Etiquette Tips for Letters and Memos

Despite the use of electronic devices in business, formal written communication such as letters, memos, proposals, reports, and presentations are still major methods of communication in selling. These more official methods of communication reflect factual statements that you are making on behalf of the company. Here are some tips for writing business communications:

• Use company letterhead where appropriate. For example, letters are always written on letterhead, whether in hard copy or in an electronic format that can be sent via e-mail.
• Use the formal elements of a business letter shown in Figure 5.7 “Business Letter Format”.
• For a company memo, use the company format. Most companies have a set format for hard copy and electronic memos. See an example of a company memo in Figure 5.8 “Company Memo Example”.
• Spell-check and proofread your document carefully before you send it. Be sure it is complete and factually correct and does not include any grammar or spelling errors.
• Use CC to indicate the names of other people who should also receive a copy of the letter or memo. The term “CC” is short for “carbon copy,” which dates back to the days of typewriters when carbon paper was used to make multiple copies of a document. It can also mean “courtesy copy”: an additional copy provided to someone as a courtesy.^[1]
• Use BCC (blind carbon copy) to send copies to other people without having the primary recipient see it.^[2]

Etiquette Tips for Conversations, Meetings, and Presentations

Although common sense should prevail in all business communications, here are some tips that will help make your conversations, meetings, and presentations more effective forms of communication:

• Be prepared; don’t waste anyone’s time or focus.
• Prepare a written agenda and hand it out at the start of the meeting to keep the group focused on the desired topics.
• Speak clearly and at a volume that is easy to hear, but not too loud so as to be distracting.
• Be professional and respectful; don’t interrupt when others are speaking.
• Use eye contact.
• At the end, recap your key points and identify next steps.

In sales, time is money so conducting effective and efficient meetings is critical to your success.

Etiquette for Requesting and Giving Business Cards

Business cards are a branding tool for your company and a way to stay in touch with your customers and other people in your network.^[5] In fact, giving out and requesting a business card is considered good etiquette.^[6] Here are some tips to exchange business cards in a professional manner:

• Carry your business cards in a case or protective holder; never give anyone a card that is worn, dirty, or out of date.^[7]
• Always put a supply of business cards in your case when you attend a business event.^[8]
• Present your card with the print facing up so the recipient can easily read it.^[9]
• Never force anyone to take your card.^[10]
• When receiving a business card, take a minute to review the information to make sure you remember who gave you the card. Make any notes or comments on it later.^[11]

Etiquette for Business Meals

The purpose of a business breakfast, lunch, or dinner is to get to know someone and build a relationship. As you learned in Chapter 3 “The Power of Building Relationships: Putting Adaptive Selling to Work”, to engage in business entertainment is considered part of the sales job description. Table manners are a form of nonverbal communication, and impolite etiquette can reverse all the effort you have put into a relationship. Business meals are so important that many companies use business lunches or dinners as part of the interview process. Whatever the situation, you want to be prepared with proper etiquette for the occasion.

• A meal is considered a business meeting, no matter where it is held.^[12]
• To help you remember which dishes and utensils to use, think BMW: Bread plate on your left, Meal in the center, Water goblet on the right.^[13] Use silverware starting at the outside and work your way in as the meal progresses.
• As a general rule of thumb, the person who invites pays. If you are invited to lunch for an interview, your host pays. If you take a customer out to lunch, you pay.^[14]
• If you don’t know what to order, ask your host what’s good. Order a midpriced entrée rather than ordering the least expensive or most expensive item on the menu. If you are the host, make some suggestions so your customer feels comfortable with her choice.^[15]
• Don’t order anything messy; stick to food that is easy to eat.^[16]
• Be courteous to the wait staff. Many people observe how you treat other people, even when you think no one is watching.

Etiquette for Thank-You Notes

There’s nothing more personal than a thank-you note. For the most part, you and your customers are very busy, which is why a thank-you note is even more appreciated. Whether it’s a handwritten note or an e-mail thank you, it will go a long way in building your relationship. It’s a personal touch that sets you apart. It’s never inappropriate to say thank you, but it may be inappropriate not to say thank you.

There are many reasons to send a business thank-you note; this video includes some ideas:

Here are some tips for writing thank-you notes:

• Start with a clear introduction and let the reader know right away that the purpose of the note or e-mail is to thank him.
• Be specific about the situation, date, or other information surrounding the reason for the thank-you note.
• Make it personal and make it special by including your own sentiments. A generic message such as “thanks for a great job” really doesn’t fill the bill. Think about exactly what moved you to write the note and be sure your reader knows what she did that was special.^[17]

Being Connected versus Being Addicted

In a recent pitch to a potential client, a marketing executive in Manhattan thought it was strange that his potential customer was so engaged with his iPhone that he hardly looked up from it during the meeting. After ninety minutes, someone peeked over the customer’s shoulder and saw that he was playing a racing game on his iPhone. This was disappointing, but not shocking according to the marketing firm that was doing the presentation; they continued with their pitch because they wanted the business. Some are not as tolerant. Billionaire Tom Golisano, a power broker in New York politics, recently announced that he wants to have State Senate majority leader Malcolm A. Smith removed from office because Smith was focused on his BlackBerry during a budget meeting with him. Recently, in Dallas, Texas, a student lost his opportunity for an internship at a hedge fund when he checked his BlackBerry to check a fact during an interview and took an extra minute to check his text messages at the same time.^[23] It’s no surprise that BlackBerrys are also called “CrackBerrys.” According to Maggie Jackson, author of Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age, we are living in “an institutionalized culture of interruption, where our time and attention is being fragmented by a never-ending stream of phone calls, e-mails, instant messages, text messages, and tweets.”^[24]

The need to be connected should not overwhelm respect for colleagues and customers. Although texting has become a national pastime, especially among teenagers, it’s important to know the appropriate etiquette for the use of handheld electronic devices when conducting a sales call.

