Here we go again. Another year. Another opportunity to show the world (your specific market) how valuable you are, and how valuable you can be. Another fifty-two weeks of short articles written to stimulate and motivate your proactivity have been put to rest. Let the year begin. Here comes another year’s worth of reminders and useful tips.
Since this is a short workweek consisting of only three days, I thought we could warm up by sharing a few “no-brainers.” The truth, however, is that all my messages are relatively simple and in no way, shape or form can be confused with anything resembling rocket science.
Today I am going to remind you how to address an email. The reason for this stems from a recent faux pas of mine, which luckily enough did not result in a negative or uncomfortable outcome. It could have. It didn’t.
Here goes: It was the first email I wrote that day. It was a few minutes after 5 in the morning and I thought if I answered an incoming inquiry before dawn, I could cross the chore off my list. I wrote a detailed response and hit the send button. I then headed for the kitchen to enjoy my first cup of coffee.
About two hours later I received an email from an agent saying, “Mike, I am eager to learn of your upcoming trip, but I don’t think I was your intended email recipient.” I quickly tried to remember exactly what I had written in the email as my pulse began to elevate. I think I was safe.
Yes. I sent my email to the wrong person by accident and I know better. Lucky for me, there was nothing written in the email that could have been interpreted negatively or taken wrong out of context.
There are two lessons that come to mind as a result from my miscue:
- Never (ever) write anything in an email that is not upbeat, factual and easily interpreted.
- This one might be a little harder to swallow. If at all possible, make a point to fill in the recipient’s name and email address…LAST. That’s right. I said “last.” That way a happy “trigger finger” won’t inadvertently launch an email to the wrong person before you give it the final once-over.
Not that I make a habit of writing harmful messages, but I did feel I dodged a bullet that morning. And I will say it again…I was embarrassed…and I knew better.
I made a mistake in haste, and so will you one day. Please prove me wrong.
Mike Marchev freely shares his experiences, strategies and observations with travel professionals in an effort to keep them on top of their game. For a complimentary copy of his 12-Word Marketing Plan send him an email at mike@mikemarchev.com.
Mike’s daily column is made possible by AmaWaterways.