E-mail and Marketing Connection--Part 1

I just had the unsavory experience of trying to decipher a request for help. It was in an e-mail, posted to a public bulletin board. The person did not include any information that was pertinent to provide her with the appropriate help.

Yes, as you've probably guessed, e-mail is a "pet peeve" of mine.

I always get the feeling that most folks underestimate the power of a single e-mail. It can completely destroy any chances of getting business via that particular communication mode.

If you are having problems with your marketing package, start looking at your e-mail compositions. It's been my general experience (when helping others with their marketing packages) that poorly constructed e-mails mean poorly constructed marketing packages.

Why does this connection exist?

I'm not sure there have been any scientific studies done on this subject, but it's been my experience that it has to do with our own personal communication skills. Some folks possess a bit more skill than others. If we, as indexers, take time to craft our e-mails, we will become better communicators in all of our written documents, including our marketing packages. After all, practice makes perfect.

For many indexers, communication via e-mail is just about the only way we can communicate with each other. Often the excuse is given that we are just too busy to craft well-written e-mails. Since this method of communication is critical to networking with other indexers, that type of attitude implies that we are too busy to practice good manners. It's really an insult to other indexers.

Now, I'm not talking about e-mails between well-established friends or relatives. I have reference to posts on public bulletin boards and listservs.

What happens if you unintentionally break (or ignore) e-mail manners, or etiquette? Quite frankly, it can produce very undesirable results. Your e-mail may not be taken seriously, or worse, it may be ignored altogether. And while it may get a response, you've irritated the reader, which really wasn't your intention.

So, what errors in e-mails nearly always show up in marketing packages? Next week, we'll start looking at specific boo-boos.

article written by Dawn Spencer

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