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All month long, we’ve been promoting a return to kindness at DoSayGive with our “Ps, Questions and What to Do” series. From social media to social media, we love these little etiquette tips and we hope you have fun too! Today, we detail how to follow etiquette when sending emails, texting, and making phone calls. These are the things we teach etiquette e-course for teenage girls – but it’s important for adults to know too!
phone etiquette
Be considerate in the company of others. In essence, be present. That means not answering your phone in the middle of a conversation, meal, or other social situation (unless it’s an emergency). It also means not speaking loudly so as not to disturb those around you. If possible, stay away from others.
Do not put your phone directly on the table. First of all, it’s unhygienic. Second, it can distract you from being at the table. If you need to keep your phone nearby for safety reasons (i.e. you don’t want to miss the babysitter’s call), keep it visible in your lap or purse.
Make sure your phone is on silent during church, meetings, weddings. Even the vibrate mode can be distracting in these settings.
Introduce yourself. When calling someone for the first time or for the first time in a long time, introduce yourself when that person answers. “Hi, this is Kaitlyn Pierce.” Always use your last name.
Use proper grammar. If someone calls you and asks, the correct answer is not “This is it”, but “This is it”.
texting etiquette
Introduce yourself. If you’re texting someone new or for the first time in a long time, introduce yourself at the beginning of the text. This saves both parties from having to ask who the other person is!
Keep messages short. If he gets too anxious or confused, a phone call is probably next.
Respond to a topic in a timely manner. Unless it’s an urgent matter, a text does not require an immediate response. But you want to be considerate about your response time. At the end of the day, swiping backwards between texts is a habit that will keep you from constantly getting stuck on your phone and still get you to respond in a timely manner. If you forget to respond (it happens!), a simple “Sorry it took me so long to bet against you” goes a long way.
If there is a miscommunication, pick up the phone. Sometimes things don’t translate well on text. Maybe something that should have been funny hurts someone’s feelings, or something you wrote just didn’t turn out the way you wanted. If you have any doubts, it’s always best to pick up the phone.
Do not write anything inappropriate or hurtful. Like we told the girls who bought ours etiquette course: If you don’t want the whole world to see something, don’t text me!
Never respond in anger. If at any point something in a text upsets you, it’s best to put your phone down and leave the room. You never want to answer someone angrily or write something you might regret. Because remember, once it’s there, you can’t get it back. Your answer may change if you wait a bit, so give yourself the grace to do so!
Email Etiquette
Be polite and to the point. Conciseness is key to a thoughtful email because you don’t want to take up too much of someone’s time. You also don’t want them scratching their heads wondering what you’re trying to ask with your email. It’s also important to note that the tone can sometimes be difficult to decipher over email. So, read it again before sending it to make sure the tone of your email doesn’t seem harsh.
Use appropriate formatting. Especially in professional emails, make sure you have an appropriate greeting and closing, and address people correctly.
Don’t fill people’s inboxes unnecessarily. If you’re in a group email and have a question that isn’t for everyone, email someone directly.
Check your CCs and BCCs. Many embarrassing scenarios can be avoided by double-checking that you are not replying to everyone in an email chain!
Reply in time. As with texts, you want to respond thoughtfully and promptly. Responding to emails within 24 hours is a good rule of thumb, unless it’s the weekend, and it’s understandable to wait until Monday. But inevitably there are times when an email is declined or we forget to respond. In this case, it’s important to keep responding (don’t ghost someone!) and apologize for being late.
Note: Many of my small business friends set limits for emails based on their work schedule. They get an automated response with business hours or an average email response time. Setting boundaries can be healthy – personally and professionally. Just be sure to communicate these boundaries politely.
Written etiquette
Yes, we’re talking about digital etiquette today, but we can’t ignore the untimely act of a handwritten note. Many people think that a written card or letter is a lost art, but I am not one of them! When we take a minute to say thank you or just let someone know we’re thinking of you on our busy day, it can mean a lot. Did you know we have a FREE download that tells you exactly what to say in thank you notes, sympathy cards and more? You can download this free note-writing guide here:
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