Communication Etiquette for Business

Communication etiquette for business can at times appear in short supply yet wise people recognize the value of higher-level interactions. This article discusses more impressive behavior for the phone, email and video.

The conversation includes Bryan Clayton, CEO at GreenPal, a company billed as the Uber for lawncare; Meredith Corning of Meredith Corning PR, a public relations agency and Jerry Cahn, Ph.D., J.D. and president and CEO at Presentation Excellence.

Bryan Clayton is the CEO at GreenPal

“As a CEO who places a high value on communication etiquette in business, I would say that it's important to remember that communication is a two-way street,” Clayton says. “It's not just about how you communicate but also about how you receive communication from others.”

If the interaction is on a phone call, Clayton says etiquette starts with a the chosen mindset and the call for mutual invested attention.

“It’s important to be fully present and engaged in the conversation,” he says. “Avoid multitasking or distractions that might cause you to miss important details or signals from the person you're speaking with. It's also important to be respectful of people’s time and schedule phone calls during reasonable business hours.”

False, impolite assumptions get made, Corning says, when professionals have been provided a prospect’s or customer/client’s phone number.

“It is important to remember that simply because someone has given you their cell phone number or you have access to their cell phone number as a mode of communication, you do not have automatic permission to text them,” she says.

Far better, Corning asserts, to not be that aggressive.

“It is always best to ask for permission prior to texting or simply wait for them to offer that privilege to you,” she says. “If you feel something is urgent enough that it requires a text message, do not expect to receive a reply. It is also recommended to respect others’ office hours, family time and reply windows.”

The obvious, or what should be so, Cahn states, is not always what professionals are putting into practice.

“Be friendly and direct. People respect that. They really don’t want to hear long-winded introductory tangents, which salespeople often use.”

Email etiquette isn’t always exhibited either. It can be intrusive, mostly self-interest or demanding. There are points to consider.

“The recipient of emails outside of normal business hours are under no obligation to respond until normal business hours resume,” Corning says. “For those that like to send emails outside of business hours, I recommend an extension such as Boomerang to schedule email sending times.”

Cahn says it is helpful for professionals to remind themselves of the burdensome reality that email can be for people.

“We’re inundated with messages that come to our direct office emails and our extra ones,” he says. “Don’t send it outside office hours. People are prepared to take emergency messages from important people at all times but offering the recipient what she or he considers ‘low priority’ is an annoyance.”

Most everyone believes they are skillful communicators yet people on the receiving end might sometimes disagree, which Clayton brings up.

“One of the most important pieces of email etiquette is to always be clear and concise in your communication. Avoid using overly technical jargon or acronyms that might be confusing to others,” he says. “Also, make sure to proofread your emails for spelling and grammatical errors before hitting send. And finally, be mindful of the tone and language you use in your emails to ensure that they are professional and respectful.”

Meredith Corning of Meredith Corning PR

A final recommendation about coming across well — credibly — in email, from Corning, is to not be cryptic about who one is as a person or company.

“There really is no excuse in this day and age, not to have an email signature with first and last name, business name, title, website link, social media links and potentially another way to reach you, such as a physical address and-or phone number,” she says. “Be as transparent as possible for best results.”

Video etiquette, whether an interaction or content, can come across as less impressive than desired yet there are ways to raise the bar and be better.

“Be concise and engaging,” Cahn says. “TikTok understood the power of short, direct messages and has grabbed enormous market share. Do the same. During a busy day, (people are) likely to first look at the length (of video) before deciding to watch. Keep it to under 2 minutes whenever possible. Time is of the essence. Longer ones need to be processed ‘when time permits’ and that might be in two weeks or never.”

Opportunities are regularly missed for information retention in business communication. Corning has a recommendation that can prevent lost value from an interaction.

“When conducting a video meeting with team members or prospects, there should be a document generated after each meeting of important takeaways and links discussed to be shared with all participants. Placing this information into a chat box is not thorough enough,” she says.

Punctuality is another variable that can’t be viewed as optional.

“Being on time for a video meeting is no less important than being on time for an in-person meeting,” Corning adds. “Check your camera and microphone before beginning a video session so as not to delay the meeting because of your technical difficulties.”

Details matter. They add up. Impressions are made. Professionals, in large part, have agency to what the impressions will be and whether they will work or not in their favor.

“Dress appropriately for the call and make sure that your camera and microphone are functioning properly before the call starts,” Clayton says. “It's also important to maintain eye contact and (conduct) active listening during the call to show that you're fully engaged in the conversation.”

He adds that understanding the need for more professional and thoughtful behavior, the likelihood of desired impressions is going to be higher.

“By following these communication etiquette guidelines, we're able to build strong, positive relationships with those we work with.”