informative or interesting? Also check your content for incorrect grammar, spelling errors and typos.
• Graphics: Do your graphics contribute to or detract from your site? Also, use animations sparingly, especially those that play over and over.
• Interactivity: Consider making your site interactive by adding items such as a mailing list, message board or ezine. Don't add everything just because you can, but consider if additional features might give your site an edge.
• Links: Are all the links on your site working including the links between the pages of your site as well as links to other sites?
• Speed: Does your site load quickly enough in the viewer's browser? The "Eight Second Rule" is a good rule of thumb—no visitor should wait longer than eight seconds to view the home page of your site.
• Navigation: Is it easy to find information on your site? The home page should tell visitors who you are and what you do and visitors should be able to follow a logical path to learn more about your business.
• Search engine optimization: Is your site optimized to rank for important keywords in the most popular search engines? Double check your page titles, keywords and descriptions to ensure they are accurate and descriptive.
• Style: Is your website's style consistent with your business goals? Decide what you want your business image to be, and make sure your site reflects and enhances that image.
• Usability: Usability refers to how easily visitors can use your site. If you have received complaints, comments, or suggestions from visitors, change your site accordingly. A well-designed website leads visitors deeper into the site without frustrating or confusing them and doesn't lose them along the way.

Excerpted from an online article by Jane McLain.

3. News from ChamberExpress™: 

 

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