First, it’s best to turn off your electronic devices before you enter every meeting. If you think you can’t live without checking your text messages, think about how you would feel if you went on a job interview and the person with whom you were meeting was checking his electronic device during your interview. Just because some people demonstrate bad behavior and check their electronic devices for messages during a meeting doesn’t make it appropriate. In fact, it will help you stand out as a good listener, and you will make your customer feel even more important when you focus exclusively on her, as shown in this video.

Etiquette Tips for Telephone, Cell Phone, Voice Mail, and Conference Calls

Sometimes, however, the use of technology is entirely necessary to conduct business when personal interaction is impossible. It’s important that verbal communication that is not face-to-face is effective and professional. Because you don’t have the benefit of using or seeing the receiver’s nonverbal communication, the challenges for effective and appropriate communication are even greater.

Here are some dos and don’ts of telephone etiquette:

• Do be aware of the volume of your voice when you are speaking on the phone in the office or on a cell phone.^[25]
• Do, when using a speakerphone, conduct the call in an enclosed or isolated area such as a conference room or office to avoid disturbing others in the area.
• Do, when leaving a voice mail message, speak slowly, enunciate, spell your name, and leave your number (this makes it much easier for the recipient to hear your message the first time).^[26]
• Do, when you leave a voice mail message, be specific about what you want: make it easier for the caller to get back to you and include what time you will be available for a callback to avoid playing telephone tag.^[27]
• Do customize your voice mail message: create a different message for each of your customers or prospective customers so the message is personal and relevant.^[28]
• Do speak with enthusiasm: it’s best to convey a smile in your voice, especially if it is the first time you are calling or leaving a message for someone.^[29]
• Don’t take another phone call during a meeting.^[30]
• Don’t discuss confidential or personal issues during business calls.
• Don’t discuss confidential issues in public areas—you never know who might overhear a conversation in the hallway, on a train, or in other public areas.^[31]
• Don’t leave a long, rambling voice mail message: be prepared with a message that is no longer than sixty seconds.^[32]
• Don’t multitask during a long phone call or conference call—give the other person or people the courtesy of your full attention.

Etiquette Tips for E-mails, Text Messages, Instant Messages, and Social Networks

Written communication has evolved to include multiple methods, all of which have appropriate places in selling. Notice the operative word here is appropriate. E-mail has become an accepted method of communication in most businesses, whereas text messages, instant messages, and social networks are commonplace for only some companies. That’s why etiquette is especially important when using any of these methods of communication, and you should take time to choose your method carefully. Letters, memos, proposals, and other written communication are considered formal, whether they are sent on paper or transmitted via e-mail. However, text messages, instant messages, and social networking are considered informal methods of communication and should be used only to communicate less formal information, such as a meeting time when schedules have been adjusted during a factory tour. Text and instant messages should never be used to communicate company policies, proposals, pricing, or other information that is important to conduct business with customers. It’s also worth noting that in all these methods your communication is permanent, so it’s a good idea to know the dos and don’ts of electronic communication.

• Do use an e-mail subject line that clearly tells the recipient about the content of the e-mail.
• Do create a short, concise message that uses proper grammar and spelling—use spell-check to be sure all words are spelled correctly.^[33]
• Do, in all electronic communications, use uppercase and lowercase letters as grammar dictates.^[34]
• Do use e-mail, text messages, and instant messages when appropriate, according to your company’s practices, and with your customers to communicate factual information such as to confirm meeting date, time, and location.^[35]
• Do use social networking sites to join the conversation and add value—you can build your personal brand by creating a blog or joining a professional conversation on social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook.^[36]
• Don’t use all capital letters in an e-mail; it appears that you are shouting or angry.^[37]
• Don’t use “Reply to All” unless it’s absolutely necessary that all the recipients see your response—be selective to avoid mailbox overload.
• Don’t send an e-mail, text message, or instant message when you are angry: take the time to think about what you send because you can’t take it back after it’s sent.^[38]
• Don’t use abbreviations like “ur,” “2b,” and others—this is not appropriate business communication.^[39]
• Don’t use company e-mail, text message, or instant message accounts to send personal correspondence, and don’t check your personal accounts or pages during company time, as all communication that takes place on company hardware and servers is property of the company.
• Don’t use electronic communication to transmit bad news: talk to the person first, and if follow-up is necessary, reiterate the information in written form.
• Don’t use text messages, instant messages, or social networks to communicate information such as pricing, proposals, reports, service agreements, and other company information that should be sent using a more formal method.

Music to Your Ears

When is an iPod or other MP3 player or a handheld gaming device appropriate at work? Only when it is used for business purposes. “You’re isolating yourself,” says Dale Chapman Webb, founder of The Protocol Centre in Coral Gables, Florida. “You are sending a message that my music is more important than the work at hand.” If you feel the need to listen to your iPod or use handheld gaming devices at work, sales may not be the right profession for you.