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Let’s Talk Business 1
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
Let’s Talk Business Back To Basics Business Solutions - Support for Small Business
Issue 10 December 2013
Inside this issue
Cover - Meet some of our “Let’s Talk Business” Authors - (l to r) - Dan Buzer, Geoff Butler, Peter Athey
Business Snippets ………………2
Biz Tips ……………………………...3
Do Performance Reviews Increase Performance? Dr Tim Baker …………………….4
Six Enemies of Greatness (and Happiness) Geoff Butler ……………………….5
HUSBAND BUSTED EVERYTHING MUST GO!! Dan Buzer ……………… ……….6
Sales: The Oxygen of Business Peter Nicol ................ ………..7
Fatigue Management
Ron Court…………………………..8
Set Yourself Up For 2014
Paul Gillmore …………………….9
Email Manners
Miriam Battersby …..………..10
Let’s Talk Business 2
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
Stuck Burglar Asks
Victim for Help (The
Telegraph News)
An intruder became
stuck in the toilet of a dry cleaning outlet
in Sydney’s Western suburbs, when he
was attempting to break in.
The burglar had to wait an hour before a
staff member arrived at work and went
into the bathroom and saw him wedged
helplessly halfway through the window.
The would-be burglar asked the staff
member for help. The staffer
immediately called the police, who were
happy to help.
Real Estate Agent - A Real Dope!
(News Limited)
YES, real estate agents are supposed to
be honest. But photographing and
advertising the contents of a dope
factory? Buyers beware - these fittings
are not included in the sale.
The estate agent has since been
instructed to remove the photograph
which showed ducting, fans, planter tubs
and organic remains in a house in
Bristol. The two-bedroom house boasted
being a "Victorian-style villa in need of
refurbishment".
Dandelion Grows
Inside Girl’s Ear. (Huffington Post)
When they say
dandelions can grow
anywhere, they mean it. A doctor in
Beijing removed a dandelion that was
growing in the ear canal of a 16-month-
old girl earlier this week, according to
Shanghai Daily's translation of the
Beijing Morning Post.
The child, identified as "Ranran," had
been scratching at her ear for months.
Apparently a seed had lodged in her ear
canal, and by the time her parents
brought her to the Capital Institute of
Pediatrics, "the dandelion had totally
grown into Ranran's ear and filled her
ear canal wall,"
For Sale: Genuine Shrunken Heads
(New York AP)
How much would you pay?
Where's a Black Friday shopper to turn
for a 19th century vampire-killing kit?
Believe it or not, the item is part of the
Black Friday madness at the Ripley's
Times Square Odditorium. It will set
you back about $25,000. At a little more
than $19,000 a shrunken head is a
comparative bargain.
Fridge Sold for Almost $87,000
HAMBURG, Germany (UPI) -- A
refrigerator designed by German artist
Christian Awe is being offered for sale
at Hamburg's Alsterhaus department
store for almost $87,000.
The "PRO 48" fridge, made by Sub-
Zero and Wolf, usually costs $36,674,
but for one with Awe's "Cool as Ice"
paintings adorning it, customers will
have to pay $86,931, The Local.de
reported.
Only 10 of the uniquely decorated
fridges will be made.
Funny Business Signs
Let’s Talk Business 3
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
BIZTIPS Dennis Chiron Marketing Means Business
0451 184 599 [email protected]
Skype: dennis.chiron2
So; you are a member of one of your
local Business Networks, or perhaps
a member of one of the Service
Clubs or Groups (Lions, Rotary,
Apex) in your Region.
But, are you getting the very best out
of your networking endeavours ?
Here are some suggestions to help
you use your network with ways to
generate new business:
First and Foremost: SMILE ….
Recognise the positive impact of a
smile.
Smile for 10 seconds when you first
walk into a room …. TRY IT!!!
Why Networks Are Powerful
and How They Work
Networking is the art of making
personal connections.
Networking is a powerful way to
operate and build your business,
and, far from being a bland
pursuit, it is as much about
helping others as it is about
helping yourself.
