Most business professionals understand that when they step over the threshold at work each and every day, they are entering a professional environment where professional decorum is expected. For some reason, however, the same business professionals forget this little tidbit when they click over to their email. While there is no way to accurately quantify the number of clients that have been lost over the years due to inappropriate emails, the number is thought to be at least seven figures. Today, email clients have everything from grammar and spell checkers to loadable templates and much more. There is literally no excuse for any business professional to send out an unprofessional sounding email. Let’s take a look at some other common mistakes people make with their email each and every day.

Keep personal and business email separate

The average person today has several different email accounts. You have the ones that come with your Internet service provider, you may have a free web based one and you have a work one. It is essential that you keep the two separate, that way you don’t have to switch back and forth from writing casual emails to a family member to writing formal ones to your boss or to a client. If you can manage it, try to not answer any personal email at all at work so that there is never any kind of confusion or lapse in judgment.

Watch mass mailings

Recently, a high ranking official with an NFL team accidently sent a pornographic email to representatives from all the other teams and to the NFL front office by simply clicking one button incorrectly. We all receive mass emails from friends and maybe even from clients on a daily basis. Some are fun and cute while others are more serious. If it is at all possible, avoid sending out mass emails since the probability of something going wrong is greatly increased. A mass email also gives the impression that each person on the email list doesn’t deserve one-on-one attention, which can be alienating. It might take a little extra time, but there is a good chance this personal touch will be noticed and appreciated.

Eliminate email speak

As most of us have Blackberries on our hips and multiple cell phones at the ready, we have taken to the language of texting and emailing like a fish takes to water. While using “:p” and “;)” might work for talking to your child, it probably shouldn’t be used when talking to a potential client. It can be harder to break this habit than you think. This type of shorthand has become intricately ingrained in many people under the age of 35 who have been using the Internet since they were in high school. As more and more tech savvy graduates enter into the world of business, this problem is likely only going to get worse. Break the habit now or you will likely find yourself receiving a quite a lecture from your boss that will leave you.

Click on one of these links to check out sample legal documents drafted by Amlaw 200 Law Firms for Fortune 500 Companies.

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In 100 years, we’re all going to look back on this period we’re living through right now and laugh. It will seem startling that we survived this technological infancy that we find ourselves in. Websites today will be in the Smithsonian next to the first printing press and the first television. Even the most respected voices in online technology are still learning the very basics of how we, as a species, communicate through web sites. We take bits and pieces from successful ones and then try to duplicate that success with additional innovations. If you could zoom out from the Internet, it would likely look like a giant stack of Jenga blocks wobbling too and fro. Let’s take a closer look at some common websites mistakes and how you can avoid them.

Short attention span theatre

If there is one truth about the Internet, it is that the average web browser has the shortest attention span ever recorded. This means that you have a second, possibly two, to capture the attention of someone who stumbles upon your companies webpage. There are several things you can do to capture a person’s attention, but the most important thing to remember is that it is impossible to capture everyone’s. If you can get one out of every 20 people who click onto your webpage to stick around and do some exploring, you are way ahead of the field. Think of it as people strolling past your store front window on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. No matter how good your product is, you can’t bring in everyone. You do, however, want to capitalize on those that venture inside.

The Internet is powered by content

There is a reason why websites like ESPN.com, CNN.com and similar sites constantly change their front page stories. It isn’t because new and exciting news has broken and continues to break throughout the day; it is the idea of something new being available for consumption. No matter what your website sells or does, you must provide a new reason for people to visit as frequently as possible. It doesn’t matter if you are showcasing new sales, blogging about the impact of your product or service or simply changing up the look of your page, if you don’t give the public a reason to keep you in mind, they won’t.

Don’t overdo it

Most new pages that attempt to make a big splash on the Internet do so by attempting to cram as much new technology, streaming video, audio, Java applets and everything else to create an online experience you won’t forget. While the initial hurdle of having too slow a connection for any of that technology to work has been largely overcome, not everyone needs to multitask and do a dozen things at once. Yes, having bells and whistles can be a good way to attract users initially, but there has to be content and relevance to back up the flash. Even video game websites have blogs that talk about the video game industry and lists of products and services users can buy.

Click on one of these links to check out sample legal documents drafted by Amlaw 200 Law Firms for Fortune 500 Companies.

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