Last year I wrote about the angst – both existential and real – I feel when I walk around the office and see my colleagues in the middle of several IM conversations at once, presumably with a combination of friends and clients. The possibility for sitcom-worthy mix-ups is high. Now, as if I don’t have enough on my plate o' angst, I’ve noticed text message-isms slowly but surely creeping into everyday work e-mail:
In our profession, it’s crucial that we take advantage of new means of communications. (Ask anyone over 35 who knows me – I keep urging them to join Facebook for no other reason than it’ll provide instant insight into social media, which many people in PR – at their peril – still lack.) But it’s equally important we remember that there’s a time and a place for everything (talk about a retro sentiment). The very nature of text messaging demands a new way of smooshing words and ideas together, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s cute or hip to use text-like style in e-mail or other documents. It’s not. Keep in mind you never know where your e-mails will actually land, to whom they’ll be forwarded, who will read them. Err on being professional at all times. That’s what our employers pay us for. |
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