Networking is not something
you do once; if it were, it
probably wouldn't work.
Networking, rather, is a habit, which
over time will lead to great
opportunities, including new clients
and much more.
It's about seeking out new people,
learning about them, and
maintaining connections once they
are made.
How Networking Can Help You and
Your Business
In 2011, my organisation surveyed 4,282
business owners from around Australia
asking questions about how they found
new clients. The results were
groundbreaking and have since been
confirmed over and over again.
We found that 68 percent of the business
owners attracted their new clients through
a personal connection.
Unless you are one of those rare natural
networkers, one of the chief obstacles to
networking may be that you feel like
you're imposing or taking advantage. If
so, you need to consider changing your
attitude.
For example: When you are meeting
someone for the first time (say at a
business event or network meeting)
approach the situation by asking yourself,
what can I do for him or her?
Following are some of the basic skills in
Networking that you can apply to
generate outstanding results.
Networking is a habit, which over time
will lead to great opportunities, including
new clients and much more. It's about
seeking out new people, learning about
them, and maintaining connections once
they are made.
Think of networking as a sort of credit
union: You, and many others, pay into
it, and when you need to, you ask for
something back.
There are three ways to connect as a
networker: with other individuals, through
groups, and by using the Internet. In
this issue, I will cover connecting
and networking with Individuals.
Individuals
If you want to network successfully,
it is essential that you learn to meet
and connect with new individuals --
in person. If you find this daunting,
take heart, because it's probably
easier than you think. You already
have a network, believe it or not,
and you most likely already use
networking skills to some degree.
Think of all the people you run
across in a typical day: friends,
family, customers, as well as
everyone who sells you a good or
service, from your butcher to your
local video shop.
If you have ignored these people in
the past, start talking to them.
Remember, they are interesting
people with networks and
connections of their own.
Being serious about networking
requires a commitment.
One is to yourself. Networking is
not a matter of making a single
magical phone call that will lead to a
specific new customer or contract.
Rather, it is about establishing a
network that will make that sort of
thing possible -- a web of people
helping people. That network takes
time to build up, so you have to
commit to networking over the long
term.
Are You Serious About Networking?
Let’s Talk Business 4
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
Although it is difficult to measure
definitively, knowing whether
performance reviews increase, decrease,
or make no appreciable difference to
performance is important.
It is important because we spend a lot of
time, administering, preparing and
delivering performance reviews.
Consider this: An SME of 100
employees would devote approximately
200 hours - if done twice a year - to the
interviews alone (assuming the meetings
last one hour).
If you consider that two people are in
these interviews, that is 400 hours of
time taken up in face-to-face meetings
that could be spent on other work-related
activities. This does not take into
account the time the manager and
employee take to prepare for these
interviews.
Let us assume that the managers and
the employees take 30 minutes each to
prepare for the interviews on average.
That amounts to another hour per
appraisal. With 200 appraisals that is
another 200 hours. We are now up to
600 hours a year.
While the manager and employee are
spending time preparing for and
conducting their interviews they are
neglecting their core duties.
Accountants refer to this as an
‘opportunity cost.’ In this example,
that amounts to another 600 hours of
time.
So we are now consuming 1200 hours
of time on this appraisal exercise.
Working on a standard eight-hour
working day, this means that
approximately 150 person days are
devoted to the exercise of appraising
performance in an organization of 100
people.
In dollar terms, and based upon an
aggregate $65,000 wage, the average
employee receives approximately $178
a day. $178 by 150 days equals
$26,700.
This figure, of course, is not listed in
the profit and loss statement. But
imagine if you were a manager and
noted a line item in the expenses
column of $26,700 with no
explanation next to it.
This is a fairly conservative figure and
it is more likely to be higher than this,
particularly for a larger business. At
any rate, would you not query this and
ask: What was this expense item? And
what return did the organization get for
$26,700?
