Trail Mail Etiquette ( Email Etiquette)

Follow these simple email etiquette rules to create effective emails:

#1 Write well-structured emails: Do not make an email longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading an email
is harder than reading printed communications. Use bullets when possible.
#2 Use short, descriptive subjects: This will help the recipient as well as yourself if you ever need to find the email
again. If previous email threads are used to open a new email thread, change the subject of the new email thread to
avoid confusion.
#3 Use a spelling checker: Embarrassing spelling errors can easily be avoided.
#4 Read your email before sending Many people dont bother to read an email before they send it out. A spelling
checker cannot eliminate all errors and typos. Simply by rereading an email before it is sent out will help you reduce
errors and improve the effectiveness of your message.
#5 Do not send unnecessary or large attachments via email: If possible include a link to a downloadable
document instead. Large attachments (over 10 MB) are highly likely to be blocked along the way.
#6 Do not write emails in capitals: Capitals in emails come across as AGGRESSIVE. Usually this is not the
intention of the sender, but nevertheless the recipient can be intimidated by use of capitalization.
#7 Do not use abbreviations such as OMG and LOL: This is not appropriate for business communications.
#8 Do not use cc: or bcc: fields for mailings: Valuable customer contacts can be exposed in this way and your
company can face a privacy breach lawsuit. Instead, use company-designated mail merge software.
#9 Only mark emails as important if they really are important:: Over usage of the high importance option will
obtain the adverse affect.
#10 Do not use the recall option: Emails cannot be recalled. All the recipient will see is another email message
saying that you wish to recall the email message.
#11 Do not use email to discuss confidential information:: Sending an email is like sending a postcard. If you
dont want your email to be displayed on a bulletin board, dont send it. Moreover, never make any libelous, sexist
or racially discriminating comments in emails, even if they are meant to be a joke.
#12 Do not use the delivery or read receipt option:: You will irritate the recipient, and the receipt will probably be
removed from the email.
#13 Dont send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks : By
sending or even just forwarding one libelous, or offensive remark in an email, you and your company can face court
cases resulting in multi-million dollar penalties.

#14 Do not overuse the cc: field: Try not to use the cc: field unless the recipient in the cc: field knows why they are
receiving a copy of the message. Using the cc: field can be confusing since the recipients might not know who is
supposed to act on the message.
#15 Be careful using Reply to All: Make sure that everyone from the original email really needs to see your
response.
#16 Include the message thread: It is better to include the message thread so that the recipient can browse through
the history of the conversation without having to search through their inbox.
#17 Include an email signature: Check if the company is adding email signatures centrally at the server level or
whether you should add your own. Read these tips for creating a professional email signature.
#18 Keep emails short and concise: Short and concise emails are more effective than longwinded emails. If the
email is too long, recipients will only skim over the content.
#19 Send a complete response: If you are replying to an email with questions, make sure you reread the original
email before sending your reply to make sure that you have answered all questions.
#20 Avoid adding personal quotes to your email signature: Leave the inspiring quotes for personal messages, not
for business emails.

CUE CARD
A card held beside a camera for a television broadcaster to read from while appearing as if looking into
the camera.

Tips for using cue cards:

1. Number the cards in the same place on each card (e.g. the top right-hand corner).
2. Use one card for each of your PowerPoint slides.
3. Write on one side of the card only. You don't want the audience trying to read what's written
on the back, and turning the cards over looks less slick than simply placing each card on the
bottom of the pile when you've finished with it. If you have too much information to fit on one
side, you're probably writing too much down. Simplify it. Strip it down. The less there is on each
card, the less you will look at them and the more you'll look at the audience.
4. Write neatly, in larger than usual CAPITAL LETTERS. Your best handwriting may appear
legible when you're scribbling it down, but you'd be surprised just how illegible it can appear in
dim lights or when you're feeling under pressure.

5. Double space the content. Leave plenty of white space around each trigger word or phrase to
make them stand out.
6. Write the following on each card:

an opening statement. This will help you get over the mental block of what am I going to
say which can affect presenters at the start of each slide. If you've practiced your
presentation enough, the block will disappear once you say the opening phrase.

three to five supporting trigger words. These should not be a direct copy of the bullets on
your slide. They are keywords (single words wherever possible though the occasional
phrase is OK) to jog your memory. Select ones that work for you. They are your cue
cards; different words would work for you than would work for me. Double check the
effectiveness of these as you go along to make sure they work. If you're not able to
instantly recall the content by just glancing at the trigger words, choose different words.

key facts, names or quotations

7. Use several different colored pens, e.g. black for the opening statement, blue for trigger words,
red for numbers, green for quotations, etc. Alternatively, you could write it all out in black and
then use different color highlighters, but be careful about your color choice; red, for example,
can hide the underlying text.
8. In the bottom right-hand corner, write something about the next slide as a reminder of what is
next to come. This will also help you with a transition phrase to ease you smoothly on to the next
slide without you having to use the slide itself as your memory jogger.
9. Absorb. Look. Speak. This is a sequence. You should absorb each trigger word, look up and
then speak. Note the important bit here is to remember always to look up before speaking. This
way you maximize eye contact with the audience.
10. Practice, practice, PRACTICE! Cue cards are NOT a substitute for rehearsal. You should be
so familiar with the contents of the card that you only have to glance momentarily at them to be
reminded of what you already know.

