Business Networking: How to Work the "Virtual" Room

By Susan RoAne, The Mingling Maven®

Brevity? The Soul of Wit or Witless!

I have read a number of e-mail do's and don'ts lists in the last decade since I wrote one which was published in 1993 in The Secrets of Savvy Networking. Flipping through my own book and finding it totally surprised, and pleased me. I had forgotten that I had written it!

So many lists admonish e-mailers to "keep it brief." That can be good advice, some of the time. If, by brief, we are thinking telegram-like staccato word use, as if we paid by the letter, let's rethink that.

Including a pleasantry, a greeting, an appropriate "please" or "thank you," or a personable p.s. adds the high touch to our high-tech touching base.

Warning: When we count our words, we may be DIScounting our message. Strike a balance between long and terse. As a former English major and teacher, I would summarize by saying that we can have short sentences, just not sound "short" in our sentences. We want them to be declarative (statements) not imperative (orders).

Example:

A. "Joe, it would help if you could get us the figures by today. Thanks."
B. "Get us the figures by today."

To which one would you be inclined to respond? If you read these samples and think (B) is correct "because it's to the point and doesn't waste words and time," please take my Schmooze* Quotient Quiz.