Other questions you may rightly ask
are: Are we getting value for money
from this exercise? Or could we
spend this time and money doing
something else? I think it is time we
questioned this ‘investment’ in
time.
Is there a better way? For instance,
if this SME devoted 150 days to
directly improving its business
processes and systems, would that
make more of a difference? Or,
what about devoting
150 days to improving the quality
of service to customers? Would 150
days ‘working on the business’
instead of ‘in the business’ make a
discernible difference in
performance?
You may argue that appraising
people’s performance is in fact
working on the business. But does it
generate significant value?
This is an extract from my latest,
just released book - The End of the
Performance Review: A New
Approach to Appraising Employee
Performance
(www.winnersatwork.com.au).
Dr Tim Baker
Managing Director
WINNERS AT WORK Pty Ltd
www.winnersatwork.com.au
www.about.me/tim.baker
Telephone. +61 7 3899 8881
Editor’s Note:
Dr. Tim Baker is an international consultant, successful author, keynote speaker, master trainer, executive coach, university lecturer and skilful facilitator.
In a nutshell, he has conducted over 2,430 seminars, workshops and keynote addresses to over 45,000 people in 11 countries across 21 industry groups.
"“Dr Baker leads the world in offering an
innovative new approach to appraising
employee performance. His research and
energy in the specialised field of
performance management is evidenced
by his international profile as a
renowned speaker, management
consultant and facilitator". Stephen
Hartley, Australia’s leading expert on
project management and author of
"Project Management: Principles,
Processes and Practices.
Do Performance Reviews
Increase Performance?
Let’s Talk Business 5
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
Have you ever wondered why some
people achieve so much in life whilst
most of us settle for mediocre success
at best? The truth of the matter is that
most of us are constantly looking for
our ultimate goal to be right in front of
us, and if it isn’t are we rarely
motivated enough to push too hard to
find it. Tom O’Toole, the famous
Beechworth Baker and one of my
personal favourite speakers says that
you won’t find what you’re looking for
in your comfort zone. This is backed
up by the old adage that says ‘Calm
seas will never make a great sailor.’
There are six factors that can erode the
grandest of plans and the noblest of
intentions. Indeed, they can turn true
visionaries into paper-pushers, and
wide-eyed dreamers into shivering,
weeping balls of regret. Beware!
1) Availability
We often settle for what’s available,
and what’s available isn’t always great.
Every decision should be evaluated
against your ultimate goal. If it isn’t
moving you towards your goal, you
would have to question why you would
do it.
‘Because it was there’ is an okay reason
to climb a mountain, but not a very
good reason to take any old job or a
free sample at the supermarket.
2) Ignorance
If we don’t know how to make
something great, we simply won’t. If
we don’t know that greatness is
possible, we won’t bother attempting
it. All too often, we literally do not
know any better than good enough.
One of the greatest leaps in life will
be to elevate yourself from
‘Unconscious Incompetence’ (Not
knowing what we don’t know) to
‘Conscious Incompetence’ (knowing
how little we know).
3) Committees
Nothing destroys a good idea faster
than a mandatory consensus. The
lowest common denominator is
never a high standard.
The reason I love working with
Small Business is that if we come up
with a good strategy today, we can
implement it today. We don’t have
to make a submission to take to a
Board meeting to appoint a working
party to write a White Paper to
discuss the options. We can just do
it!!
4) Comfort
Why pursue greatness when you’ve
already got 324 channels and a
recliner? Pass the dip and forget
about your grand designs. As I
mentioned earlier Tom O’Toole says
you’ll never find what you’re
looking for if you’re too
comfortable where you are.
5) Momentum
If you’ve been doing what you’re
doing for years and it’s not-so-
great, you are in a rut. Many
people refer to these ruts as
careers.
The definition of insanity is doing
the same things over and over, and
expecting a different result.
6) Passivity
There’s a difference between being
agreeable and agreeing to
everything. Trust the little internal
voice that tells you, ‘This is a bad
idea.’
