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Email is meant to be a quick medium. Keep sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words.
A person who receives a lengthy email is less likely to read it, or might not read it all and miss important details.
It is recommended that you use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making a point, number or mark the point as separate.
Always have a salutation and sign-off with every email. For example: Hello, Hi, Good Day, Thank You, Sincerely, Best Regards, etc. Please note that gender-specific salutations, such as "Ladies" or "Gentlemen" are not appropriate in the business setting.
A quick way to annoy a potential customer is to flood or stall their inbox with a huge file or multiple attachments, which often get caught in spam filters, further preventing it from being read. If you need to send a large file, it is recommended that you ask the recipient first, the best time of day to send it, and confirm that they have the software to view it. Multiple files should only be those that are absolutely necessary to the message. 
Ensure that people will be able to get in touch with you if needed. Include your name, company, mailing address, phone number and email unless your company holds a policy against including any of these.
Like using all CAPS, these can easily be misinterpreted as shouting or in the wrong tone. Use them only to accentuate words that you want to stress in your message.
Sending a message too quickly might cause you to overlook a wrong tone. Give yourself a few minutes to review for spelling and grammar errors, as well as rereading to make sure that the tone you intended comes across clearly. For difficult topics, it is best to use the phone, both to avoid long, time-consuming strings of email and to clarify and the distinct possibility of misinterpretation. 
http://www.emailreplies.com
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Welcome to the Tero International Monthly eZine
The only message that matters is the message that is received. We often spend a great deal of time preparing a presentation, only to learn at the finale that the message wasn't received. We frequently rummage through our closet, debating upon our attire, only to walk away from a meeting knowing that we weren't taken seriously. We attend a networking event and meet a number of professionals who don't seem to care about our purpose. How frustrating!
Thankfully, there are ways to be heard, both visually and vocally. Communicating professionalism, knowledge, and ability follow building the foundation of trust. This eZine will guide you in how to do this effectively so that you are better heard, and so that the message intended is the one that is received.
Ask Tero
This section contains questions asked of the training professionals at Tero. Do you have a question for Tero? Let us know! If there is a topic or question you would like to see addressed in a future eZine, please make suggestions so we can give you the resources you need. Thank you for the continued responses we receive each month.
Question: How can I convey interest to the other person on the phone since they can't see eye contact or other non-verbal indicators?
Tero says: Thanks for asking this. Few people realize the magnitude of phone communication in business success. Research tells us that on the phone, 87% of the way a person is perceived is due to vocal quality. Only 13% of the way you are perceived is on what you say. Vocal tone, pitch, inflection and pace are critical to having good vocal quality. These are the qualities that will determine whether or not someone feels we are interested in the conversation, so it pays to speak slowly and clearly with inflection to communicate interest.
Listening is also key. Active listening requires silence, which can be confusing to the messenger as to if you are paying attention. To express that you are actively listening, interject phrases occasionally to communicate you are listening. Phrases such as I see, Yes, Agreed, Of course, all indicate rapport with the incoming message and the messenger.
Finally make sure that there is no background noise. If the person on the other end hears taps on your keyboard, chewing, laughter or any other distracting noise, they may surmise you are not paying attention. The phone receiver is an amplifier. If you have to be on a cellular phone, go to a quiet, private place to ensure a quiet background.
Question: When should I call a person rather than respond to their email?
Tero says: Email is expedient but not always effective. Here are some tips:
1. If you need to deliver a message that is sensitive in any respect, use another method.
2. Tone is difficult to "read" in email and can cause miscommunication.
3. If you have not established a relationship with this person, this is their first communication with you, do not use email.
4. If the communication has portions that may cause questioning, call. You will be more expedient and effective answering questions on one call versus sending several emails back and forth.
5. If the message can be seen by anyone anywhere without detracting from you or your organization's credibility, use email. Otherwise, call and discuss the matter over the phone or better yet face-to-face!
Feature Article - Is the Message You Are Sending the Message Received?
Communications wrought with misunderstanding are nothing new. In fact they happen daily, often very unintentionally. Words spoken can have differing meanings to differing ears and minds. Words once used to applaud someone can be spun into indicators of fault when the relationship is threatened. There are thousands of ways communication can take a turn south, and turn out less than positive. Here are three case studies. The third, being a presidential one, reminds us communication mishaps happen in places you would imagine we would know better. Have you ever seen these in your workplace or personal life?
