It happened almost every day while I was a classroom teacher; someone would turn in a paper without a name on it. After a while we could recognize the handwriting, and the students came to know who the likely culprits were and would hand the paper back to them and wait for their signature.
During those years I decided that it was a lack of confidence that kept someone from making sure the teacher knew whose paper they were reading. It seemed like it would take the entire school year for me to finally make the necessary connection with that child that would finally encourage them to be proud of their work.
Little did I know that I would encounter a similar problem when I came online. On a regular basis I receive emails from people that contain no name at all. The ‘from’ section of the email only contains their email address, and they do not sign their name or have a signature line that lets me know who they are. Unless their email address contains their name, I am unable to guess as to who is contacting me.
I asked some of my colleagues if they are experiencing the same situation, and the answer is a resounding Yes!
David Perdew, founder of NAMS, shared that they spend much time tracking down e-mail addresses or corporate names to figure out who the person is and which products they are talking about. In their new support desk, they’re actually making the name, product and the URL in issue required fields.
Dale Anderson made me laugh when he said, “Whatever made you think that a child who did not bother to put their name on a paper would develop into an adult who would do any differently in their email communication? I know you are just too optimistic at times, and this is one of them.”
Make sure that you are communicating professionally with email by taking a look at your own messages. Does your first and last name appear in the ‘From’ area? Do you sign your name at the bottom of your message? Do you utilize a signature line so people can learn more about you and what you do? These email communication tips can help you to build your business in a professional way.