Geoff Butler FAIM AP, MAITD
MACE
Principal/Business Improvement & Implementation Specialist
Business Optimizers
Mobile: 0414 943072
Fax: 3036 6131
Email: [email protected]
Skype: business.optimizers1
The Six Enemies
of Greatness
(and Happiness)
Let’s Talk Business 6
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
Got your attention? Thinking of other
people to tell? Use this headline for a
garage sale and get DOZENS of
people queuing up at 5am at your
garage sale. Not for the bargains. For
a glimpse and perhaps even a chat
and the inside scoop with the scolded
woman. What happened?!
Learning how to GRAB attention is
part science, part art. It takes some
training, practice and know-how to
get right. It also has NOTHING to do
with creativity. It’s science.
It’s also only the first stage, because
after grabbing their attention you
have to get the reader to take action.
Here’s a way to get action, without
using a hard hitting headline …
Hi ‘Person in Charge of Paying
Accounts’,
As you probably noticed, I’ve
attached a piece of string to this
letter.
Why have I done this, you ask? For 2
reasons, actually: 1) To get your
attention, and 2) So you could tie this
special piece of string around your
finger so you would remember to fix
up the overdue invoice. This is just
my friendly little way of reminding
you that your account is past-due.
I know you’re busy, so if you just tie
the string around your finger, you’ll
remember to arrange for payment of
the invoice. Please take a minute to
fix this up so I won’t have to
interrupt your busy schedule with a
piece of string again. I appreciate
your prompt attention.
Have a great day,
Dan Buzer
P.S. If you could please return this piece of
string next time we meet, I’d really
appreciate it. I need this string for other
accounts.
So now you have an example of an
‘effective’ headline and a call to
action. Now you may be asking,
how you can learn to make your
own writing effective. A great
place to start is with arguably the
best book written to date on the
subject … ‘Scientific Advertising’
by Claude Hopkins, written in
1923. If you email me at
[email protected] I’ll send
you a copy.
Wouldn’t it be helpful to know the
10 most powerful words used in
advertising? Imagine having the
best book ever written on this
subject AND the 10 most powerful
words to use. In fact, there is ONE
word that if you understand how to
use it correctly, will shoot you to
the cream of the crop of
copywriters! This word is used in
more than half of all the best
advertising copy ever written.
Like to know what it is? The word
is … YOU. That’s right. Go
through all of your marketing
materials, business cards, website
pages, Google text, pamphlets,
brochures, advertisements, phone
scripts, letters, etc. Change every
we, we’re, our, us, me and any other
reference to yourself, 180 degrees in
the other direction and start talking
about the ONLY person the prospect
really cares about … THEMSELVES!
Apply this thinking to what is
happening in the modern world today.
What is the fastest growing
communication phenomenon this
century? Facebook! Why is it so
successful? Because it’s all about the
person who owns the Facebook page.
Facebook sells the ultimate product
… The user!
Here are the 10 most powerful words,
according to John Gumas, to use in
your copywriting. New, Guaranteed,
Proven, Results, Safety, Save, You,
Now, Easy & Free.
Now you’re all set! What’s that you
ask? How about some example
proven headlines that have worked in
the past? Sure! How about this …
email me at [email protected]
and I’ll send you 500 proven
headlines that you can use as
templates for all your own
advertising, copywriting, scripts and
everywhere else you communicate
with other people. Would THAT help
YOU? ;-)
For a chat about your business, call
1800 838 767. Mention the BBB and
I’ll gift you a 30 minute conversation
about YOUR business … Free.
Dan Buzer
Profit Mechanics
Business Mentor
Dan Buzer Profit Mechanics
0414 567 188 www.profitmechanics.net/ [email protected]
HUSBAND BUSTED! EVERYTHING MUST GO!!
Let’s Talk Business 7
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
A few weeks ago (mid - November)
I was asked to give a talk to a group
of CEO’s in Brisbane. The person
who asked gave me a loose brief
about what he wanted to convey to
his constituents.
It had been a while since we had
spoken and he asked my opinion on
how I saw the world of commerce.