Case One: Let Me Call You Sweetheart . . .
Professional Development Activity - Tailor Your Message
The more you know about the person you are attempting to communicate with, the more closely you can tailor a message that will be well received. Building a relationship prior to negotiating or communicating anything of high emotional investment helps, not only in rapport, but in the realizations you gain about how someone communicates. To prep yourself on how the receiver naturally communicates, what their mental scripts are, and how they take in information can be of great assistance. Howard Gardner in his book "Changing Minds" speaks of seven communication considerations. Try using these the next time you are preparing to impart an important communication.
1. Arguments, Facts, Rhetoric: Is the person moved by argument based on fact? What role do facts play in importance to this person?
2. Direct or Indirect: Is this person more likely to be engaged by a direct discussion, or should I bring this up indirectly? Is questioning a better technique that telling? Are non verbal cues like silence able to say more to this person than words?
3. Consistency: Does this person need to see consistency in beliefs, attitudes and actions? If so how do I help them deal with any apparent inconsistencies?
4. Conflict: Does this person like to match wits or avoid sharp exchanges?
5. Emotionally Charged Areas: Do you know what issues and ideas this person feels strongly about with regard to this message? Is this person motivated more by attraction to what he/she likes, or by fear of what he/she dislikes?
6. Current Scripts, Content and Form: When this person communicates with you, in writing, conversation etc. look for the mental representations they have concerning the issue. Also try to ascertain the way they hold these mental models. Are they more graphic or verbal? Do they seem to view things as models or illustrations? Try to appeal your argument or point to the way they take in information.
Gardner reminds us, the most important consideration of all is this: Focus less on how you see and impart information and more on how the person receiving sees it and may potentially take it in.
Resources
Are you interested in further reading on communications? Tero recommends these books:
Changing Minds, The Art and Science of Changing Our Own and Other Peoples Minds, Howard Gardner, Harvard Business School Press, 2006
Talking Nine To Five: Women and Men at Work-Language, Sex and Power, Deborah Tannen, Virago, 1996
What's New at Tero
Tero Welcomes April Reed
April Reed joins the Tero team on May 19th for a summer internship. April brings an impressive background from Graceland University and a passion for everything Human Resources.
Tero at the Open for Business Expo in Cedar Rapids
For the second year in a row, Tero International is a corporate sponsor of the Open for Business Expo in Cedar Rapids on March 20th.
Congratulations to the Grand Prize Winner!
Farm Safety 4 Just Kids Spokesperson and Founding President, Marilyn Adams, is the grand prize winner of the 6th Annual Volvo for Life Awards! Volvo Cars of North America will award Adams with a new Volvo automobile of her choice every three years - for life! The announcement was made during an awards ceremony in New York City this month. Adams was named the winner of the safety category and Farm Safety 4 Just Kids received a $100,000 donation to be contributed to the organization's endowment fund. Congratulations Marilyn!
Save the Date for Tero's Fifteen Year Anniversary Open House
Mark your calendars for April 25th. Drop in at the Tero Learning Center in Des Moines anytime between 4pm-7pm that evening. Watch next month's eZine for more details.
A 5-hour Business Etiquette and Dining Tutorial workshop. May 14, 2008 (Des Moines), September 18, 2008 (Des Moines) Image and Influence: Polishing Your Professional Look
IMPACT - How To Speak Your Way To Success
Time Management Through Goal Setting
Beyond Compromise: A Better Way To Negotiate
Online Resources
Are you a graduate of a Tero workshop? Your feedback is important to us.
Click here to fill out an evaluation of how your Tero acquired knowledge has impacted your everyday work and life. This opportunity is available in each eZine or you can visit the Tero website at www.tero.com to give us your feedback.
Inspiration - Things to Think About
Three final thoughts . . . communicated to and for you.
Communication does not depend on syntax, or eloquence, or rhetoric, or articulation but on the emotional context in which the message is being heard. People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choicest words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech.
The problem with communication . . . is the illusion that it has been accomplished.
The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.
The Tero International Monthly eZine is written for the graduates and friends of Tero training programs. It is published by Tero International, Inc., 1840 NW 118th Street, Suite 107, Des Moines, Iowa 50325. Copyright 2008, Tero International, Inc. All rights reserved.
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