ReachOut IT June 2019

The average businessperson reads and composes more than 120 emails every day, but there’s an overwhelming amount of business emails that seem to be written with no apparent regard for the reader. A massive chunk of people’s workdays is wasted wading through irrelevant, unclear, or incomprehensible messages. To remedy this issue, it’s vital to understand the keys to effective online communication, both to stem the tide of annoying and unnecessary emails and to protect your reputation as a professional. Here are three rules for effective email communication. Don’t Be ‘That Guy’ THE 3 CARDINAL RULES OF EFFECTIVE EMAIL COMMUNICATION When your message is sitting in an inbox packed with dozens of others, it’s essential to respect your reader’s time. Make the contents of the message clear from a glance at the subject line. Your subject line is what will draw the attention of the recipient — or lead them to skip over it altogether — so be specific and relevant. In the body of the email, your reason for emailing, as well as all the important points, should be immediately clear. Keep it as concise and as transparent as possible. 1. TIGHTEN IT UP. Many professionals assume that the need for brevity means they can get away with short, robotic missives. Managers are especially guilty of this, sending out single-sentence messages in all lowercase letters with nary an emotion. We get it; you’re busy. But it’s worth taking an extra moment of your time to craft an email that carries the human element as well. It’s important to take a professional tone and to keep communication brief, but you can still write, to some degree, like you talk. This will show recipients that you take communicating with them seriously. Again, you’re busy, and you’ve got to prioritize your work, but consistently ignoring emails is a clear sign of negligence and will make you unpopular among your coworkers. If you don’t have time to think of a clear answer, a simple confirmation that you received the message goes a long way. While you can safely ignore all those companywide filler emails you receive each week, you need to show your coworkers and contacts that you’re willing to put in a little effort and that you’re on top of your responsibilities. 3. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, REPLY TO THE EMAILS YOU RECEIVE. 2. WRITE LIKE A HUMAN BEING.

In 2019, there is no greater threat to the safety of your business than ransomware. According to a 2018 survey conducted by Datto for 2,400 managed service providers specializing in data security for small to mid-size businesses, over 55 percent of clients had been targeted by a ransomware attack within the first six months of last year. The biggest issues cited were poor end-user cyber security training, risky user practices, and weak passwords. But the biggest issue of all may simply have been ignorance. “The No. 1 threat for SMB CEOs is thinking they are immune for some reason,” said Michael Drake, CEO of masterIT. “They think they don’t have anything the hackers want, so it’s not worth the price to protect themselves.” But the numbers don’t lie: Hackers are zeroing in on the low-hanging fruit of small businesses in droves — it’s time to wake up and invest in the protection your business needs to survive. THIS IS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO YOUR BUSINESS TODAY

SmallBusinessComputing.com, Nov. 19, 2019

THIS COMMUNICATION TOOL CAN IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS

According to a study by Zipwhip, 39 percent of businesses use a texting app to stay in touch with their clients. Relying solely on email communication in 2019 is a mistake. Create an opt-in list to form a texting list, then create a number to which the customer can directly reply. Avoid chatbots, and craft the tone to be as human and conversational as possible. If you’re able to provide value without being annoying, you’ll be amazed by the benefits you can reap with text communication.

SmallBizTrends.com, Feb. 19, 2019

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