At 69 and having worked for myself
for almost 18 years and having a
solid commercial career I could say I
had something to add.
My reply must have resonated with
him as he asked me to do the talk a
few days later. What did I talk
about?
I talked about how we seem to have
lost our way in the area of valuing
the sales process and understanding
the processes and practitioners who
on a daily basis make their living
from fronting the marketplace.
The set of slides I had painstakingly
put together detailed my general
feeling with many businesses is that
sales are not for them.
It is for someone else. The problems
of falling sales and profits can be
solved in other ways.
It seems that everywhere you go in
business it is all about cost cutting
and consequently loss of corporate
memory.
Many CEO’s/ Business owners are
surrounding themselves with persons
who are more focussed on pleasing
the boss. But at the end of the day
ask them if they left the building to
see a customer (yes a customer)
and I assure you it is very rare to
get a yes answer.
I know many executives who
simply do not know how to sell.
Yet sales are the lifeblood of their
business. Sales are foreign to them.
In some cases it terrifies them.
Knowing not how to sell is OK but
at least understand the principles
and respect its importance in your
business model.
I am also finding that many
businesses are finding that young
recruits have a very high sense of
entitlement and find the sales
process not part of their role.
Selling is about rapport and
relationship building, getting to
know the potential customer or
prospect, their desires, needs, and
solving a problem by offering your
products or services to them.
It’s about filling needs and wants.
Often some people do not know
they need something until it is put
in front of them. Marketing is not
selling.
It is about the art of truthful
persuasion and, never before has it
been so important to understand
that customers need, useful
information delivered in a way they
want it and, that is in terms of
benefits.
Shoppers are fatigued with choice. It
is harder and harder to get people to
buy from you. So having a sales plan
is vital.
In a few days’ time I will be
undertaking an assignment for a
business where we will spend a lot
of time on gaining product
knowledge and segmenting out
similar products from each other.
Why? So the sales people of this
new business can see why the owner
has put in a range of similar products
with differing attributes (not just
price).
This means that once a customer
comes into the shop they will be met
with trained and competent sales
people who have the product
knowledge to assist them on their
way.
Do you have regular sales meetings?
Even small family owned businesses
should have a weekly sales meeting
to see where they are heading and
what market feedback is coming into
the business.
Where to from here? If it is to be –
it’s up to me. (Sorry YOU). Call
anytime.
So good luck and happy Christmas
and New Year to you all.
SALES: THE OXYGEN OF BUSINESS
Peter Nicol
Wisdom Marketing & Management Services
0417627097
www.wisdommarketing.com.au
Weekly Sales
Meeting in Progress
Let’s Talk Business 8
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
Ron Court,
AMC Dip (Funerals) MQJA JP
OH&S Advisor
0419 679 619 [email protected]
Fatigue Management Fatigue management is a shared responsibility between management and
workers as it involves factors both inside and outside of work.
What can employers do to manage fatigue?
What employers can do to manage fatigue
Factors to consider Recommended control measures
accident risk increases by 30
per cent by the fourth night shift
accident risk increases by 27.5
per cent on 12 hour shifts,
consider whether 12 hour night shifts
are really necessary
night shift workers have a
greater risk of developing obesity, diabetes and heart disease
encourage healthy eating at work
Time of day Minimise early morning starts before 6 am.
early start times before 6 am avoid more than five consecutive early
morning starts
Work design Minimise safety critical tasks at circadian low points.
low alertness on night shift at 3
-5 am,
avoid safety critical tasks during the
early hours of the morning. What individuals can do to manage fatigue
Factors to consider Recommended control measures
Diet for night shift workers
stick to normal day shift meal times as
far as you can
don't eat after 3 am
avoid large meals 1 to 2 hours before
sleeping
Recovering or preparing for work have an afternoon nap before the first
night shift
Personal factors affecting sleep
drink alcohol in moderation
avoid caffeine after midnight when on
night shift
Poor sleep hygiene - watching television in
bed, drinking coffee or alcohol or eating a
heavy meal before going to bed
Poorer sleep quality, more fragmented and
less deep restorative sleep in people over
45 years of age
get into a routine for going to sleep
(e.g. take a warm shower or relaxing
bath before going to bed, listen to
soothing music)
avoid heavy meals, alcohol and tea or
coffee before going to bed
Other factors to consider when
managing fatigue
Roster design
When determining if roster design is
contributing to fatigue, consider the
following:
Length of shifts.
