Create a great first impression ... even in cyberspace

You only get one chance to make a first impression. How many times have you heard this sentence? Too many to count, I am sure. Good business etiquette ensures that the first impression you create is the very best that it can be. However, let's be realistic. How many times do you get to demonstrate your etiquette by making that first impression in person? As many multinational organisations expand to increasingly dispersed locations, the frequency of old fashioned face-to-face interaction is diminishing. To illustrate this, just think about the emails you sent today. How many went to people you have actually met? For most of us, around 50% of our online communication is with people we have never seen in person. Often, our first interaction with a new contact is via an email, a profile on a webpage or even an instant message. Sadly, this takes away your chance to dazzle with your new suit, firm handshake and winning smile.

This is where netiquette comes in handy. So, what exactly is netiquette? In simple terms, Internet + Etiquette = Netiquette. Business etiquette in online communication is the latest development in international business etiquette. With the increased speed and convenience of online communication, we often forget that our communication is an extension of ourselves, whether this is in person or through a computer. This can lead to short, often rude emails or instant messages that break rapport and goodwill. In fact, in a recent online survey about wireless communication and hand-held devices, 18% of those questioned said they have been reprimanded for bad manners in their communication. In an article from postbulletin.com, Tom Musbach of Yahoo! HotJobs said that "the ease of online communication has made bad online etiquette as commonplace as improper table manners, we have lost the humanity in our communication." The number one rule of netiquette is to, ‘Remember the Person'. Even though you are staring at just a computer screen, there is still another person involved. Following some basic netiquette tips can help make your online communication perfect, allowing you to make a strong, lasting impression, no matter what the circumstances.

Email

Email is the world's most commonly used form of communication. Just take a moment to think about how many emails you send every day, every week and every year. Now, ask yourself, how many times do you ‘Remember the Person'?

• Subject lines - Remember to K.I.S.S. (Keep It Short & Simple). Do not leave the person guessing. This will ensure that your recipient actually reads your email rather than ignoring it or casting it into their junk folder.

• Group emails - It is better to create a group, or address book whenever possible rather than leaving the email address of all recipients visible. Whilst you may have a strong relationship with all the people on the list, they may not know each other, and might not be too keen on you sharing their email address.

• Signatures - Make sure your signature is up-to-date and conforms to company standards. Consult your manager or supervisor if you are unsure of your current company logo or the information you should include.

• Large attachments - No-one likes their inbox to be clogged by emails with giant attachments that take forever to download. Therefore, when sending large attachments it is always polite to ask what time, what platform and which address is most convenient for the recipient. This ensures they know what you are sending and are prepared to receive it.

Instant Messaging

MSN, QQ, GChat, and AIM have changed the way the world communicates. Whereas years ago these instant message applications had no place in an office or work environment, now, they are seen - by many companies - as valuable time and money saving tools. At ClarkMorgan we utilise instant messaging to quickly, effectively and simultaneously communicate between 8 offices across China. Here are a few netiquette tips that refer specifically to instant messaging:

• Identify yourself: Okay, your co-worker in Shanghai knows your name is William and you are from the Beijing office. However, she may not know that you are also known as laowaiforyou@hotmail. com. Ensure you introduce yourself when communicating through instant message for the first time, and also give a small introduction when asking to be added to someone's contact list. Otherwise, you run the risk of being blocked or ignored because your contact does not know who you are.

• Ask for their time: Never assume that just because someone is online that it is okay to fire off a thousand questions and that they will automatically have time to answer you. A simple "Hi, do you have time to talk?" shows the person you are taking them into account rather than simply focusing on your own needs.

• Away Messages and Tags: These (especially on MSN) are useful tools to alert those who you normally communicate with that you are open to chat, or that you will be working on a particular project and cannot talk. At ClarkMorgan, we use these tags to T.A.L.K(Tell Ask Listen Know) to one another about current projects we are working on and which city we will be in.

• Personal Icon: Remember, this is your cyber face. For people in other countries and cities, sometimes this is their only image of you. Some people choose to not use a picture of their selves for privacy, which is perfectly acceptable. If you choose this option try to stay away from cartoon or animated icons as they are immature and distracting. If you prefer to use a personal picture make sure it is tasteful and professional (a company or vacation picture for example).

Your Cyber-Self

In an online world of millions, many of us may think that we sink anonymously into cyber space. The truth is though, that due to search engines and social networking sites such as facebook, zhanzhuo and MySpace, we are a lot more visible than we think. Take a few moments to type your name into www.google.com and you may be quite surprised to see what you find - pictures from a college event or a friend's birthday party, a blog entry from high school, your company, your address!

• The grandparent rule. When assessing what information, pictures, profiles or blogs to make public and which to make private think of this simple rule. What would I let my grandparents see me do or hear me say? Everything else, reserve for private or close friends.

• If you make the decision to keep things private, inform others of this. Let friends, family and co-workers know you would prefer them not to post pictures of you or use your name without consulting you first.

Social Networking Sites

In the March/April edition of Network HR Paul Bacon shared some of the advantages of social networking sites for team building. Like Paul, I am a fan of those sites myself and I have also used them to learn quite a bit about co-workers that I cannot interact with on a daily basis. As Paul also mentioned however, there are some pitfalls to these sites. The amount of information available is so staggering that it can also become a question of privacy and professionalism.

• Privacy settings - Sites like facebook for instance, have a wide range of privacy settings that you can customise to your own requirements. If you choose to befriend co-workers you can make sure they only have access to hand picked information and pictures.

• Recruitment - HR professionals the world over are starting to utilise social networking sites to find more information about potential employees and browse through recent university graduates. As a HR professional, this could be a vital new tool for you!

• Networking - Sites like facebook have begun to make groups specifically for putting people from similar industries into contact with one another. Using these groups can help create valuable industry contacts.