CC and BCC
Stands for "Blind Carbon Copy." When you send an e-mail to only one person, you
type the recipient's address in the "To:" field. When you send a message to more than
one person, you have the option to enter addresses in the "Cc:" and "Bcc:" fields. "Cc"
stands for "Carbon Copy," while "Bcc" stands for "Blind Carbon Copy."
A carbon copy, or "Cc'd" message is an e-mail that is copied to one or more
recipients. Both the main recipient (whose address is in the "To:" field) and the Cc'd

recipients can see all the addresses the message was sent to. When a message is blind
carbon copied, neither the main recipient nor the Bcc'd recipients can see the
addresses in the "Bcc:" field.
Blind carbon copying is a useful way to let others see an e-mail you sent without the
main recipient knowing. It is faster than sending the original message and then
forwarding the sent message to the other recipients. It is also good netiquette to use
Bcc when copying a message to many people. This prevents the e-mail addresses from
being captured by someone in the list who might use them for spamming purposes.
However, if it is important that each recipient knows who your message was sent to,
use carbon copy (Cc) instead.

Reverse chronology
Reverse chronology is a method of story-telling whereby the plot is revealed in reverse order. In a story
employing this technique, the first scene shown is actually the conclusion to the plot.
The term reverse chronological order refers to a format that is commonly used in combination resumes and
chronological resumes to display work experience or work history. The reverse chronological order format
calls for the most recent work experience to appear first in the document, while the oldest experience appears
last.
When presenting work history on a resume, the reader is more interested in what the applicant has done
recently than in the distant past. The rationale behind using reverse chronological order is that it presents the
recruiter, or hiring manager, with the most recent work experience first, and then allows them to read back in
time to see how the applicant's career has progressed.

Telephone etiquette
Proper telephone etiquette is very important in that you are representing your department and the
University. Remembering to use proper telephone etiquette, whether answering the phone or making
phone calls, leaves callers with a favorable impression of you, your department.
Telephone etiquette tips
1. Always identify yourself at the beginning of all calls.
A) When in the office, always answer a telephone by saying: Hello/Good Morning, Accounting Department,
Syndi Seid speaking.
B) From a cell phone, either simply say Hello, or state your name, Hello, Syndi Seid here. Do not answer by
using words such as yeah or yes.
C) When placing a call, always state your name along with the name of the person you are calling. Example:
Hello, my name is John Doe from XYZ Corporation. May I please speak with Ms. Jane Smith?

2. Be sensitive to the tone of your voice. Do not sound overly anxious, aggressive or pushy. It is important
your tone conveys authority and confidence. Do not lean back in your chair when speaking on the telephone.
Tip: Sit up in your chair or stand during the conversation. When at home, use a personal tape recorder to
privately record your own conversations. You will then hear how your sound to others.
3. Think through exactly what you plan to say and discuss BEFORE you place a call.
Tip: Jot down the items you want to discuss and questions you want answered. In other words, anticipate and
expect you will be placed into a voicemail system; plan your message to be as direct and specific as possible,
asking the person to respond to specific alternatives or questions. Do not say, Hello, its Syndi, call me
back. At least state the subject about which you want the person to call you back about.
4. Do not allow interruptions to occur during conversations. Do not carry on side conversations with other
people around you. The person on the telephone takes precedence over someone who happens to walk in your
office or passes by while you are on the phone.
Tip: If you must interrupt the conversation, say to the person, Please excuse me for a moment Ill be right
back. And when you return, say, Thank you for holding.
5. Especially when leaving messages, speak clearly and slowly. Do not use broken phrases, slang or idioms.
Always, always leave your return telephone number as part of your message, including the area code . . . and
S-L-O-W-L-Y, including REPEATING your telephone number at the end of your message.
Tip: Practice leaving your number, by saying it aloud to yourself as slow as you have heard an informational
operator say it.
6. Build the habit of always turning off your cell phone ringer when entering a meeting, restaurant,
theater, training class, or other placewhere the purpose of your visit would be interrupted or others would be
disturbed by hearing your cell phone ring.
Tip: If you are expecting an important call, inform the caller you will be in a meeting during certain times and
state you will monitor your message indicator for when it illuminates you will excuse yourself to leave the
meeting and return the call.
7. Always speak into the telephone receiver with an even and low tone of voice. Especially when speaking
on a cell phone out in public, be sure to monitor how loud you may be.
Tip: Move the phone ear piece just slightly away from your ear and listen to yourself speaking. Discover
whether you are speaking too loudly or too quietly for the other person to hear you.
8. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by other activities while speaking on the telephone, such as
rustling papers, chewing and eating, working on the computer, or speaking with someone else. Most
importantly, do not use a hand held cell phone while driving. Get a headset or speaker phone for the car.
Tip: Always treat every caller with the utmost courtesy and respect by giving him/her your undivided
attention.