Distribution of leisure time.
Regularity of shift system.
Length of shifts worked. fatigue
Previous hours and days worked.
Type of work being performed.
Time of the day when the work is
being performed.
The key to managing fatigue
successfully is ensuring that workers
are given sufficient time between
shifts. Adults require approximately
seven to eight continuous hours of
daily sleep.
Commuting
Excessive hours spent travelling to
and from work can extend the
effective length of a shift, reduce the
time available for sleep and recovery
between shifts, and may have
significant effects on fatigue levels.
When combined with work-related
fatigue, driving to and from work can
be hazardous.
Shift rotation
Preferred rotation is day, afternoon,
and night.
Sleep inertia
Sleep inertia can occur if a person is
woken after sleeping for more than 40
minutes.
Breaks
When deciding on the length and
frequency of breaks within a shift,
consider the type of work being
performed - the greater the physical
and/or mental effort required.
Let’s Talk Business 9
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
As the New Year approaches we see
such upheaval in the Australian
economy. From car makers leaving
Australia to high Australian dollar to
uncertainty and lack of confidence –
where to from here?
In January, I wrote an article on fixing
your home loan interest rate. I made the
point that it is rare to be able to fix your
home loan interest rate and beat the
banks.
Let’s be clear – we are still in a low
interest rate environment AND I am
NOT currently being bombarded with
emails from banks trying to get me to
lock my client’s home loan interest
rates in. The significance is that banks
are not pushing for it which, in my
mind means that it’s a very good time
to lock in your interest rate –partly
because the banks don’t want you to.
The chart below shows you why I think
so:
At 2.5% the cash rate is lower than any
point in 20 years BUT our interest rates
are high by world standards with major
economies such as Japan and U.S.
being 0.0% to 0.5%
Because of rising unemployment and
lack of confidence in economic
conditions, interest rates are unlikely to
increase until these conditions change.
The relatively high interest rates make
Australia an attractive place to invest
resulting in support for the Australian
dollar maintaining its high value by
historical standards. This affects our
national competitiveness and is
negatively impacting on manufacturing
in Australia.
Funny, but true
It seems funny that our interest rates can
be both high and low simultaneously –
but it’s true.
So how can we take advantage of our
unusual economic circumstances?
Debt Reduction
Massively reduce your debt because the
interest component of your home loan
payment is low so more of your
repayment pays down the principle. This
can take years off your home loan.
Massively Reduce your Risk
When you owe money, your creditors
‘call the shots’ or ‘are in control’ – this
is an inherent danger for you and your
family. Therefore debt reduction is
important for stability and welfare of
you and your family.
Carefully Invest
Low interest rates are an opportunity to
secure assets for your long term wealth
Paul GILLMORE DFS
Founder and Director
Southern Cross Financial Services
07 5429 5561
0402 685 032
creation. BUT, go for quality assets
NOT speculative assets. Quality
assets increase in value over time,
pay a regular return and can be
researched independently. Buy well
to secure capital growth but don’t
forget return on investment (ROI)
such as rent or dividends – this will
help you fund the cost of your
investment i.e. repay investment
loan.
Reduce your Tax
Negative gearing into property
investments is a popular way of
obtaining a tax deduction but it’s not
for everyone.
One of the most effective ways to
reduce your tax AND KEEP THE
MONEY is to salary sacrifice into
your superannuation. I have often
said that super is a tax preferred
environment because you can invest
your money, protect it from
creditors, do it with pre-tax dollars,
keep the money because it’s in
YOUR super, vary the amount you
invest depending on your needs at
the time, you are not locked into an
investment loan, you can get
yourself into a lower tax bracket
(depending on your income), pay no
CGT and you can bequeath it to your
loved ones bypassing will and
probate.
This article is General information
Only not specific advice
Set Yourself Up For 2014
Let’s Talk Business 10
Web: www.marketingmeansbusiness.com Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0451 184 599
If your company is able to deal professionally with email, this will provide
you with that all important competitive
edge.
The Subject Line
Always fill in the Subject: field with a
brief and concise and relevant description
of the content of your email. This shows
up in the recipient’s inbox and people
decide whether to delete the email on that
basis.
This is also very important in helping
those you communicate with organize and
manage their email and find a specific
email quickly when necessary.
Using “to” and “cc”
You should only use “to” for the people
you are directly addressing. You should
use “cc” for the people you are indirectly
addressing e.g. for their information only.
Use “cc” sparingly and only if that person
needs to know about the topic.
Indiscriminate copying of email clogs
inboxes and encourages people to ignore
messages they should read.
When Do I Use “bcc”?
When you use the “bcc” field the other
recipients of the email cannot see
everyone the email has been sent to. It is
best to use the “bcc” field when sending
bulk email.
This helps to maintain the recipient’s
privacy from spammers. Never expose
your contact’s addresses to strangers! If
you are not sure how to BCc in your email
program, here are site resources that may
help you learn the features of your
software programs.
Signatures
The signature is a small block of text at
the end of your message. It should
identify you and provide contact
information. The signature can also be an
opportunity to advertise something that is
Email Manners
coming up in the near future, but make
sure you remove it after the event.
However be aware that any links, phone
numbers or contact information in the
message that leads to content with a
commercial purpose—may also lead the
message to be defined as 'commercial' in
nature, and as such be bound by the anti
spamming laws.
Attachments
Being able to attach documents to emails
is a great feature but do not abuse it.
Don’t send large attachments without the
recipient’s permission. This can slow
down mail, lock them out of their
mailbox, or be rejected by the system.
Split the attachment across more than
one email if necessary. Be aware that
some people will not open an attachment
unless they are expecting it as they are
concerned about viruses.
Always minimize, compress or “zip”
large files before sending. Most systems
will manage up to 2mb files.
You may not realize how large
documents, graphics or photo files are.
Compress anything over 1mb. (You can
view file sizes in Windows Explorer.
Simply right click on the file name and
choose properties.)
For VERY large files send through a
“Send Large Files” service such as
largefilesasap, yousendit, storebigfile,
transferbigfiles, sendthisfile, or use
Google Drive.
Forwarding
Explain to the recipient why you are
sending it. Be careful you are only
forwarding messages to those that want
to/need to receive them. Also be sure to
strip all the extraneous information and
characters from the message before
Like the Eagle we see the Big Picture
MIMBEE MULTIMEDIA (est 2002)
Online Business Website Consultants
Miriam Battersby, dip Multimedia, International Webmaster Certification-
Woorim , Bribie island ph 3410 1071 [email protected] http://www.online-biz.com.au
forwarding it, change the subject line
and especially delete any other email
addresses that show that they have
previously been sent that email. If
you forward an email to a more
appropriate person e.g. to answer a
query, make sure you let the sender
know who to expect a reply from.
Spam and Worse
Never answer spam. Your response
will confirm your email address.
Delete the message instead as it may
contain viruses. Never forward chain
letters– they are hoaxes. Delete them
as soon as you receive them as they
may contain viruses.
Immediately delete emails with
attachments from senders you do
not recognise. They are probably
spam and may contain viruses. Do
not click open web links in messages
from unknown sources.
Do not forward emails warning of
new viruses. These are almost always
hoaxes and may contain viruses.
Check with a site that lists reported
scams, hoaxes, spam and phishing
email.
http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/
home_users/protect_yourself2/
avoiding_scams_and_hoaxes
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strategy?
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